And with that I’m done. Chelsea got the win they needed, but not the bingo goal-difference bonanza that might have come in handy during a tense conclusion to the season. They need four more points to be sure of a place in the Champions League, and have games against Liverpool and Wolves with which to secure them. Norwich meanwhile will end the season with their lowest ever league points tally, have lost eight consecutive league games for the first time in their history, and with Manchester City away scheduled for the final day most likely have to come up with something at home to Burnley on Saturday if they are to avoid taking that to double figures. Here’s the match report again. Bye!
Daniel Farke comes to terms with his side’s 25th league defeat of the season. He is not displeased, delighting in “a good team performance”:
Two days ago we were relegated so it’s not like we have happy days at the moment. I have to say I’m pretty pleased with the reaction of my lads today, because we had to deal with a Chelsea side who needed to win this game and were highly motivated. We were competitive, really compact and not far away from winning a point. In terms of commitment, desire, compactness, defensive work it was a really good performance. I’m happy with the reaction after relegation and for that many compliments.
We needed to stay absolutely compact, we were able to take all their quality in the centre out of the game. We struggled a bit with switches, but that’s normal when you prioritise the centre, you’re a bit weaker on the wings. We spoke about being a bit more brave in the second half. In terms of workload and commitment I’m really pleased.
On a good day we are competitive, against the best sides in the league and in the world. Once we are not spot on in all aspects we are thrashed. We always have to be spot on and be there with a 100% performance. That’s what we did today, and when we do that we are competitive and can even win points at this level.
A little more from Frank Lampard:
We did’t really give them anything. We had 10-15 minutes in the second half I didn’t like it, we went a bit slow and gave a few balls away. It was almost like we were inviting them back in the game. After that we got it back a little bit. There was a bit more personality in that game today, but we can still improve.
If there were a pleasedness scale, Frank Lampard would be pretty close to the bottom of it:
It was OK. Listen, I shouldn’t joke because at this stage of the season results are critical, and we didn’t concede any chances of note. We created a few ourselves, could have scored more. It was OK. Professional would be a word. I want more but that can wait. For where we are, three points is everything tonight.
We need to move the quicker, not take time, take touches, allow teams to be compact. We need to move them more, be more mobile in how we play, our rotations. We did it against Watford here in our last home game. We can do better, but I don’t want to be too critical after three points at this stage of the season. So I’m pleased.
Here’s Jacob Steinberg’s match report from Stamford Bridge:
If the task was simply to show Frank Lampard that they are capable of making some noise on the pitch, then Chelsea’s players passed the test. Yet telling a teammate whether they have time on the ball seems a rather basic aim for a side chasing Champions League qualification. Pub sides are capable of making a lot of noise and although Chelsea found a way to bounce back from their Sheffield United debacle, the concern is how they fell short when it came to expressing themselves in possession against the worst team in the Premier League.
Be under no illusions: this was an anxious slog against opponents already condemned to return to the Championship. Lampard will not be fooled by this nervy victory over Norwich, even though Olivier Giroud’s goal was enough to keep Chelsea in third place, four points clear of Leicester and Manchester United after playing a game more than their closest rivals.
Much more here:
I’ve got to say, that was pretty rubbish. It was precisely as good as it had to be to bank Chelsea the points, but with Liverpool and Wolves to play they will have to up their game if they want any more. Norwich had little ambition beyond avoiding embarrassment, and made life difficult for their hosts, but there was very little guile about Chelsea’s attempts to unpick the lock, just a barrage of crosses of varying quality. There were other chances beyond the goal, but none of them were very good.
Here’s Olivier Giroud, having a chat with Sky. He explains a slightly puzzling celebration, which involved miming writing something on his hand, as a tribute to the games of scrabble he has been enjoying with Ngolo Kante. Also:
We needed to be patient, to move the ball quick against a team that plays with a deep block. We created a lot of chances but it was important to score before half-time. We were pleased with that but we should have scored more goals. We had a lot of possession. We were a bit under pressure because we knew we needed that win, so we are happy. I missed some things I don’t miss usually, and maybe I lost a bit of confidence but my desire to score was even bigger, so I just tried to stay focused and on the right cross I just anticipated well and I scored this header. I’m always working hard and that’s one of my mottos, and I’m very pleased with that goal tonight.
