Villa cry foul but it’s still a Blues cruise

MARTIN O’NEILL did his very best to construct a smokescreen – however justified his complaints about Howard Webb’s handling of two major decisions – but ultimately it was impossible to deny that Chelsea will deservedly take their place in the FA Cup final on May 15.

Of course the outcome may have been different had Webb decided John Obi Mikel had tripped Gabriel Agbonlahor in the 16th minute and awarded a penalty, whilst also deciding that the midfielder had denied a goalscoring opportunity and deserved to be sent off.

Similarly, if the match official had interpreted John Terry’s robust challenge on James Milner as worthy of more than the yellow card he flashed at the Chelsea defender.

Webb, though, decided correctly that Agbonlahor had hold of Mikel’s shirt immediately before he went to ground and that Terry had played the ball before clattering through Milner.

Tough calls, but there is a case for saying Webb got them both right. And without the benefit of an early penalty or being confronted by under-manned opponents, Villa were unable to upset the natural order that often appears to exist between the Premier League’s top clubs and the pretenders on the big occasions.

Admittedly Everton bucked that trend at the same stage of the competition last season when they beat Manchester United to line up a final appearance against Chelsea.

But too often at times like these, the gap has proved simply too great to bridge. So it was in the second period when Chelsea overcame their surprisingly disjointed first half appearance to continue their run in this competition that has now taken them to three finals in the last four years and moved them one step closer towards a league and cup double.

O’Neill and his players were incensed at the pattern of events and there were no shortage of representatives from the Villa dressing room who were keen to come forward and voice their belief that the bigger clubs always get the benefit of doubt on these occasions.

And while the penalty that never was certainly irked the midlands club, it was Terry’s challenge THAT generated the most anger.

There is, of course, previous between O’Neill and Terry with the manager irritated by the defender’s suggestion that Villa lacked stamina when they collapsed to a heavy 7-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge two weeks previously.

That may have helped colour O’Neill’s outburst after Saturday’s game, but striker John Carew backed up his manager’s claim that the challenge went beyond the pale.

“I saw the challenge from close range and Terry could have sent James’ lower leg up into the stands,” said Carew. “I’ve seen people get red cards for less. That was a really dangerous tackle.

“There are a lot of tackles that can break legs which are not really that dangerous. But that one was very dangerous because he launched in with straight legs. It would have broken it.”

With Terry being accused of such heinous crimes, Fabio Capello could perhaps count himself relieved he has already taken the decision to strip the England defender of his country’s armband.

Terry himself steered clear of the issue, preferring to look forward to the more immediate test presented by Bolton’s visit to Stamford Bridge. If Chelsea maintain anything like the form they showed in the second period, three points will be guaranteed and the league title within their grasp.

It took the 45 minutes to get going at Wembley, but once they did, they were ominously strong.

From the moment Didier Drogba broke the deadlock in the 68th minute, there appeared to be no way back for Villa although late goals from Florent Malouda and Frank Lampard distorted the scoreline.

Typically, Drogba was the key figure in the game, frustratingly ineffective during the opening half, then the main difference between the two sides when he found his feet during the second period.

“Once we scored the first goal, we had more space to play and more chances to create goals,” said Chelsea substitute Salomon Kalou.

“We have never done the double before and it would be good history for the club and the manager.

“To have the opportunity to do the double as a player is amazing.”

MATCH RATING: *** - For all Villa’s impressive play in the first-half, the match never really caught fire until Chelsea stepped up the pace in the second period.

REFEREE: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire) 5 – Martin O’Neill directed his anger at the match official and it was hard to disagree with the Villa manager.