Unlucky

The Stamford Bridge hoo-doo remains in place after today’s United’s 1-0 loss to Chelsea. Physical play and drama reigned supreme, with both sides feeling aggrieved by controversial calls in a tight, edgy contest.

Chelsea felt hard done from Jonny Evans’ lead-with-your-studs, leg-first header and wonder how he remained on the pitch, let alone how Drogba retained a yellow card for the collision. (From United’s and Atkinson’s perspective, Drogba was late and attempted to run through or undercut Evans without a realistic effort at ball.) I’ll concede that whenever studs are shown, in whatever capacity, the player runs risk of serious punishment, with Evans and United fortunate to escape punishment.

Meanwhile United can’t understand how advantage only applies to Chelsea, as Martin Atkinson had several occasions to either allow the Red Devils to continue play, or once Chelsea lost possession with advantage, he’d blow the whistle and attend to an injured player and slow United’s forward momentum. All in all, it was ridiculously one-sided.

But the pen-ultimate controversy from the match will be both the foul called on Fletcher, after arguably winning the ball against Ashley Cole, and the subsequent and resultant Terry goal, which included a Drogba throw down of Wes Brown, one worthy of the World Wrestling Federation.

I’m actually bothered less by the Drogba take-down than I am the original foul called. Whenever there’s a set-piece, there’s always wrestling in the box. Whether it’s called or not, you’ve got to learn to live with it, as its part of the game.

But, the Fletcher foul – you’ve GOT to be joking.

I’ll grant you that Fletcher goes in hard; a regular stuck-in-type player with bite whose tackles often border fouls. Yet, in this case, when two players go for a fifty-fifty ball from opposite sides and both players make contact with ball first, it’s almost never a foul, as Fletcher out-maneuvered Cole superbly.

To get in position to push Cole away with his arm, as claimed by Atkinson, Fletcher needs to come through the ball to do it – thus, ball and possession first. This is precisely the type of physical play Atkinson let go throughout the entire game, thus giving the call added cruelty.

But lest you think I’m a total homer, I’ll admit that United lived dangerously throughout stretches of the second half, conceding too many set-piece chances, Chelsea’s primary threat. This could influence Atkinson’s decision, so goes the logic, thus making the call somewhat self-inflicted.

Regardless, United feel aggrieved and are unlucky to leave Stamford Bridge without a point, as the 4-5-1 that quickly morphed into a 4-3-3 with possession did a marvelous job of shutting down the Chelsea attack. Now, if only United could capitalize on such a strong effort with some clinical finishing. Let’s hope this storyline doesn’t repeat itself too often during the rest of the season, especially during the knock-out phase of the Champions League.

Back at you after the Everton match in two weeks. Cheers.