Final score: Chelsea 1-0 Norwich
90+4 mins: Chelsea win a corner, take it short, waste a few seconds and that’s enough!
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90+3 mins: Giroud is named man of the match by Alan Smith on Sky. He did one good header and a decent pass, fluffed a variety of other half-chances, and his selection illustrates how few people have played to their potential this evening.
90+1 mins: Norwich get the ball on halfway. Could they somehow magic a completely undeserved point here? They carry it forward and find Pukki, who moves his feet very quickly without going anywhere and then passes uselessly to nobody before throwing his arms about as if someone else messed up.
89 mins: Buendia gets booked for fouling someone while Sky show us replays of that tasty cross. Martin comes on for Rupp.
88 mins: Another lovely cross from James, and surely Hudson-Odoi could have reached it had he put his mind to it. But he didn’t.
87 mins: Chelsea are 19-2 up on shots, and 5-0 up on shots on target, which indicates both their supremacy and their profligacy. Only 26.3% of their shots have been on target.
Updated
86 mins: And that is Giroud’s final contribution, as Abraham comes on for the final knockings.
85 mins: Now Willian crosses low from the right and Giroud tries to flick it in at the near post with the outside of his left foot, but, well, doesn’t.
84 mins: James sends in the night’s second-best cross, after the one that led to the goal. A lovely, pacey, dipping effort it was. Norwich head clear.
80 mins: James replaces Alonso, forcing Azpilicueta to jog over to the left, while Hudson-Odoi comes on for Pulisic.
79 mins: Norwich make a triple substitution, Stiepermann, Pukki and Idah coming on and Hernandez, Drmic and Tettey coming off. Chelsea have been comfortably the better side here, but they haven’t created many clear chances and they’re just one goal up, and this does suggest that the visitors might have a go at scoring one of their own before the night is out.
77 mins: And another save! Azpilicueta crosses, Alonso heads, and Krul gets in the way!
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75 mins: Save! Giroud chips the ball over the Norwich backline and Pulisic runs onto it, but from an acute angle he can’t beat Krul, who gets down to save.
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73 mins: Another Azpilicueta cross, and Giroud wins the header but can’t control it, and the ball loops over the bar.
72 mins: Cantwell departs the fray having failed to do very much, and Buendia comes on.
70 mins: Norwich do more attacking, but having got the ball to the edge of the Chelsea area they’ve got no idea what to do with it next, and in the end Aarons hits a useless cross with his weaker left foot.
67 mins: Barkley replaces Loftus-Cheek, sprints onto the pitch, sees the referee indicate it’s time for the second-half drinks, turns round and sprints off it again.
66 mins: Alonso exchanges passes with Pulisic and sends in a low cross from the left which runs across the area, comes out of it again, and somehow makes it as far as Azpilicueta, whose left-footed curler is only a little too high.
62 mins: Another booking, this time for Kovacic, whose challenge on Cantwell was late and useless.
Updated
62 mins: Lewis gets the ball on the left, looks up, assesses his options, then decides to ignore them all and just hoof it forwards.
60 mins: Having not taken out his book for very nearly an hour the referee does it twice in 70 seconds. Now Zouma gets cautioned for taking out Aarons wide on the Chelsea left.
58 mins: Cantwell has the ball on the half-way line, doesn’t have many options, goes past a couple of players and looks quite smart doing so, but then takes a heavy touch, throws a boot at it in an attempt to keep possession, makes contact with Loftus-Cheek and ends up with a booking.
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55 mins: It’s happened again! This time they even have a shot, from just outside the penalty area, which McLean blasts straight into Azpilicueta.
54 mins: Norwich do an attack! Nothing much comes of it, but the fact remains that the ball has just entered Chelsea’s penalty area.
53 mins: Again Willian finds a Chelsea head with his set piece, but this time Giroud heads wide.
52 mins: Willian steals the ball off Tettey, bursts into the box and shoots into Lewis’s calf, and the ball deflects wide for another corner.
47 mins: Willian wins and takes a corner, with which he picks out Rudiger, who completely miscues his header.
