Match Reports
The Observer, Stuart James: “On an afternoon of extraordinary drama in the Midlands, Frank Lampard etched his name into Chelsea history when he struck twice in the second half to surpass Bobby Tambling’s club record of 202 goals and give Chelsea the three points that secures Champions League football next season. Victory, however, came at a huge cost for Chelsea, who lost John Terry and Eden Hazard to injury and finished a pulsating game with nine men. Terry departed on a stretcher, with his left leg in a brace after he collided with Nathan Baker, while Hazard pulled up with a hamstring strain in injury-time, the Belgian’s pained expression shared by those on the Chelsea bench who reacted with despair.”
The Independent on Sunday, Simon Hart: “He was the last player off the pitch, staying behind to soak up the adulation of the away supporters in the Doug Ellis Stand and, frankly, who could blame him? With his two goals yesterday Frank Lampard did not just secure another Champions’ League campaign for Chelsea, but wrote his name in the Stamford Bridge history books as the club’s top scorer. Lampard had begun the day a goal shy of Bobby Tambling’s record but ended it with goals 202 and 203 of a brilliant 12-year Chelsea career. They were goals that summed up his continued importance to the club that has still not offered him a new contract as he cancelled out Christian Benteke’s first-half strike on the hour, and then appeared in the six-yard box at the perfect time to bury Eden Hazard’s low cross late on.”
The Sunday Telegraph, Gerry Cox: “Football purists may consider it sacrilege to play league matches on FA Cup final day, but Aston Villa and Chelsea served up a lunchtime feast packed with incident, significance and controversy. Chelsea came from behind to effectively seal at least a place in the Champions League qualifying round thanks to two goals from Frank Lampard, who equalled and then surpassed Bobby Tambling’s 43-year-old club goalscoring record of 202.”
The Official Chelsea FC Website: “Chelsea effectively sealed a top-four finish for the season and Frank Lampard made history in a dramatic game at Villa Park. The Blues came back from conceding early on and going down to 10 men, the vice-captain netting twice in the second half to pass Bobby Tambling and reach 203 Chelsea goals – the all-time club record.”
Goals and Highlights
14′ Benteke 1-0
61′ Lampard 1-1
88′ Lampard 1-2
Match of the Day highlights
Links
- Bobby Tambling: Frank Lampard is Chelsea’s greatest ever player and I hope he breaks my record
- Frank Lampard breaks Bobby Tambling’s Chelsea scoring record
- Frank Lampard – Solid goals
- Frank Lampard: Past perfect, future tense but still a present danger
- Frank Lampard wants to carry on playing until he is 40, just like Ryan Giggs
- Chelsea’s history man Frank Lampard focuses on honours not contracts
First of all of course congratulations to super Frank. Great players score in great games and Frank has shown it yet again!
Excellent choice of photo at the top of this report, Nick – and the black and white spares us the horrible tinge on the colour version of it from the fluorescent lights behind them, though the picture I’ve seen of Lampard on Cech’s shoulders saluting the fans at the end is good too.
Really delighted to see Frank equal and beat the record with match-winning goals. I guess we need to thank Benteke for wrestling the Shit for Brains Award away from Ramires for dumb tackling when on a yellow card, though, as we looked to be increasingly struggling a man short after half time as we approached our energy gap time again.
I liked too Frank’s comments in interview afterwards about not feeling clinching 4th place was a cause for celebrating, but should be reserved for actually winning something. Let’s leave that to Wenger and his boys.
As we drown in the tide of eulogies to Lord Ferg it was timely of Paul Lambert in his post-match interview to give us a reminder that the EPL will still not be short of [less successful] hard bastard, grumpy Scottish managers with a baleful stare, an overdeveloped chip on the shoulder about referees’ decisions and an aptitude for gracelessness in defeat.
You won’t be allowed back to Scotland with remarks like that against your fellow countryman. 😉
But agree with your observations wholeheartedly!
It’s not really about Chelsea, but could someone explain to me one thing please…
Why exactly are Newcastle safe? They have 41 points, Wigan has 35 win one game less. That means that if Wigan win both, they, too, will have 35 + 3 + 3 = 41 points. I’ve checked the PL rules and they state that the tie-braker is goal difference and goals scored. I’ve looked at their respective GDs and they’re more or less the same. So how come Newcastle are considered safe already??
Because Aston Vanilla are playing Wigan in the last round. If Wigan win both games they do indeed go to 41 but it would leave Villa on 40.
Oh… Thank you! Hadn’t thought of it this way…
Bloody marvelous. Privilege to have seen him play and that’s an astounding record for a midfielder. He’s still a force, isn’t he.
Yet again the great man digs us out of the mire. Remarkable footballer. We eulogise and get misty-eyed about him on the podcast this week (plug).
It is the second leg of the FA Youth Cup tonight and it is televised, so don’t miss. We are trialling Norvich 1:0 from the first leg.
Tonight on ITV4 the second leg of Youth Cup!
Went to the Bridge for the Youth Cup last night. Not a great deal to write home about, in all honesty. We were in charge for the first 20 minutes or so, but Norwich were pretty solid at the back and in the Murphy twins had the best players on the pitch. Boga was impressive and technically you couldn’t really fault any of them, but the usual issues at that level prevailed – overplaying, missed chances and tired legs after 70 minutes or so.
Long way to go for these boys, of course and no reason to write them off but history suggests that if one or two make it to the fringes of the first team we’ll have done well. Happy to be corrected on this if more do make progress, but didn’t see anything last night to suggest that the current crop will be any different.
Sell them all.
Let’s buy ready made ones.
From this crop we have got Nathan Ake who didn’t play because he will feature tonight in the final.
I thought Norwich looked incredibly well organised for this level, we should pinch their coach. Our lot were too Arsenal – the previous youth teams have been a little more direct but these guys went round the houses, maybe something do with having players like Feruz and Boga, not much height there.
Boga certainly has something. He’s still very young, I think.
Nathan didn’t play and he keeps them all together.
Came to work wearing my 1997-1998 Cup Winner Cup shirt. Come on Chelsea!
KTBFFH!
You’re a lucky man if any of your clothes from 1997 still fit you!
I spend lot of time in gym, but may be I am 🙂
A report is filed and should be ready tomorrow my friends…