SOCCER/Chelsea 0 Manchester United 0:Nothing rang true for teams no longer contending for the Premiership. The game was ill-natured and the football itself was ragged.
This outcome suited the newly-crowned champions Manchester United, who saw the ball ricocheting in their goalmouth during the closing minutes after a pair of fumbles by the goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak. He had, all the same, made an impressive save from Lassanna Diarra just before that.
A spat with the referee Graham Poll by Chelsea's Jose Mourinho, because of a foul by the substitute Wayne Rooney, did add an authentic feel to the night for a moment or two, but the truth had never really been concealed. These clubs were determined to keep something in reserve.
Each of the team selections had been made with an eye to the future but not the portion of it containing their FA Cup final engagement on May 19th. Only Wes Brown, Gabriel Heinze and Alan Smith, for instance, remained from the Manchester United starting XI that had chalked up what proved to be a title-winning victory over Manchester City last Saturday.
Alex Ferguson had even given a debut to the sturdy Chinese striker Dong Fangzhuo, who was with Royal Antwerp until becoming eligible for a UK work permit. In addition Kieran Lee, who had only turned out in the League Cup was at right back.
For the visiting supporters the game itself was just part of their purpose in being at Stamford Bridge and not necessarily the most important element.
They had come to crow, as is the entitlement of fans looking down on the club who had yielded the title. "You're not special any more," came the taunting of Mourinho. It has been quite a while since anyone felt confident about saying that to the Chelsea manager. Mourinho's squad also had to applaud their Premiership conquerors on to the pitch.
The plan of course must have been to follow that by embarrassing United in the game itself but that was not so simple. Though Chelsea had marshalled more experience in their ranks, there was still a first Premiership start for Scott Sinclair, who had caught the nation's eye with that long run for an FA Cup goal against Barnet while on loan at Plymouth.
This match had some of the abrasiveness that might have been concocted by the clubs' senior footballers when everything is at stake. Mikel John Obi took exception to a rough challenge by Alan Smith and lunged at Chris Eagles to get himself booked within moments.
The contest was brisk yet fractured and Chelsea, prior to the interval, came closest to a breakthrough when a long, mishit cross from Shaun Wright-Phillips was close to sneaking into the top corner after 16 minutes. The winger had not quite menaced to such an extent before that when, sent through by Mikel, his attempt was smothered by Kuszczak.
Aggression was not lacking, with Kuszczak angered by rough treatment, but there was a want of incisiveness. United could have been ahead when Smith fed the ball through to Heinze after 37 minutes only for the Argentinian to hook his attempt wide.
By and large, any visitor oblivious to the circumstances would have been incredulous at the news that these were the sides who have been competing for so long to dominate the Premiership. The introduction of Joe Cole at the interval could have been intended to lift the quality quotient, but the next notable incident was a caution for Brown following his crude tackle on Sinclair and Diarra, fouling Eagles, was cautioned for Chelsea shortly afterwards.
It was not long before Eagles himself saw a yellow card for a challenge, with studs raised, on Wright-Phillips after he was denied what looked like a legitimate penalty claim.
Wright-Phillips did at least appear to have found his range in crossing, with one or two deliveries to perturb United. Chelsea also had another presence to aim for in the goalmouth, since the winger Sinclair was unfit to continue and made way for the striker Ben Sahar. The introduction of Michael Carrick and Rooney made little difference.
CHELSEA:Cudicini, Diarra (Morais 88), Ferreira, Terry, Bridge, Makelele, Wright-Phillips, Essien, Mikel (Joe Cole 46), Kalou, Sinclair (Sahar 54). Subs not used:Hilario, Geremi. Booked:Mikel, Diarra, Essien.
MANCHESTER UTD:Kuszczak, Lee, Brown, O'Shea, Heinze (Carrick 65), Eagles, Smith, Fletcher, Richardson, Solskjaer, Dong (Rooney 73). Subs not used:Van der Sar, Ferdinand, Scholes. Booked:Heinze, Lee, Brown, Eagles.
Referee: G Poll(Hertfordshire).
