United come up trumps as Torres gamble fails again
Ancelotti refused to drop his £50m (€58m) striker, despite persistent rumours he would do so, and was left ruing his decision as United claimed a 2-1 victory that sends them into the semi-finals 3-1 on aggregate and sends Chelsea to a very dark place indeed.
Torres, in fact, lasted only 45 minutes before Ancelotti finally had the courage to replace him with Didier Drogba — a decision he should have made an hour earlier with the former Liverpool striker in such miserable form.
But by that time United were already ahead thanks to a 43rd minute goal from Javier Hernandez and well on their way to a memorable victory.
Chelsea did make a game of it when substitute Drogba proved his point by equalising on the night in the 76th minute, despite his team being down to 10 men following the dismissal of Ramires for his second bookable offence; but United took only 60 seconds to reply through Ji-Sung Park and another legendary European night was complete.
United boss Alex Ferguson said: “I think we played very, very well against a very, very good team. Chelsea played a big part in that game.
“I thought we were the better team on the night. In a team game we had some fantastic performances, Park, Chicharito (Hernandez), all over, no-one let us down.”
Ferguson admitted his side were lucky to score so quickly after Chelsea’s leveller on the night.
“That was the break we got in the game, to be honest, I thought it was a cheap goal to lose.”
Chelsea boss Ancelotti rued his side’s failure to score early. “We had control of the game for the first 25 minutes but were not able to score,” he said.
“At the end of the first half when they scored it was more difficult for us, we came back with 10 men but in the end it was not enough.
“Our performance was not so bad but I think of the two teams, United deserved to win.”
Was starting Torres a mistake? “Maybe, could be. But I thought a lot of times I prefer to start with Fernando with this kind of games, this kind of tactics.
“I brought on Drogba because I wanted to put pressure and control because we needed to score. Didier was fresh and he could use his power in front. This was the reason I took out Fernando — and Drogba played well”.
Asked about the task of lifting his team, the Italian said: “It will be difficult but we have to make the top four for Champions League football next season.
“I have to work,” he said. “I have to try to make my best. It is not my decision if I stay here or not.”
But how Ancelotti will wonder what could have been. He promised to try ‘something special’ at Old Trafford and what he delivered was a Christmas tree formation, tipped by Torres.
So many rumours suggested the Spaniard was on the bench, even Sky Sports reporting the fact before kick-off, that you have to wonder if there was a change of heart. Is it too much of a conspiracy theory to suggest Mr Abramovich intervened?
Ferguson refused to admit he was surprised by his opponent’s selection policy. “Some people thought Drogba would play. I thought that, having signed Torres for the money they did, they had to play him. I wasn’t 100% sure but I couldn’t see how they could leave Torres out,” he said.
Whatever the reasons for the decision, it proved a wrong one — and Torres lasted only 45 minutes before Ancelotti had seen enough.
By that time Chelsea were a goal down, despite a promising start.
Initially United were caught out by Chelsea’s new system — not a 4-3-3 Ancelotti was at pains to insist — hinging as it did on a deep and roving role for Nicolas Anelka, who produced an outstanding performance away at Sunderland in a similar position earlier in the season.
The Frenchman had the first real chance of the first-half, too, striking a shot with the outside of his foot that curled wide of the far post from 20 yards before Frank Lampard wasted an excellent opportunity by shooting straight at Van der Sar.
Anelka curled another effort narrowly wide but United came so close to opening the scoring when Rooney’s wonderful cross from the right was forced home by Hernandez after 26 minutes, only to be harshly ruled offside.
With Torres unable to find his touch at the other end, United’s strikers by contrast were razor sharp and bounding with energy and fizz.
With Rooney dropping deep and Hernandez making wonderful runs, United’s greater cutting edge eventually reaped dividends two minutes before half-time. It was a clever touch from Irishman John O’Shea that set Ryan Giggs free on the right, and the veteran midfielder danced into the area before crossing low for the predatory Hernandez to slide home at the far post.
Despite Ancelotti’s determined effort it was a deserved lead for a side enjoying more self-confidence; and the brutal substitution of Torres at half-time for Drogba hinted at deeper problems in the camp.
The Ivorian did make an impact, driving a 20-yard effort narrowly wide after 57 minutes and then seeing a free-kick saved by van der Sar. He even turned superbly on a long ball from Michael Essien after 76 minutes to rifle a goal past van der Sar — as he did last season when Chelsea won 2-1 here.
But on this occasion they were already down to 10 men after Ramires clattered into the back of Nani after 70 minutes. The Brazilian was duly sent off, harshly but it brought back bitter memories of Drogba’s red cards against Inter last year and against United in Moscow.
There was no need for penalties this time, however. United made sure of that when, within seconds of conceding, they made it 2-1 — the irrepressible Park drilling a left-foot shot past Petr Cech
Park deserved it, United deserved it, Chelsea deserved it. And Ancelotti? Maybe he deserved it.
Whatever pressure he felt from above, he made a wrong a call; and the price he pays could be very high indeed.
Sub for Man United: Valencia for Nani 75.
Subs for Chelsea: Drogba for Torres 46, Kalou for Anelka 61, Ferreira for Alex 82.
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