FA Cup Fifth Round - 27 February 2013

MIDDLESBROUGH V CHESLEA

This last sixteen tie takes place eleven days late due to Chelsea’s need to overcome Brentford in the fourth round replay while also fulfilling their Europa League commitments. The delay means the sixth round opponents are known in advance; formidably but lucratively (for Boro at least) they are Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Under the lights at the Riverside it is a still crisp evening and a decent 26,000 plus crowd is expected to cheer on a Boro side whose Championship promotion prospects have plummeted since the start of 2013. Chelsea’s form is also indifferent with rumours of discord under the unpopular Rafa Benitez. It does not bode well for an attractive cup tie.

It’s traditional colours: Middlesbrough red v Chelsea blue. The Middlesbrough team shows a bit of rotation with an eye to a big game on Saturday. Chelsea have fielded a team that include a few old lags (Terry, Ferriera & Benayoun), some young guns (Moses, Bertrand & Ake – the latter looking like a teenage Ruud Gullet), some A list players (Oscar, Ramires & Cech) and a couple whose status is, let’s say, in transition (Torres & Ivanovic).

At the start Boro seem nervous and agitated, often bumping into each other in their haste to chase the ball, while Chelsea seem happy to just stroll around and re-acquaint themselves with the Riverside. With most of the action, or at least activity, in the central third of the pitch Boro settle down and Chelsea seem to lose whatever plan or structure they started with.

Most of the interest is in the individual battles. From the start Bikey bullies Torres into a sulky submission, which he fails to emerge from even when the Boro centre half limps off late in the half. Moses gives full back Friend a torrid time for most of the half, but the game Boro full back never gives up and no damage occurs. McDonald and Main are dwarfed by Terry and Ivanovic; McDonald relishes the contest but young Main is out of his depth. In midfield the hard working Leadbitter and Williams have their hands full with the vision and skill of Oscar and the grace and drive of Ramires. The only area where a match-up could favour Boro is out wide where Haroun has the edge over the young Bertrand and Carayol may have the legs on the aging Ferreira.

The set up often leaves Bailey free and the Boro defender sets up the first chance of the half with a good cross to McDonald who heads narrowly wide. Then Carayol gets into the box and his drive is well hit but straight at Cech who saves. With Bikey replaced by Hines, Torres perks up but when he does burst clear his shot is tame and rolls into Steele’s waiting arms.

The half ends goalless - a fair reflection on the play. Boro have looked the more coherent team but Chelsea’s stars have shown glimpses of class that could settle the game in a flash.

Chelsea begin the stronger in the second half and within 5 minutes Oscar penetrates to the by-line and pulls back a dangerous cross from the right. A Boro head just gets to it but without power, and the ball falls to Ramires. He takes a measured shot that curls towards the goal and its guardian Steele; then Torres’ shoulder intervenes to deflect the ball high into the net denying the keeper the chance to save.

The one goal lead gingers up Chelsea and they continue to press for a while, a Moses cross shot being the highlight, before once more sinking into their torpor and letting Boro back into the game.

Benitez senses this and just before the hour sends on Hazard for Benayoun; the Boro fans issue a collective groan, anticipating the mixed emotions of viewing a great player who has the potential to finish off their slim hopes of a comeback. Mowbray’s response is to put on Millar for Main, the young lad having completed his one hour work experience mainly consisting bouncing off John Terry.

As expected it is substitute Hazard that has most impact. Before long he slices through the inside left channel, exchanging a one-two with Oscar before giving Moses a tap in for 2-0.

Chelsea think that is job done but Boro mount a spirited end to the game. Millar gets down to business and is positively dynamic in comparison to the lack lustre Torres, whose continued presence on the pitch seems more of a penance than a reward for his efforts.

The final ten minutes see the Chelsea goal under, admittedly wayward, bombardment. A McDonald header, shots from Zemmama (on for Carayol) and Leadbitter, and a stretching volley from Millar all miss the target.

So it ends at 0-2 with Premiership finishing quality the deciding factor. The Middlesbrough cup run is done; Chelsea’s may last only ninety minutes longer if they play no better at Old Trafford.