The Liverpool fans were exultant as they left Stamford Bridge last night, but José Mourinho will be confident that they were celebrating prematurely. The Portuguese had prepared the Chelsea supporters for a goalless draw and so, like most of his predictions, it duly followed in last night’s European Cup semi-final first leg.
On a night when both esteemed coaches were required to choose tactics specifically for the occasion — Mourinho to overcome the absence of Robben, who began on the bench, and Duff, and Benítez to negate Chelsea’s expected dominance of possession — Steven Gerrard was the best barometer of the constantly fluctuating fortunes.
When Liverpool were doing well, as they did in a positive opening ten minutes and shortly before half-time, the captain was heavily involved high up the pitch, almost as a striker. When they were under pressure, which was for longer periods, Gerrard was forced to drop back and help out his midfield. That was certainly the case for a 20-minute spell in the first half, when, after shaking off their early nerves, Chelsea missed a couple of wonderful chances to take the lead.
Perhaps it was the mantle of favourites that inhibited Mourinho’s men at kick-off. Or maybe it was the knowledge that, with Duff injured and Robben held back until the second half, this was the first time in seven months, FA Cup ties apart, that they had gone into a game without either of their most penetrative players.
Eidur Gudjohnsen was the man to suffer in Mourinho’s reshuffle, surrendering his position on the right of midfield to Tiago and moving out to a less familiar role on the left. Joe Cole was on the opposite flank and it was the England player who led Chelsea out of the jitters, creating a good chance for himself in the eleventh minute only to snatch at the shot, and then, soon after, crossing to Didier Drogba. Another ungainly effort followed.
Benítez must have started to become a little fearful, although just as the pressure mounted, Alonso chipped a superb pass to John Arne Riise. The midfield player turned inside past Ricardo Carvalho and John Terry, but Petr Cech, magnificent yet again, was equal to the Norwegian’s right-foot shot from ten yards.
Back came Chelsea and, when Cole’s header set up Frank Lampard for a free swing at goal from six yards out, a goal seemed inevitable. As Jerzy Dudek spread himself, expecting to be beaten, Lampard skied his shot over the bar. A full house could hardly believe their eyes and, when the giant screen showed a replay, the crowd audibly gasped.
They did so again shortly before the interval, when Gerrard arrowed a wonderful cross on to the head of Milan Baros. The striker’s glance was perfect, testing the Chelsea goalkeeper to the limit, but again Cech was equal to the task to confirm that he is already the Premiership’s best goalkeeper after one season.
It was a decent chance for Liverpool but, with Claude Makelele gaining the upper hand in his duel with Gerrard, they were harder to come by. Chelsea were turning the screw, pressing the visiting team deeper into their own half, although they were still snatching at their own opportunities. Cole infuriated his team-mates when, having evaded a couple of tackles with a lovely piece of skill, he shot for goal when there was an obvious pass.
Mourinho sent on Robben for Tiago and Mateja Kezman for the tiring Cole to increase Liverpool’s defensive workload, but the back line that had performed so heroically in Turin in the quarter-final second leg was still standing firm for Benítez. Despite their shooting chances, none better than Lampard’s in the first half, Dudek had not been forced to make a save in the Liverpool goal, which was probably just as well.