Why Old Trafford Performance Will Build Belief

There was a feeling across today’s media that Chelsea’s performance at Manchester United yesterday was an encouraging one – despite the 3-1 defeat.

Many have said that AVB got it right and that it was bad luck and a ruthless Manchester United in front of goal that was the difference, and that Chelsea should take heart from the performance. Bad miss aside, Fernando Torres looked sharp, up for it and took his goal incredibly well. We ran the game in midfield and created a good number of chances.

However I can’t help but feel that a team fighting for all four trophies should not be taking heart from a brave defeat against their big rivals. If Swansea played like us and lost then fair enough, but Swansea would never expect to beat Man Utd.

As tall an order as it was, if we don’t expect to get a result everywhere we go we may as well give up.

The good news is that AVB and the team didn’t share that thought, even if the press and some of the fans did. They played with belief and convinced everyone that we won’t give up. We didn’t lie down at 3-0 behind and we won’t lie down after this knock-back.

Yesterday’s game has generated belief in this Chelsea side that, after our poor performances against the teams around us last year, had diminished a bit. Villas-Boas just needs to turn that belief into results against the other top sides.