Chelsea 2-2 Manchester United (Chelsea win 4-1 on pens)

This afternoon Chelsea beat Manchester United on penalties to win the first trophy of the season, the Community Shield. After a game which was fought hard and with pace Chelsea took some sort of revenge in a penalty shoot out after Lampard, Ballack, Drogba and Kalou converted after Giggs and Evra missed United's.

Chelsea seemed to start the better with some good early possession but United struck first through a goal from outside the box from Nani. United were then well on top and it took the blues about 25 mins to settle down. Chelsea in fact had the best chance to score just before United did when a Lampard corner carried through the bodies in the box and Ivanovic toe'd the ball towards goal only for Evra to head it up away from goal onto the crossbar and the ball bounced out away from goal and was cleared.

Once we got into our stride we created some half chances and Cech made a couple of great saves to keep Chelsea in it. It was his fault for their goal as Nani struck from the left corner of the box and it looked like JT and Cech were a little "after you" with each other and the ball found the corner of the net. Cech went some way to redeem himself with the save from Park.

Ivanovic, booked in the first half was replaced by Jose Bosingwa and it had an effect straight away. Whereas United exploited the space down our right hand side, Bosingwa was getting forward and creating an out ball for our midfield. We began the second half the better and had alot more possession of the ball.

We got our equaliser when Malouda played the ball into the box to Lampard who somehow dug it out of his feet with two United players around him, he flicked the ball out wide left to Malouda waist height, his first time volleyed cross was aimed at Drogba, he went up with Evra as Foster came out and flapped at the ball, he took out Drogba in the process but couldn't clear the ball properly and Carvalho headed home from 8 yards out.

At this point you have to say we were on top and got in front after the first talking point of the new season happened. Evra looked to play a 1-2 down the right and Ballack (on for Malouda) seemed to block him ! Well let's be honest it was a foul and replays showed the referee looked right at it, the referee didn't blow up and Chelsea played on. The ball found its way out wide left for Drogba who took the ball to the edge of the United box and played the ball square to Lampard who took a touch to control (unmarked dead centre) and hit the ball across Foster, who got his hands to the ball but could stop it and it went in off the far post.

After this point in the game it looked as though the game was dead and buried, but with minutes to go the ball broke to Giggs inside our half and played a ball through between Bosingwa and the rushing out to catch em offside Carvalho to Rooney who held off first the challenge from Bosingwa then clipped the ball past the out coming Cech to make it 2-2.

So penalties it was and I think you will agree that like me you probably thought the worst, but we won em 4-1 and Carlo Ancelotti lifted the first Trophy on offer this season.

You can focus on the bad points in the game, the goal that Cech should of saved, Essien looking lost at the right of the diamond and United exploiting the space time and time again in the first half. Lampard not really getting into the game until half way through the first half and the link up not looking like anything between the front two at the minute.

However, let's take some positives out of the game. Carvalho looked good and looks like all the stuff in the summer has been put behind him. Ashley Cole looked as good as he has been for us in recent times. Mikel seemed solid enough along with JT. Malouda, Drogba and Anelka looked busy for us.






Just remember its very early days but its always nice to put on over United. Let's hope we can now iron out the bad points before we take on Hull on Saturday in our Premier League opener.