Suicide could be spelt by chelsea v Manchester City: snubbing Frank Lampard for... - Telegraph.co.uk

They would likely have now been selected, if there were Englishmen about who can fit the business and endeavour of the players. The unfortunate the fact is, you can find few who may possibly. For Chelsea supporters, however, the lack of Englishness in the middle of their part had a lot more disturbing effects. Only Ryan Bertrand from these shores began for them. Which meant missing were the three English trees around whom their new dominance of the FA Cup has been centred. Ashley Cole was observing from the stands, his injured ankle maybe not yet repaired. But there's no question what'll have vexed those of a dark blue persuasion heading right back across London last night: where specifically were Frank Lampard and John Terry when they were needed? It is that pair; they've been the teamas beating heart as the team has made Wembley their second home recently if anyone knows what the Cup means to Chelsea Hamilton Academical. And now here at headquarters, the twosome were reduced to spectators. The snub was pointed and provided with lancet-like accuracy. And for a lot of the initial half Rafael BenAtezas variety was fulfilling its purpose. Eden Hazard and Mata presented a threat to Cityas backline, chasing and probing. Never mind which was his 53rd sport of a year, Juan Mata particularly never stopped working for the Chelsea cause. Yet as the game progressed, as control was first taken by City a two-goal lead, it became ever clearer that Chelsea needed some thing more than Mata if they were to keep up their current FA Cup record. They needed a lift, or even a miracle, then, two goals to the bad. They needed an individual who understood what games like this mean. Somebody, for example, who has performed in 32 of the last 34 semi-finals and finals the club have been involved with. They needed Lampard. He was there, also, running the touchline for some of the 2nd half. But BenAtez preferred to ignore his strong warm-up. When the official held up a panel to point a Chelsea exchange, it was the No 9 that was illuminated, not ten. Head the release of Fernando Torres did actually have immediate effect. The moment he came on, Demba Ba won. Now was the time surely to deliver on Lampard, to own him ghosting into the City box to convert one those crosses by Mata, to search out the equaliser. Sight of him, however, was there none. Perhaps BenAtez was waiting to use him in extra-time. But extra-time was never acquired. Alternatively, while the closing whistle sounded, the ground echoed to eulogies for the City manager Roberto Mancini. He originated in Italy, the song goes, to manage Man City. Perhaps not probably the most ambitious use of rhyme in footballas lyrical record, probably. But proof of considerable respect, of a kind totally missing in Chelsea fansa perspective for their temporary manager. For them there was an easy question of BenAtez: where was Frank? That which was the reason served by the self-destructive refusal to bring him on? Not picking the person who makes the difference: was that the final sentence in the long suicide note that has been BenAtezas administration of the club?

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