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Didier Drogba makes his presence felt to guide Chelsea past Shrewsbury Didier Drogba makes his presence felt to guide Chelsea past Shrewsbury
(35 minutes later)
A wet and at times uncomfortable evening in Shropshire for Chelsea ended with José Mourinho’s team squeezing into the next round. Didier Drogba continues to refuse to be ignored on his return to the club, scoring the first for Chelsea and making himself a nuisance for the winner, which came when Jermaine Grandison turned the ball past his own goalkeeper, Jayson Leutwiler, with only minutes remaining. A wet and at times uncomfortable evening in Shropshire for Chelsea ended with José Mourinho’s team squeezing into the next round. Didier Drogba continues to refuse to be ignored on his return to the club, scoring the first for Chelsea and making himself a nuisance for the winner, which came when Jermaine Grandison turned the ball past his own goalkeeper, Jayson Leutwiler, with minutes remaining.
Mourinho will be relieved to return home with this one safely navigated as he prepares for Queens Park Rangers’ visit on Saturday before the Champions League game with NK Maribor and the trip to Liverpool on 8 November. Mourinho will be relieved to return home with this one safely navigated as he prepares for Queens Park Rangers’ visit on Saturday before the Champions League game with Maribor and the trip to Liverpool on 8 November.
The rain came down before kick-off and continued to soak the players during a first half that unfolded predictably. Town were breathless and in the visitors’ faces while Chelsea preferred to wait and patiently prod and probe. Two early corners won by Mourinho’s team and taken by André Schürrle came to nothing before Shrewsbury claimed their own via James Collins following a breakaway attack. When the ball came arcing in from the left Petr Cech did well to save a Nathaniel Knight-Percival header near to his line. Understandably he picked out the 36-year-old Drogba for playing a second match in two days after he starred in Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Manchester United. Mourinho, though, was clear he expected more from some.
Chelsea featured a World Cup winner – Schürrle – and four Champions League winners, Cech, Gary Cahill, Mikel John Obi and Drogba, with the last of them providing the opening exchanges’ moment of quality. “Yes, I can say yes. Because if players who play 90 minutes two days ago were fantastic [tonight], I expect people who are not playing a lot to raise the level to create me problems. I love problems of choices [in selection]. And it is easy to choose my team for Saturday,” he said.
The Ivorian first shielded the ball when facing his area before turning and sweeping play right to Mohamed Salah through a crowded midfield. The Egyptian raced towards Leutwiler’s goal and, on entering the area, picked out Schürrle. The German should have tested the Swiss keeper with an instant header or volley but he chose to switch the ball back and the move faltered Pushed if André Schürrle and Mo Salah, who started against Shrewsbury Town, were two the Portuguese wanted to give him a headache, he said: “Yeah.”
Earlier Bobby Grant’s pile-driver flew just past Cech’s right-hand post after he roved forward in space and there was a fluid break along the Town left that ended when a cross from Mickey Demetriou, a Chelsea fan, was met powerfully by Collins’ head but again was off target. While Mourinho said “normally” Diego Costa could play against QPR following a hamstring issue, of Drogba being able to make it a third match in seven days, Mourinho said: “We will see. His character is bigger than his body. His character is stronger than his body. So what he did today was maybe because of his character and not because of his body. So let’s see the reaction after this. But this is what makes players special. And if I was a kid player and I play with this guy on my side and I am 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 what can I wish more? So for the kids it has to be a privilege and they have to learn by example.”
The previous occasion these teams met was 11 years ago. Then, the west London club defeated Town 4-0 in an FA Cup tie with an outfit featuring Gianfranco Zola, Emmanuel Petit, Graeme Le Saux, Frank Lampard and John Terry, who as a substitute here was the sole survivor from the encounter at old Gay Meadow. The rain came down before kick-off and continued to soak the players during a first half that unfolded predictably. Town were breathless and in the visitors’ faces, while Chelsea preferred to wait and patiently prod and probe.
