Sarriball gets kicked aside
FOR Ole Gunnar Solskjaer the glory days keep coming thick and fast. For Maurizio Sarri the Chelsea twilight is fading by the minute.
The Manchester United caretaker manager is still favourite to get the job permanently at the end of the season, and steering his club into the quarter-finals of the FA Cup will do those hopes no harm at all.
A United side recovered from their Champions League hiccup against Paris Saint-Germain last week put in a performance of verve, power and skill last night – with Paul Pogba in irrepressible form – that simply swept a pitiful Chelsea aside.
And the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge turned toxic for the hapless Chelsea manager, as the crowd chanted “**** Sarriball,”, jeered the Italian’s substitutions, and even sang, “You’re getting sacked in the morning”.
Pogba made the first goal for Ander Herrera and scored the second himself after starting the move.
This made it five defeats in 10 games for the hapless Sarri, whose grip on the manager’s job is slipping with each passing game. The fans booed his team off at half-time and full-time and were calling for the stubborn Italian to change his tactics early on as once again his team passed their way into oblivion under his ‘Sarriball’ approach.
The 60-year-old is likely to survive until Thursday’s Europa League return with Malmo, but after that there is the Carabao Cup final on Sunday at Wembley against Manchester City and the league game at home to Tottenham on Wednesday week. But he could be axed at any moment such is the state of utter disarray in this team.
United had won only twice at Stamford Bridge in 22 years before last night. But once Herrera had opened the scoring in the 31st minute, holders Chelsea never looked like coming back. And in the Roman Abramovich era, whichever team is fielded or manager is in charge, that is not acceptable.
Former skipper John Terry, watching last night, would not have recognised this shambles. But credit must go to Solskjaer and his team, who defended superbly last night and were utterly ruthless on the break.
The warning signs were there for Chelsea as Chris Smalling’s header had to be saved by Kepa Arrizabalaga. United keeper Sergio Romero then saved well from David Luiz and Pedro while Eden Hazard and Gonzalo Higuain went close.
But then Juan Mata fed Pogba, the Frenchman crossed and Herrera arrived completely alone at the far post to nod home a simple goal.
On the stroke of half-time the Frenchman was at it again. This time he won the ball in midfield before picking out Marcus Rashford with a pinpoint pass.
The England forward’s cross was unerringly accurate – but no one in the Chelsea team had tracked Pogba and he arrived
to power home a header that Kepa got a hand to but failed to keep out.
Predictably Sarri changed nothing at half-time – and his first substitution was signposted as Willian came on for Pedro, and then Ross Barkley arrived for Mateo Kovacic. The crowd jeered the Italian for that one.
The hosts did keep plugging away, but Hazard’s shot was deflected over by a last-ditch Victor Lindelof tackle in another example of great United defending.
Chelsea had no penetration, little invention and no spark. They were again reliant on a moment of genius from Hazard and last night, with Ashley Young in close attention for the entire 90 minutes, that moment never looked like coming.
Solskjaer had time to turn to his bench with a grin on his face at one point. Across the technical area the faces were like thunder, Sarri chewing his nicotine gum frantically and pacing the touchline vainly looking for an answer. There was none.
In the stands above, chairman Bruce Buck looked on stony-faced. This cannot go on much longer. The likes of Luiz Felipe Scolari and Andre Villas-Boas both went at about this time in their Chelsea reigns, after eight and seven months in charge – but neither had descended to these depths.
With eight minutes left and United in total control, Sarri brought on a full-back, Davide Zappacosta. The fans couldn’t make up their minds to jeer or boo. So they did both.
United under Solskjaer are vibrant, inventive and play with a fire and passion that was missing under former boss Jose Mourinho. Chelsea are an empty shell of a team.