A WARRIOR WINS THE BATTLE OF OLD ENEMIES
Zouma becoming a giant for Chelsea in more ways than one
IN the old days, Chelsea against Leeds was a battle, a war of attrition at times, and the memories of those contests still linger.
An FA Cup final from 50 years ago should not really have too many echoes today.
But it does. That epic clash between the aristocrats of the King’s Road and Don Revie’s uncompromising, all - conquering Leeds, way back in 1970, which Chelsea won after a replay, set in place a rivalry between these two clubs that still resounds.
It was fitting, then, that a warrior scored the crucial goal in this game which sent Chelsea to the top of the Premier League table on Saturday night.
Kurt Zouma, the 6ft 3in, 14-stone Frenchman, who has become such a key part of Frank Lampard’s team, was that huge figure.
Marcelo Bielsa’s sparky, never-say-die Leeds team had taken an unexpected lead in front of the 2,000 at Stamford Bridge, before Olivier Giroud levelled.
But it was Zouma’s massive leap to head in Mason Mount’s corner to put his team ahead that was the key moment, after Giroud’s equaliser and before
Christian Pulisic netted the third in injury time.
Zouma has become Lampard’s central-defensive touchstone alongside the classy Thiago Silva, starting all but one of their league games this season.
The 26- year- old, though still prone to the odd error, has grown in confidence by the game.
He could, in fact, have been partly at fault for Leeds’ opening goal when Kalvin Phillips’ superb ball saw
Patrick Bamford d get in behind him to score expertly xpertly against his old club.
But he rose from that and is now the highest-scoring ghest-scoring defender in the he Premier League with four ur strikes.
“Obviously, the he eyeis eyecatching thing is the amount of goals als
Kurt is scoring g from setpieces. But for me, that is a result of more e confidence and d belief,”
said Lampard (with Zouma, left). “He has always a had the size and strength, stren but now you see him in all parts of the pitch – aerially he is a real thre threat and he is doing his job at the back back.
“He has been hel h ped by having h Thiago next n to him, with w all his experience. expe But as a unit, un defensively we lo look stronger and Kurt has been a big part of that.
“He has so many attributes that are great for a centre-back. I knew that, so that’s why, when I came here, I knew that a guy like Kurt would be a big deal for me and he is showing that.
“Kurt had injuries and has been out on loan a couple of times. But he doesn’t miss a day, he wants to do extras, he wants to work, wants to do better, and those things are fundamental to how players improve. The level he is playing at week in, n, week out is brilliant t and long may it t continue.”
Zouma (scoring, right) said: “I’m trying to help the team as much as
I can. I know I can n be a threat from m set-pieces.”
Just like a certain tain David Webb, who scored cored the FA Cup final winner nner all those years ago.