The quintessential English football competition reached the quintessential English football stage — or at least the site of its memory — and two clubs now foreign-owned, with Italian and Spanish managers and just three English starters among the 22, produced a genuine old-style end-to-end FA Cup tie.
For all the modern coaching ‘philosophies’ based on possession that both Chelsea and Manchester City bring to the table, there was not much keep-ball in evidence here.
It was attack-defend, attack-defend. It was a match marked by City’s early energy and Chelsea’s lack of it, then almost the opposite.
Serving up an English classic: Roberto Mancini and Rafael Benitez saw their teams serve up a thrillerThe final will do well to match it for drama and excitement.
On the last whistle, and for long periods before, the City end burst into rapturous song.
Their confidence had been eaten into by Chelsea’s second-half resurgence but now the sun had come out to salute City’s blue moon.
Wembley looked a picture. It had a May glow to it, which is an issue in April.
It is a bit dismissive to say that only ‘traditionalists’ frown upon Wembley hosting the semis. The traditionalists make up a fair proportion of English football’s fanbase and the general feeling in the country extends to football venues. In the background, maybe, but there.
Eyes on the ball: Vincent Kompany Fernando Torres tussle for the ball Back and forwards: Demba Ba and Kompany fight for possessionBut after Saturday evening in the Millwall section, Wembley and the FA had more immediate concerns and, thankfully, yesterday the atmosphere never looked to edge beyond rivalry. Neither set of supporters decided to lump into their own kind.
City fans occupied the end where some of Millwall’s had lost their head and some blood on Saturday, but the mood there was happy-clappy by comparison. They like that Yaya and Kolo Toure chant, don’t they?
The trademark City inflatable bananas were on view too, a connection to a different time in English football, though it’s best not to overdo the innocence of the 1980s.
Back then Wembley was the dream, the ultimate FA Cup stage. The semi-finals were at venues such as Villa Park and Hillsborough and Wembley’s isolation made it splendid.
Whether it is of consolation on Merseyside this morning, the victims of Hillsborough 1989 were listed in yesterday’s programme.
The times have changed since, the FA Cup has changed. But even though Roberto Mancini said afterwards that the Cup was not top of his priorities, there were spells when it was still possible to believe that the stadium and the occasion had got under the skin of players from countries ranging from Argentina to Serbia to Nigeria.
Loud and proud: The City fans celebrate their winThe Cup would appear to matter quite a lot to Sergio Aguero, for example. And now he is in the final, his impressive finishing once again deciding a major match. The winning goal brought £900,000 to City’s coffers and there is double for the victorious finalists. In terms of financial fair play, every little counts.
It is a long way — financially, geographically and all the rest — from North Shields versus Birtley Town in the extra-preliminary round. The prize-money then was £1,000 and it cost £4 to get in.
In its own low-key way, that was a proper FA Cup occasion. There have been others along the way. But yesterday at Wembley will hold its own.
More... Cup slips away from Chelsea as icons Terry and Lampard sit it out on bench Chelsea 1 Man City 2: Ba's acrobatics can't save Blues as Mancini's men reach final Chelsea 1 Man City 2: Ba's acrobatics can't save Blues as Mancini's men reach final
