Premier League - Hiddink bows out of Bridge

Eurosport - Mon, 18 May 08:56:00 2009

Chelsea beat Blackburn Rovers 2-0 in the Premier League in manager Guus Hiddink's final game at Stamford Bridge.

2008-2009 Chelsea-Blackburn Guus Hiddink - 0

Florent Malouda and Nicolas Anelka scored in each half as the home side strolled to a comprehensive victory amid a celebratory atmosphere.

Hiddink took over for the remainder of the season following the sacking of Luiz Felipe Scolari in February, with the Blues in danger of dropping out of the top four.

Now they have secured an automatic berth in the Champions League group stage, reached the FA Cup final and come within a dodgy penalty decision or four of earning a chance to atone for last season's agonising European final defeat to Manchester United.

The Dutchman stood up and bowed to the Stamford Bridge faithful in the second half as the crowd chanted 'Roman, sign him up'.

Hiddink has remained deaf to the pleas for him to stay from the Chelsea faithful, while Roman Abramovich simply cannot undermine his position at the Russian FA by removing the national team manager and installing him permanently in London.

Carlo Ancelotti and Frank Rijkaard remain the favourites to take over, but whoever replaces Hiddink will inherit a formidable squad.

Much has been made of the large number of older players, but the likes of Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba are players at their peak who have at least one more year left at the highest level.

Lampard and John Terry can be to Chelsea what Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes are to Manchester United; exemplary figures and model professionals capable of performing at the highest level well into their 30s.

The gradual emergence of wide men Malouda and Salomon Kalou gives further cause for optimism at Stamford Bridge, while Joe Cole will return at the start of next season.

Malouda's goal was a peach. With less than four minutes gone, Jose Bosingwa released Anelka down the right, and he crossed for his fellow Frenchman Malouda who got in front of Keith Andrews and buried a powerful header from15 yards.

By that point, there had already been chances at both ends, with Morten Gamst Pedersen firing straight at Petr Cech in the first minute, followed quickly by a Lampard shot that was blocked by Gael Givet.

Anelka fired straight at Paul Robinson from eight yards after Ashley Cole teed him up before Lampard went close again on 18 minutes, striking his first-time shot against the woodwork.

Blackburn also played with a sense of freedom allowed by their safety from relegation. Vince Grella saw a shot blocked before Chris Samba sent an acrobatic volley wide.

Stand-in striker Samba then sent a close-range head over before returning to his more familiar position at centre-back after an injury forced off Rovers captain Ryan Nelsen.

The second half proved an absolute stroll for Chelsea, especially after Anelka put away the second goal.

The striker fired a low shot into the left corner from the edge of the box on 59 minutes, moving level with Cristiano Ronaldo at the top of the Premier League scoring charts on 18.

With Ronaldo likely to be rested for Manchester United's trip to Hull on the final day, Anelka has a great opportunity to take the prize outright when Chelsea travel to Sunderland next Sunday.

Alex Chick / Eurosport

Comment 95 - 114 of 134

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  1. its nice to see appreciation,thankyou one and all,i­ leave you with a good team.
    goodbye and thanks.g hid

    From pianomusiclive, on Mon 18 May 7:02AM

  2. I am United through and through but I respect and­ admire Hiddink and think he has done a good job with­ Chelsea. They will carry the ambition and drive that he­ has installed in them again and next year the title­ will be decided between United and Chelsea as I think­ this year has been a flash in the pan for­ Liverpool.
    Well done Hiddink and good luck with Russia

    From steveoliver74, on Mon 18 May 6:31AM
  3. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    model professional TERRY.
    wHAT ABOUT HIM PI--ING IN A­ POT @ A NIGHT CLUB,& OH YEAH CHEATING ON HIS­ WIFE......
    Yep let the kids aspire to him as a role­ model

    From harkinsinturkey, on Mon 18 May 5:39AM
  4. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    agree with post 110 ' ravenheartmusic '­ Abrahmovic is nothing more than a filthy drug peddler ,­ and Drogba blows is c.ock

    From ninja_king_returns, on Mon 18 May 5:19AM

  5. hello
    dear sir i would nt advice u to leave chelsea if­ u may go help us connect jose back please we need­ someone like u or jose to rule our surppoting team well­ am mike

    mike

    From nworie_ikechukwumike, on Mon 18 May 5:08AM

  6. Sorry to see Hiddink leaving the English game; he­ brought real quality in all he did.
    And, it's yet­ more evidence for the football league that only­ properly qualified, experienced coaches can do the job­ successfully at the highest level and that they should­ apply their own rules more rigidly; I'll bet that­ Middlesbrough, Portsmouth and Newcastle now wish they­ had done so!

