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| Chelsea Team Celebrating EPL Trophy |
In the 15 frenzied
minutes it took a crew to assemble the stage for Chelsea to receive the
Barclays Premier League trophy, their supporters were treated to the raw
statistics.
Chelsea had been top of
the table for a record 268 days, from the moment they beat Everton 6-3 at
Goodison Park on August 30 to this final, momentous day in the English football
calendar.
‘That’s why we’re
champions,’ they sang from the stands.
Jose Mourinho’s team
have been unbeaten at Stamford Bridge, winning 15 matches at home on the way to
reclaiming the Premier League title by eight points. ‘Bring on the champions,’
they bayed.
And so they did, one by
one until they finally, agonisingly got their hands on some shiny silverware to
celebrate in front of their supporters.
There were references to
the champions everywhere - more than 100 in the club programme alone - but this
is an important day in the history of this club and Mourinho. This lot are
winners.
The frenzied
celebrations are the start of a 48 hour Chelsea-fest, a a party starting at
Stamford Bridge that will continue through streets awash with blue and white
scarves on Monday.
Their 3-1 victory was
almost incidental to the main event, a trophy lift that took place at 510pm,
after every member of the backroom staff, coaching staff and playing staff had
been wheeled out.
Chelsea have been too
good for all comers this season, as they demonstrated by recovering from a goal
down to record their 26th victory of a 38 game league programme. The proof is
in the pudding.
This sure tasted sweet
for those boys in blue, cantering to victory with goals from substitutes Diego
Costa, from the penalty spot, and two from Loic Remy after the break.
The trophy lift is a
familiar feeling for the captain John Terry, certainly executed far better than
the clumsy attempt by the players to hoist Didier Drogba off the field in the
30th minute wearing the captain’s armband.
Drogba had announced, in
the hours before kick off, that he would leave Chelsea in search of one final
season of first team football farther afield. What a send off it turned out to
be.
‘Mr Mourinho came to me
before the game and explained it - we knew it would happen,’ admitted Advocaat.
‘It’s no problem, the player deserves it.’ Sunderland had just taken the lead
when Steven Fletcher read Adam Johnson’s left footed corner to head Dick Advocaat’s
team into the lead after 29 minutes.
It was a spirited start
by Sunderland, but the reality is that their season ended when they secured
their place in the Premier League with that feverish 0-0 draw at Arsenal on
Wednesday.
It has all came together for Chelsea in one
joyous celebration, patiently waiting three weeks, since they were confirmed as
champions, to get their hands on the trophy itself. The trick is to keep hold
of it, to begin the title defence in August with the same resilience and desire
that they showed to get back into this game.
Chelsea equalised after
35th minutes when John O’Shea clumsily bundled over Juan Caudrado inside the
penalty area to gift them a penalty. Costa, on as a substitute, easily beat
Vito Mannone.
They had to wait until
late in the second half to pierce Sunderland’s defence again, with Eden Hazard
providing the chance for Remy to beat Mannone from long range.
Remy, who had replaced
the injured Cuadrado two minutes before half-time, scored again when he read
Nemanja Matic’s pass across goal.
There was a glimpse into
the future too when the Danish central defender Andreas Christensen was brought
on to make his Premier League debut 13 minutes from time. Soon this club will
be talking about the past, particularly after Drogba announced that he is to
leave Chelsea for the second, presumably final, time. He has been an ambassador
for this club.
So has Petr Cech, who
will also bid farewell to Chelsea after 10 hugely successful years at the club.
Both leave with their heads held high.
‘Petr is a 32 year old
legend, and I want him to stay because we have the two best keepers in the
Premier League,’ reflected Mourinho, as he sipped champagne and revealed that
he had already bought a new watch to celebrate their title win. Mourinho’s smile
said so much, handing his daughter Matilde his winner’s medal because his son
Jose Junior is in Holland at a tournament with his club Fulham.
Here the lap of honour
of appreciation took forever, soaking it all up again as they made their way
towards their fans in all four corners of this stadium.
When they clamber on to
that bus on Monday, they will be right back at the top.
Source:dailymailsport.co.uk
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