• FA Cup Plays of the Day

Plays of the Day: Landmark missed by Chelsea

ESPN staff
February 18, 2012
Who's more likely to score, Frank Lampard or Fernando Torres? © PA Photos
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Unsung heroes
Chelsea's 1-1 draw with Birmingham on Saturday meant they missed out on a landmark moment in the club's history. Not because Fernando Torres failed to score once again, but because it would have brought up 2,000 wins for the club in all competitions. Tributes to Winston Bogarde were already written.

Questionable decisions
When Torres was withdrawn at half-time by Andre Villas-Boas, he took his goalless spell to 21 hours and 39 minutes. Meanwhile Frank Lampard, who did not start the game, was sitting on a record of 18 goals in his last 24 FA Cup appearances. Justification AVB?

Who's wearing the trousers?
One really has to wonder who is influencing the dressing room when Didier Drogba is spotted giving his Chelsea team-mates a team-talk at Stamford Bridge. Trailing 1-0 at half-time Drogba was brought on for Torres, and after Villas-Boas had his say, Drogba gathered his mates in the tunnel - although it is unconfirmed as to whether he was telling them to ignore everything they've just heard.

A disappointing climax
Blackpool boss Ian Holloway once likened an ugly victory over Chesterfield to the end of a night-out, when you "look for a young lady" and end up with "not the best looking bird". He may wish to continue that metaphor after their 2-0 defeat at Everton, where Blackpool lasted less than a minute before falling behind to Royston Drenthe's strike. Create your own Hollowayisms with that one...

Too much effort
Effort is not something the Arsenal players could have been accused of having too much of during what was an abject performance against Sunderland - their second in as many games, and one that certainly deserved the 2-0 beating they received. But it's hard not to feel sorry for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, however - the youngster got on the scoresheet (at the wrong end) after actually showing some hunger and dashing back fully 90 yards to try and make up for a mistake in the other half. Instead, he found himself in the wrong (or right) position to bundle in Sebastian Larsson's shot as it ricocheted away off the post. When things aren't going your way...

Not a patch on your father
Kasper Schmeichel was faced with a penalty when he brought down Elliott Bennett during Leicester's 2-1 win over Norwich at Carrow Road. The score was 1-0 to the Foxes at the time, and Schmeichel appeared to have redeemed himself when he saved Wes Hoolahan's spot-kick. However, he only succeded in parrying the ball straight to the taker, who knocked home the rebound with ease. Imagine if father Peter had done that in the 1999 FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal? Manchester United would never have won the famous Treble.

Foxes cut Norwich's stay short
The last time Norwich progressed beyond the FA Cup fifth round was back in 1992, when Shakespeare's Sister led the UK charts with Stay. Clearly Paul Lambert played that epic ballad to his side when they fell behind against Leicester, but it was the Foxes who were dancing to Queen's Another One Bites the Dust at the final whistle as they pulled off the upset of the day.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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