Arsenal Vs Chelsea (2007)

"Chelsea - depleted, deflated". The commentator said it all. For a club with reportedly US$300 million for transfers and a good 4 full internationals on loan at other clubs, that's hardly something that one would expect to hear. To be honest, they did have six first teamers missing for parts of the season, but then again, Champions Manchester United had eight players missing when they played their Champions league semi final.

So is this a case of poor management? Why allow so many players to be on loan, and go through the season with such a small squad? Lets not allow ourselves to get too carried away, Chelsea have not so much lost the championship as United has earned it. The consistency that United had this season is reminiscent of the consistency that Chelsea and Arsenal both had when they were champions. Chelsea are glorious second place finishers none the less. Despite being down to ten men, look at the way they kept Arsenal on the back foot during the second half. Incessant attacks from all over the park, deep balls from defence, wing play from the tireless Joe Cole and the drive from Terry and Lampard through the middle. Mourinho had all right to ask his fans to applaud their team and to keep their heads held high. Chelsea definitely earned that right today.

With all the talk of penalties in the past week, isn't it ironic that a penalty for Arsenal would decide Chelsea's fate? No excuses from Mourinho at the post match interview though, no excuses about how Chelsea have one set of rules and United another. It was instead, a dejected Mourinho, with little choice, but to cough and sputter congratulations to a Manchester United side whose Championship is finally done and dusted.