31) Watford 0 - 1 Chelsea Fc

Sat, 31st Mar 2007 A stoppage time header from half-time substitute Salomon Kalou gave Chelsea victory despite a jaded performance at relegation-bound Watford this evening. Until the hour mark in the three o'clock kick-off at Old Trafford, Blackburn led Manchester United, but the Premiership leaders came back to win 4-1 and open a nine point gap up ahead of Chelsea. Chelsea, with Diarra, Robben, Bridge, Essien and Joe Cole all unavailable, took to the pitch for a 5.15pm kick-off at the team with the worst home record in the top flight. In the stand from which the players emerged, there were empty seats in the back tier right across the centre, due to Watford now being unable to get a safety certificate to fill it. The crowd was 19,793. In the first minute, from Watford's first corner, Terry was caught in the face by an accidental flying elbow from Henderson, and in the wake of the Carling Cup Final injury there was genuine concern as physio Dave Hancock and club doctor Bryan English ran to him. But he was up and running forward for Chelsea's first corner after a minute. Watford came back straight away and claimed a penalty as a cross struck Terry, then from the resulting knocked-on throw Kabba produced an excellent overhead shot which Cech had to turn over the bar for a good save. In Chelsea's next attack a minute later, well orchestrated by Wright-Phillips, Shevchenko hit Chelsea's first shot on target, easily held by Foster. There looked to be goals in the game. In Chelsea's next attack a minute later, well orchestrated by Wright-Phillips, Shevchenko hit Chelsea's first shot on target, easily held by Foster. There looked to be goals in the game. Before 10 minutes had gone, Wright-Phillips and Ballack combined well with the latter setting up Drogba whose first touch took him too wide to shoot and a good chance was gone. Chelsea and Lampard were furious when he seemed to be brought down on the edge of the area just two minutes later and referee Rennie gave no foul. But there was more concern when Watford countered and Rinaldi forced his way past Carvalho and then dribbled past Terry, but before he could shoot Carvalho got back to dispossess him. The first booking went to Damien Francis who blocked Cole with a silly challenge after a couple of other hefty tackles.

Just past the half-hour Drogba seemed certain to give Chelsea the lead when Lampard headed through to him, but his fine shot was brilliantly turned aside by Foster's outstretched foot. It heralded a good spell for Chelsea with Wright-Phillips having a shot blocked and Ballack heading just wide. Chelsea were inept until half-time when Cole's low cross was cleared by another outstretched Foster boot, and Lampard cleverly squared it to Shevchenko whose shot was palmed away by the goalkeeper as Drogba harassed. When the referee blew his whistle for the interval it felt like we had witnessed the first half of a middle-distance race in which everyone had been jockeying for position and there had been no pacemaker. José Mourinho wasted no time. He sent on Ferreira and Kalou for Gérémi and Makelele and switched to 4-2-3-1 with Ballack and Lampard in front of the back four, and WrightPhillips, Shevchenko and Kalou operating behind Drogba. At times it became a 4-2-4. But five minutes into the half Kabba sliced an easy opportunity wide after Shittu had nodded on another long throw. Chelsea, however, now attacked with more flourish and with less defensive concerns. When Ferreira had to cover across and cleared from Henderson, he went down and was given a free-kick which led to the two managers having words with each other. Kalou soon missed the target with a header from a quickly taken free-kick. Mourinho wanted more attacking and more cover, so come the 58th minute he sent on Mikel for Cole, and switched to a back three which Mikel sat in front of. When referee Rennie now needed treatment from Bryan English and former Chelsea reserve team physio, Watford's Andy Rolls, seemingly for a slipped-in-the-eye contact lens, the managers came together again, this time in shared laughter. Wright-Phillips suffered Chelsea's first booking when he brought down Rinaldi on the stretch. Mikel had brought some class to midfield, but Chelsea's game still hadn't improved sufficiently. Another example was in the offing when the third away corner of the half was taken, Terry nodded it into the area and both Ballack and Shevchenko missed their shots. Ferreira was booked for bringing down substitute Priskin from behind after allowing the forward to get round him. Two minutes later it was Lampard's turn to seem certain to give Chelsea the lead. He fastened on to the loose ball after Wright-Phillips had been tackled on the edge of the

area, slipped past the last man but as he pulled the trigger DeMerit shot across and conceded Chelsea's sixth corner of the half with a great block. With 10 minutes to go Watford sent on Bouazza who could push forward wide on the left to stretch the Chelsea defence Ferreira had been operating on the left of the back three but now returned to the right to counter him. Mikel dropped even deeper to cover Priskin. Francis should gave won the game for Watford with three minutes left when Ballack lost him at a corner and his downward header was somehow pushed off the line by Cech. Chelsea grew noticeably frustrated, and Carvalho was booked in the first minute of stoppage time for a silly foul on DeMerit. But in the third minute, after Ballack had won the ball well, Shevchenko got wide and crossed, and Kalou who had looked jaded leapt high to head his seventh goal of the season. Relieved team-mates flung themselves on him in team throng halfway inside Watford's half. Immediately he was moved to left-back and Chelsea defended easily to the end. All game Watford fans had been chanting to Mourinho: 'Sacked in the summer, you'll be sacked in the summer…' Now the Chelsea fans responded: 'That's why you're going down…' Seven games left, still six points behind Manchester United. Watford (4-1-2-1-2) Foster; Chambers, Shittu, DeMerit, Stewart; Mahon (c); Francis, Rinaldi; Smith; Henderson (Priskin 68), Kabba (Bouazza 80). Booked Francis (23). Chelsea (4-1-2-1-2) Cech; Gérémi (Ferreira h-t), Carvalho, Terry (c), A Cole (Mikel 57); Makelele (Kalou h-t); Wright-Phillips, Lampard; Ballack; Drogba, Shevchenko. Scorer Kalou (90+2). Booked Wright-Phillips (65), Ferreira (75), Carvalho (90).