Can defeat ever feel like victory? Chelsea’s run of away wins (seven on the trot) couldn’t last, and the loss to champions Man City was probably inevitable.
But there was no sense of injustice. Instead, Frank Lampard praised his team for giving City the runaround for spells, and it was so far from the 6-0 mauling the Blues suffered at the Etihad nine months ago that it felt, well, not too bad.
The focus now, after midweek European shenanigans, is back to a good old fashioned 3pm Saturday kick-off at the Bridge, against our dear friends West Ham.
A pal of mine, a woman with curly grey hair, has the misfortune to be the spitting image of Manuel Pelligrini, the Irons’ beleaguered gaffer. She was once asked for an autograph.
She could easily get a job as Pelligrini’s stunt double if Hammers fans turn on a manager seemingly unable to lift his side into the top half of the table.
There was brief encouragement when West Ham clawed two late goals back against Jose Mourinho’s Spurs to make a more respectable 3-2 scoreline last weekend.
But on paper, Chelsea's passing, intensity and skills – notably by ‘oldies’ Willian and N'Golo Kante – can carry the day, but Lampard is working on speeding up the movement at the back, which sometimes looks sluggish and half-hearted, and doesn’t yet match the intensity in midfield or attack.
The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and unless specifically stated are not necessarily those of Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
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