46 mins: Peeeep! Chelsea are 45 minutes and a clean sheet away from a four-point Champions League cushion.
The players make their way back out. Will Norwich crumble now they’ve fallen behind, or might they decide to occasionally attack? Only time will tell.
It wasn’t a great Chelsea performance. Everything was a bit muffled and cloudy, nothing much was happening in overcrowded central areas and the stream of crosses wasn’t leading to anything. Giroud had a few half-chances, all of which he wasted in quite embarrassing style. And then, 30 seconds from a Lampard rollicking, everything changes.
Half time: Chelsea 1-0 Norwich
45+4 mins: And that’s it! Well, half of it!
GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Norwich (Giroud, 45+3 mins)
About 40 seconds before half-time Chelsea make the breakthrough! Pulisic jinks past Cantwell on the left and sends in a lovely cross, Giroud spins away from Klose in the middle, and the Frenchman thumps in a diving header from six yards!
Updated
45+1 mins: There will be three minutes of stoppage time, give or take.
45 mins: Another Chelsea cross comes to nothing, Willian’s centre deflecting to Krul.
41 mins: The ball drops to Giroud in the box, who swings a left boot and miscues again. In the absence of fans, everyone can hear the Frenchman’s anguished scream as he comes to terms with a third yucky chance-fluff.
39 mins: It’s been a while since Norwich put more than a couple of passes together. Chelsea still aren’t creating much, but the pressure is building.
37 mins: Then from Willian’s corner Zouma sends a free header wide, much to the kick-taker’s evident frustration.
36 mins: Save! The best moment of the match so far as Rudiger crosses from the right and Pulisic pulls it down, gets a slightly lucky bounce off his left thigh, swivels and volleys goalwards, but Krul tips over the bar!
Updated
35 mins: Chelsea win a corner, which is nodded on at the near post, nodded back again from the far, and finally headed away.
33 mins: Klose is back on, and apparently unhurt after all.
31 mins: Pulisic tries to dribble into the Norwich box but he loses his footing and sweeps his feet through Klose’s leg as he tries to do anything really with the ball. The defender goes down clutching his right knee, and the physio is on.
30 mins: A second shooting chance for Giroud, and a second complete miskick. This time Azpilicueta’s low cross gives him a chance to blast the ball home with his right foot, but instead it bobbles off his shin and over the bar.
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27 mins: Side netting! Alonso breaks down the left and pulls back, Pulisic runs onto it and shoots first-time, but the ball flies the wrong side of the near post.
27 mins: Jorginho is dispossessed in the centre-circle, and Drmic attempts to dribble through the entire home defence, which turns out to be some way above his ability levels.
23 mins: The first drinks break arrives, and Daniel Farke gets out his tactics board to give his players some bonus instructions.
20 mins: Chance for Chelsea! Jorginho tries to lift the ball over the Norwich defence, fails, but Godfrey nods it on for him, allowing Giroud to chest down and run into the area, but he doesn’t properly connect with his attempted finish and Krul catches.
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18 mins: Kovacic is harshly judged to have handles just outside the Norwich area. Still waiting for something to happen.
15 mins: Both Norwich full-backs have a go at crossing: Lewis’s from the left is just too high for Cantwell, Aarons’ from the right finds a blue shirt/
13 mins: Hakim Ziyech is in the stands. Chelsea could do with him on the pitch: it’s been an underwhelming start from the home side, who with Norwich defending with plenty of numbers in central positions are seeing a lot of the ball but not accomplishing much with it.
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10 mins: Chelsea have got in a few decent crossing positions so far, without producing a decent cross.
8 mins: “I think the thing i will miss most about Norwich in the Premier League is the incongruity between Daniel Farke’s rugged facial features and his squeaky voice,” says Stephen Carr. I like Norwich. Smallish clubs with stadiums walkable from the train station are excellent things, and I do like a bright kit.
5 mins: A driven cross from Alonso on the left misses everyone, but Chelsea recycle the ball and a driven cross from Loftus-Cheek on the right is turned behind for a corner, which Drmic heads clear.
