FRANK’S RELIEF
Giroud gives nervy Chelsea a lift in race to join Euro elite
THERE is nothing quite like a Court of Arbitration overruling to focus the mind.
The requirements for Champions League qualification are crystal clear after Manchester City had their two-year ban from European football rescinded on Monday.
It is top four or bust. Chelsea, after this scrappy win over Norwich, look nailed on to secure a top-four spot. Ahead of the final 10 days of the season, Frank Lampard’s side have their destiny in their own hands thanks to Olivier Giroud’s solitary strike.
Even with no fans in the stadium you could feel the tension at Stamford Bridge. Champions League football means so much to this club, particularly to its owner. And while this certainly was not the prettiest of triumphs, it could well be one of Chelsea’s most vital as the season heads to its climax.
Far from their best, they saw the job through. At the business end of the season that is all that really matters.
Lampard was vociferous in his displeasure at his side’s gutless display against Sheffield United at the weekend. Rightly so, too. It was not merely the 3-0 loss at Bramall Lane, but the manner of it as well. Lampard helped rewrite the club’s history with more than a decade of major trophies and he knows exactly what the standards are.
With Premier League games against Liverpool and Wolves left, the Chelsea manager knew his team’s reaction had to be instant last night. Anything but victory against Norwich would have put their aspirations to qualify for the Champions League in serious jeopardy.
Lampard responded to the loss against Sheffield United with five changes — with Ruben LoftusCheek, Antonio Rudiger and Matteo Kovacic among the players recalled.
As for Norwich, the pressure is off after their relegation to the Championship was confirmed by Saturday’s thumping home defeat to West Ham.
In many ways, that was the danger for Chelsea. Often, when the pressure is off, teams can lose their inhibitions. In saying that, given Norwich had scored just 26 goals going into this encounter — it did not appear Chelsea had too much to worry about.
Yet, for all their dominance, they flattered to deceive during the opening exchanges. Two half chances, one for Loftus-Cheek and the other for Oliver Giroud were all the hosts had to show for their opening 20 minutes.
Lampard grew increasingly agitated in his technical area. Understandably, of course, it was supposed to be far more straight forward than this. Giroud squandered a good opportunity on the 30-minute mark, scooping over the bar following Cesar Azpilicueta’s cut back.
Norwich were a complete non-entity in an attacking sense and any hope they had would likely come from a Chelsea defensive mistake. In fairness, there has been a few in recent weeks.
Gradually, though, Chelsea began to apply pressure. Christian Pulisic hit the bar, via a vital touch from Norwich goalkeeper Tim Krul, following a superbly executed swivel and hit from Rudiger’s cross in the 37th minute.
Kurt Zouma headed Willian’s corner narrowly wide from the resultant corner.
And then, on the stroke of halftime, Chelsea made the breakthrough — Giroud heading home Pulisic’s cross from close range to ease the anxieties.
You could see Lampard’s relief as he turned towards his backroom team with a clenched fist.
In fairness to Chelsea, they deserved their half-time advantage. They were no means at their best, but they were certainly making all the running.
Todd Cantwell showed a couple of eye-catching touches down the right-hand side — but, not for the first time this season, he was Norwich’s only bright spark.
Surely he will continue his Premier League career with another club next season.
Chelsea picked up where they left off at the start of the second half, Rudiger heading a good opportunity over the bar from Willian’s corner two minutes after the restart, before the Brazilian saw his goal-bound effort rebound off Jamal Lewis.
Giroud, from another Willian corner, thumped a header narrowly wide in the 52nd minute as Chelsea desperately tried to put the game to bed. Pulisic and Marcos Alonso were both denied by excellent saves from Krul but one goal proved enough.
CHELSEA (4-3-3): Kepa 6; Azpilicueta 7.5, Rudiger 7, Zouma 7, Alonso 7 (James 80min); Loftus-Cheek 6.5 (Barkley 67, 6), Jorginho 6, Kovacic 6.5; Willian 7, Giroud 7 (Abraham 86), Pulisic 6.5 (Hudson-Odoi 81). Subs not used: Caballero, James, Tomori, Christensen, Mount, Pedro. Scorer: Giroud 45+3. Booked: Zouma, Kovacic. Manager: Frank Lampard 7. NORWICH CITY (4-1-4-1): KRUL 8; Aarons 7, Godfrey 6.5, Klose 7, Lewis 6.5; Tettey 6 (Stiepermann 79); Hernandez 6 (Pukki 79), McLean 6, Rupp 6 (Martin 88), Cantwell 7 (Buendia 71, 6); Drmic 5.5 (Idah 79). Subs not used: McGovern, Thomas, Trybull, Vrancic. Booked: Cantwell, Buendia. Manager: Daniel Farke 6.5. Referee: Jon Moss 6.5.