Chelsea the unfamiliar underdogs

Jon Carter
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It is a role which the Chelsea team of the past few years have not been used to. But for Saturday's FA Cup final, the Blues are underdogs as they find themselves with only 15 fit players to face Premiership usurpers Manchester United. GettyImages Carvalho: Scored against United and has shouldered Chelsea's defensive burden this season. While Jose Mourinho has had other dog-related problems this week, his side come into the game without key players like Ricardo Carvalho, Michael Ballack and Andriy Shevchenko. How much they will miss Ballack and Shevchenko is up for debate, yet the absence of Carvalho (who has been the team's most influential defender this season) is a real blow. The Portuguese damaged knee ligaments against Bolton, with Mourinho offering a bleak appraisal of his player's fitness, claiming that he had a 'one percent chance of making the final.' Perhaps the manager was already considering the possibility of playing the nerve-wrecking Khalid Boulahrouz with John Terry, but his demeanour suggested that even using the impressive Michael Essien out of position would not please him. Then there was talk of playing goalkeeper Hilario up front, typical banter from the silver-tongued Mourinho. We have come to expect the excuses to flow from the manager but complaints have been legitimate this time as Chelsea's season has been disrupted by injuries. Still, their decision to sell Robert Huth and William Gallas at the same time in August, without recruiting an adequate replacement, was of their own making and they can only blame the injury situation for so long. In contrast, United boss Sir Alex Ferguson may be without skipper Gary Neville, but should welcome back Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand in the heart of defence. Vidic in particular has been in commanding form this season, save for one horrible night at the San Siro, and his partnership with Ferdinand gives United a solid base from which to release the talents of Rooney and Ronaldo. If last week's dour reserve-team contest at Stamford Bridge left little to the imagination, Saturday's final promises much. It is unlikely that players as Ben Sahar or Kieran Lee will see any action at Wembley and, with the memory of a deflating 0-0 draw still fresh in their minds, both sets of supporters will be keen for their sides to put on a show. With tired limbs after a long domestic campaign, the game was a necessary evil and will hopefully be soon forgotten once Ronaldo or Robben are seen flying down the wings. Ronaldo in particular will benefit from the rest and will look to continue the kind of breathtaking form that has seen him make a clean sweep of the Premiership awards this season. Chelsea's walking wounded will have had less of a chance to recover as Terry, Essien and Claude Makelele were forced to play; but do have Golden Boot winner Didier Drogba back after a week of rest. The Ivorian will be the key to Chelsea's chances and it will be his physical battle with Serbian hardman Vidic that will catch the eye. Make no mistake, while neither manager were particular interested in their penultimate Premiership result, the Cup final will be fought to the death. Both sides are chasing doubles, United the domestic double (Premiership and FA Cup), Chelsea the Cup double (Carling and FA). But it is not just about winning silverware, although it would help Mourinho's job security; pride is the key. For all the consternation at Chelsea's failure to dominate the Champions League, despite investing £200million in the squad, it will be the loss of the Premiership that will hurt them the most. And, in fact, the FA Cup final is unfamiliar territory for the club - since they last won the competition in 2000. It is a trophy that Mourinho has not yet won, and the Portuguese will be keen to add the achievement to his growing CV as he seeks to placate his title-hungry chairman, Roman Abramovich. For Ferguson, re-claiming the Premiership title will have given him the most satisfaction, but winning the FA Cup (which he has won five times in seven previous finals), will continue to feed his desire for success. GettyImages United's title success will hurt Chelsea. Claiming that he will continue to manage the club for the foreseeable future, it would be a fitting send off for the league's most successful manager, but will surely not be the Scotsman's last chance of glory. In truth, he would have preferred the Champions League, but to lead his side out in the historic first FA Cup final at the new Wembley will give him an enormous amount of satisfaction. Stability has been the key for United, and there will be eight of the nine players involved in the club's last final appearance against Arsenal in 2005 on show this time around. Only the injured Mikael Silvestre will miss out, while Alan Smith (now recovered from a horrific leg break in the competition last year) may also get a run out. With experience flowing through the United side, one would have to favour Ferguson to take home his sixth FA Cup once the final whistle is blown. The confidence that comes from winning the Premiership cannot be underestimated though Mourinho will no doubt use the pain of defeat as a motivational tool for Chelsea. Only John Terry, a sub at the old Wembley's last final, remains from the side who beat Aston Villa in the 2000 final and it is a very different Chelsea who will be on show on Saturday. And that may work in the London club's favour. A challenge like this may suit the Blues, but it is United, who have been on the big stage many times before, who will be favourites. After the anti-climax that was their last Premiership matches, both sides owe their fans a performance and they surely won't disappoint.