Tonight’s XI named by Mourinho had a debutant – the 18-year-old Danish defender Andreas Christensen – and was led by Drogba, one of four players who started Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Manchester United. Two early corners won by Chelsea and taken by Schürrle came to nothing before Shrewsbury claimed their own via James Collins following a breakaway attack. When the ball arced in from the left Petr Cech did well to save a Nathaniel Knight-Percival header near to his line.
Micky Mellon initially selected the same side that defeated Portsmouth here at the weekend, before James Wesolowski was replaced by Liam Lawrence before the start. The previous occasion these teams met was 11 years ago. Then, the west London club defeated Town 4-0 in an FA Cup tie with a side featuring Gianfranco Zola, Emmanuel Petit, Graeme Le Saux, Frank Lampard and John Terry, who as a substitute here was the sole survivor from the encounter at old Gay Meadow.
The XI named by Mourinho had a debutant – the 18-year-old Danish defender Andreas Christensen – and was led by Drogba, who showed flashes of his class throughout.
Micky Mellon initially selected the same side that defeated Portsmouth here at the weekend, before James Wesolowski was replaced by Liam Lawrence just prior to the start.
Drogba, who scored at Old Trafford, ended the half again finding the net but he was adjudged offside.Drogba, who scored at Old Trafford, ended the half again finding the net but he was adjudged offside.
Capacity had been specially extended to 10,210 with 1,720 of these for the travelling support who had only a little wait, once the second half started, for an opener. Schürrle found Salah and, when he slickly played in Drogba, this time the Ivorian did have a third strike in as many outings, leaving Leutwiler no chance. Capacity had been specially extended to 10,210 with 1,720 of these a travelling support who hardly experienced any wait for an opener once the second half started. Schürrle found Salah and when he slickly played in Drogba this time the Ivorian did score, leaving Leutwiler no chance.
This was the first time Town had conceded in the competition. But Chelsea now had them where they wished: needing to score and finding it difficult to retain the ball. Yet in Ryan Woods, a diminutive 20-year-old midfielder, Town had a player who was wiling to try and run the game for them. It was Woods who won the free-kick from which Connor Goldson might have equalised. Lawrence floated the ball towards Chelsea’s penalty spot and when it broke to the captain his shot ricocheted around the area to wrong-foot Cech before going wide.
Yet in Ryan Woods, a diminutive 20-year-old midfielder, Town did have a player who was willing to try to run the game for them. It was Woods who won the free-kick from which Connor Goldson might have equalised. Lawrence floated the ball towards Chelsea’s penalty spot and, when it broke to the captain, his shot ricocheted around the area to wrong-foot Cech before going wide. While the score remained only 1-0 Town had a chance of taking the tie into extra time, at least. And, after Mellon’s introduction of Andy Mangan for Collins on 75 minutes, that was were the contest was headed. Lawrence pinged in a corner from the left and after some scrappy play Mangan smashed home and the sides were level.
The early fervour from the faithful had been largely quietened which was fine by Mourinho and his men. Still, while the score remained only 1-0 Town had a chance of taking the tie into extra-time at least. And, after Micky Mellon’s introduction of Andy Mangan for Collins on 75 minutes, this was where the contest appeared headed. Lawrence pinged in a corner from the left and after some scrappy play Mangan smashed home and the sides were level. Mourino had seen enough. Off came Salah and Mikel John Obi for William and Nemanja Matic. Seconds later Chelsea moved downfield and with Drogba in close attendance Grandison was the author of the dreaded own goal.
Mourinho, sporting a shell suit rather than natty coat, had seen enough. Off came Salah and Mikel for William and Nemanja Matic to enter. Seconds later Chelsea moved downfield and with Drogba in close attendance Grandison was the author of the dreaded own-goal.
From here Mourinho’s side still found it difficult to close the tie off completely as Mellon’s band, to their credit, refused to give up.