BARCELONA didn’t turn up at Stamford Bridge last night.
Without the injured Samuel Et’o, and with a massive game in Madrid on Sunday, they just went through the motions on Matchday 3.
It was, “We’ve got Real Madrid on Sunday, lads, so don’t get injured.”
So the Essien-Drogba juggernaut rolled right over the European Champions.
Lampard, Shevchenko and Ballack were anonymous but Chelsea’s power, aggression and organisation just crushed Barca out of sight.Gudjohnsen never got a kick and third-choice Chelsea keeper Hilario made a couple of good saves.
THE SKY PUNDITS, having anticipated a real contest, were underwhelmed.
Gullit said Barcelona had no width, and Souness said Ronaldinho was the worst player on the pitch.
Chelsea just bulldozed through them. It was power but it was technical power.A lot of muscle and a lot of skill serving an efficient defensive shape. Essien, Drogba and Boulharouz just roughed the Barca players out of every ball and the others worked hard.
It was a demonstration of organised ferocity.
The only goal, in 47, came when Ashley Cole’s pass found Drogba on the edge of the box and he spun back into the D and smashed in a classic centre forward’s goal, a right- foot shot that gave keeper valdes no chance.
Werder Bremen and Barcelona both have 4 points.
My guess ? Rijkaard was saving Thuram for Sunday at the Bernabeu.
Stopping Ruud van Nistelrooy is more important to him than stopping Drogba.
If Chelsea play like this, who could beat them?
Well, Lyon would have given Chelsea a game. So would Bayern Munich or Valencia.
But it was weird watching Barcelona, double Spanish champions and European champions, being unable to give Chelsea a game.
It was really weird. And quite horrible.
The bookies have installed Chelsea as favourites.