    From mambles, on Mon 18 May 4:51AM

  7. as a united fan i fully respect hiddink. who is­ definitely one of the best managers in the world.
    the­ work he has done at chelsea is amazing. his tactics are­ amazing. he himself is amazing.
    well done hiddink and­ good luck managing russia.

    United for glory!!

    From someasiankid, on Mon 18 May 4:25AM

  8. thanx guus..if u could stay in chelsea for more longer­ time,no wonder u can be the next jose mourinho..tribute­ to Guus Hiddink..('', )

    From Ridzuan B, on Mon 18 May 2:50AM

  9. guus plz stay!

    From Josh, on Mon 18 May 12:31AM

  10. Hi Chelsea fans. I missed tonight's (Sunday 17th­ May 2009's) highlights of MATCH OF THE DAY 2 (with­ Adrian Chiles) as my video recorder crashed out on me.­ I wondered whether anyone out there could help me out­ by maybe posting me their video recording (on VHS tape)­ of the said edition. The problem is that the BBC­ doesn't show a repeat of MOTD2 as it does with MOTD­ (Saturday nights repeated on Sunday mornings, etc.) It­ is on Sky Sports 1 but I don't currently have Sky!­ Can anyone help please? I would be really­ appreciative.

    STEVE.

    From S, on Mon 18 May 12:29AM

  11. Cheers Guus you did us proud!

    From nemo_delfino, on Mon 18 May 12:19AM

  12. Sorry to see Guus go but he will provide plenty of­ advice to Roman. He has been a loyal advisor and will­ remain on board in some capacity, he hasn't gone­ away you know! Those at Old Twatfart will be delighted­ that he isn't staying and that he wasn't there­ from the beginning of the season. Chelsea would've­ pushed United far closer and this manager should've­ rightly guide his charges to Rome only for a Stevie­ Wonderesque performance from BOBO the clown who­ refereed against Barca. I really don't know who we­ are going to sign but he should have Hiddink's­ ability as a defensive coach. Chelsea have­ England's best defence and Terry is England's­ best defender. Roll on the FA cup and hopefully the­ Community cup.

    From charles, on Mon 18 May 12:02AM

  13. Thank you Guus for everything. You are a great manager­ and we hope to see you again at the bridge!
    Up the­ Blues

    From sean.haggerty, on Sun 17 May 11:41PM
  14. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    bye bye Goose Titwank and take that tw at Drogturd with­ you

    From Colin H, on Sun 17 May 11:31PM

  15. I would love to go a wandering.

    Along the Cliffs of­ Dover.

    And if i see a Daft Scouse Git

    I Will push the­ Git right over.

    From alan, on Sun 17 May 11:23PM

  16. the 1st half was a brilliant performane and I think if­ it wasnt the end of the season it would have been 5-0­ at half time.

    sad to see hiddink leave but 1 more game­ and then a cup final.

    lets play the kids next week,­ apart from anelka. we want him to get the golden boot

    From yip, on Sun 17 May 11:15PM

  17. All this unjust slagging off i get, makes me wonder­ whether it is worth being on here.

    From Colin H, on Sun 17 May 11:13PM
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Do we really think that Russian drug money (come on,­ what other ways has that Russian geek built his­ fortune) would buy Hiddink. The Dutch man has more­ sense!

    From ravenheartmusic, on Sun 17 May 10:55PM

  19. C'MON CHELSEA

    From XxBOAxX, on Sun 17 May 10:49PM

  20. Scousers how come all your supporters come from­ Ireland.
    Everton have real Scousers supporting­ them.
    You even took the KOP from South Africa Give them­ it back you thieving gits

    From alan, on Sun 17 May 10:38PM
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