Match Report: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 2

Last season, Liverpool did the double over Chelsea in the league and scored three goals in the process. Those goals were scored by Fernando Torres (2) and Raul Meireles. Surprisingly, Andre Villas-Boas left both now Chelsea players out of the starting lineup and they only arrived, in tandem, late in the match in the 83rd minute. Without them, Chelsea’s play was slow and ineffective, bar a productive spell early in the second half when Juan Mata received more of the ball and Daniel Sturridge, a halftime substitute, was unleashed down the right flank.

Chelsea began the match with a 4-3-3 formation with the sluggish Mikel in the holding role and Ivanovic preferred to Bosingwa at right back. The last selection I cheered for, the former was disappointing. Meireles is a class act and is deserving of more regular football. Liverpool’s first goal was a testament to that. Petr Cech took a short goal line clearance to Mikel, who was easily caught in possession by the hunting Liverpool pack. One-two-three quick passes and Maxi had the ball past Cech for 1-0.

Chelsea’s response was worryingly weak. Although they conceded in surprising circumstances, it was no surprise they were down at halftime. Both Drogba and Malouda especially seemed off the pace, the latter appeared to be shut out of the game by a return to form ex-Blue Glen Johnson.

Half time came and AVB swapped sluggish Mikel for the raw pace of Sturridge, a decision that quickly paid off. Malouda enjoyed some rare space on the left to send his shot-cum-cross across the face of goal for Sturridge to volley past Reina. 1-1.

Chelsea then enjoyed their best period of the match as Mata and Sturridge came into the game and were running Livepool ragged. The Blues should have had their second bar an exceptional save by Pepe Reina from a David Luiz header.

The match then petered out with both teams having some chances with Sturridge and Kuyt both shooting wide. Then with three minutes remaining, it was not an ex-Red that would win this match but an ex-Blue as Glen Johnson ran at Ashley Cole, nutmegged him, cut across and fired past Cech and a sliding John Terry.

AVB later claimed Chelsea is “not a team in transition”. On this evidence, he better be wrong.