3 mins: The first effort on goal comes off the head of Loftus-Cheek, who tries to skim a header from wide of the near post past Krul but finds only side netting. A decent cross from Azpilicueta, but a very difficult chance.
2 mins: Norwich have hogged possession so far. Sure, only 60 seconds have been played, but still.
1 min: They’re off!
They’re out, and pretty much ready to rock. Coins have been tossed, fists bumped, and there’s nothing standing in the way of us and action but the referee’s whistle.
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The Chelsea players are in the tunnel, where they are hanging about looking extremely relaxed. Norwich’s players meanwhile walk out from the car park, or wherever it is that they’ve got changed.
Todd Cantwell is back in the starting line-up for Norwich. Has he done enough this season to earn a summer move back to the top flight? We’ll surely see a couple of Norwich’s youngsters again, but maybe if you were shopping you’d go for the full-backs first?
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The managers have been having a pre-match chat. Frank Lampard says this:
I think regardless of the last two days it was always going to be a massive game for us. I’d rather worry about ourselves. We know the job in hand tonight. A team that’s just been relegated, we have to respect them and make it about us this evening.
It was a difficult game for us [in Sheffield], we didn’t perform well, that’s the end of that story. So some freshness and legs in midfield, people who’ve been pushing for places and deserved a chance, and hopefully it does show a change from Saturday. With the group we’ve got I like to think that when you make changes you get the same level or they improve it, and that’s the message.
And Daniel Farke says this:
Of course we’re disappointed and it’s also important that you feel the pain after relegation, but we have a job to do and also to show pride, that we are responsible to wear the yellow shirt. Football’s about creating experiences and memories, and we want to finish the season with some good memories.
Meanwhile, it’s all kicking off in the Championship. Well, strictly speaking it’s mainly coming to a conclusion, but some big results are rolling in.
⏱️ Full Time | Wigan Athletic 8 Hull City 0!
— Wigan Athletic (@LaticsOfficial) July 14, 2020
A record breaking evening at the @DWStadium and a HUGE victory in our fight in this division!!
The spirit at this football club 💙💙💙#wafc 🔵⚪️💚 pic.twitter.com/otJDXMuOOP
Five changes for Chelsea, with Frank Lampard unimpressed with the side sunk 3-0 by Sheffield United in their last game: Rudiger, Alonso, Loftus-Cheek, Kovacic and Giroud are in, Christensen, James, Barkley, Mount and Abraham are out.
Norwich did even worse in their last game, losing 4-0 at home to West Ham, and bring in McLean, Rupp, Cantwell and Drmic while leaving out Pukki, Stiepermann, Burndia and Vrancic.
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The teams!
The managers have picked their favourites, and here they are:
Chelsea: Arrizabalaga, Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Zouma, Alonso, Loftus-Cheek, Jorginho, Kovacic, Willian, Giroud, Pulisic. Subs: Christensen, Barkley, Abraham, Pedro, Caballero, Mount, Hudson-Odoi, James, Tomori.
Norwich: Krul, Aarons, Godfrey, Klose, Lewis, Tettey, Hernandez, McLean, Rupp, Cantwell, Drmic. Subs: Vrancic, Emi, Stiepermann, Trybull, Pukki, McGovern, Idah, Thomas, Martin.
Referee: Jon Moss.
Here's the Chelsea team to take on Norwich! 👊#CHENOR pic.twitter.com/rZ5B6oOnb9
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 14, 2020
🚨 TEAM NEWS 🚨
— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) July 14, 2020
▪ Four changes to the XI from Saturday
▪ McLean, Rupp, Cantwell and Drmic return#CHENOR
Hello world!
Having been relegated on Saturday Norwich’s farewell tour starts at Stamford Bridge, where they will attempt to secure a first clean sheet since February against a side that has scored in every game since February. Nothing about this prospect looks likely: it is nearly eight months since the Canaries last won an away game, and in their last three home games Chelsea have scored considerably more goals (nine) than Norwich have in all 17 away fixtures in this season’s Premier League (seven). The difference in goals scored between the two teams is only three away from hitting 40, with Norwich’s survival hopes annihilated by a run of seven successive league defeats - they have never lost eight on the spin.
In summary and to conclude, welcome to Chelsea 5-0 Norwich.
