Alan Green: Drogba Moscow out on a final high

European

Saturday, May 17, 2008

No, I'm not going to go on about the foolishness of staging the Champions League final in Moscow.

I've said my piece enough times and I only hope that I'm proved categorically wrong and everything passes off peacefully over the next few days. Let's concentrate on the match itself.

Straight off: I fancy Chelsea. How can I do otherwise? I tipped them to win the competition before the season started and, even if caution tells me to hedge my bet, I'm not and never have been that 'sort'.

In any case, my 'thinking hat' encourages me to see them as favourites anyway. I'm not dissuaded by Manchester United's superb acquisition of a 17th league championship, holding off Chelsea in the process.

The title was won courtesy of form shown at other stages of the season and not in the final few weeks when Ferguson's side, by the incredibly high standards they set, faltered and really just fell over the line I thought they'd just brush Wigan aside but the game at the JJB Stadium was never easy and the accolades bestowed afterwards on players like Ryan Giggs reflected a magnificent career and campaign rather than a telling afternoon's contribution.

Wayne Rooney was far from fully fit (he'll need to be properly so on Wednesday night); Christiano Ronaldo had one of his quieter games and I fail to understand the current hysteria about Carlos Tevez.

I must be missing something. At least the defence, as critical to retaining the title as Ronaldo's goals, looks as tight as ever. Rio Ferdinand is in marvellous form. I wonder though if Michael Carrick will again get the nod over Owen Hargreaves in the holding role.

I prefer Hargreaves. Chelsea, of course, didn't even beat Bolton but I wasn't greatly surprised about that given the highly disruptive injuries picked up by John Terry and Didier Drogba.

Take out Ferdinand and Ronaldo, eh? It's to Avram Grant's huge relief that both will play in Moscow. And, as last year, when United first took the title off them, Chelsea have an early opportunity to gain revenge.

In 2007 it was the FA Cup final, now it's the climax to the greatest club competition in the world. I see Chelsea doing to the champions what they did to them at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.

I'd play Michael Essien at right back with Claude Makelele holding midfield and, between the two of them, they could shut out Ronaldo and Rooney. Then it's down to Drogba.

When he's motivated, as he was against Liverpool in the semi-final second leg (by Benitez' foolish remarks), he takes some handling. It'll probably be a farewell appearance £ no more of the insincere badge-kissing and the tumbling theatrics £ and he'll see no more fitting exit than a Champions League winner's medal.