Chelsea are the champions, and they will remain so, given this example of their appetite to fight for the right to show their superiority in a stadium where Manchester United were held last month.
But in a battle that had fearful omens of physical combat — it started with one Chelsea goalkeeper concussed by the first impact, and finished with his replacement also taken to hospital in stoppage time, to be replaced by skipper John Terry — it was more the man-of-war approach that was required than anything resembling the finesse they will need against Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday.
With a man from either side sent off by a referee who lamentably contributed to the rugged and sometimes devious examples of so-called sport, it took a most fortuitous own goal to give Chelsea the three points.
Jose Mourinho, the Chelsea manager, was furious at the challenge on Petr Cech that put the Blues keeper in hospital. The first half began and ended with two dramatic examples of what makes the Premiership different, and what at times makes it dramatically sickening.
The first impact of a contest that was always going to be a collision between the workers of Reading and the millionaires of Chelski put a perspective on the goalkeeping situation. England’s Paul Robinson may feel he had it bad by being made the laughing stock of Zagreb last week, but the true perils of his trade were witnessed here in the opening exchanges.
Reading had driven the ball long into the Chelsea penalty area. Stephen Hunt pursued it as he was entitled to do until seeing Cech rushing off his line and diving to smother the ball, the Reading player attempted to veer to his left. The momentum of the keeper took him into Hunt, and we could clearly see — almost feel — the right knee of Hunt against the temple of Cech. It looked dreadful, and it was. It was compounded by the fact that referee Mike Riley stood over Cech, insisting that he get off the pitch. In those awful seconds, we witnessed a groggy goalkeeper crawling on all fours, obviously to anyone with any sensibility a man badly concussed.
Mourinho wants the Football Association to look at Hunt’s challenge, describing the Reading player as “out of his head” when he challenged the Czech Republic keeper.
“The ball was far from the player,” Mourinho said. “The goalkeeper dives for the ball and grabs it with his hands and then comes a boy out of his head. The story with Ben Thatcher and Pedro Mendes is comparable. To be angry doesn’t help.”
After the opening incident, it took a long time for most of us to regain an appetite for this very physical version of English football. There was scarcely any merit, but the force was unremitting. There have been question marks about whether Andriy Shevchenko and Arjen Robben are the bravest when the tackles are flying. But there is none about Didier Drogba. What an athlete, what an appetite.
In the 16th minute he persuaded Robben to dart down the left, and the Korean Seol showed what a tenacious competitor as well as a fine footballer, he is. Seol charged down the cross from Robben. But that move triggered the most persuasive passage of Chelsea supremacy.
A minute later, Paulo Ferreira outpaced Nicky Shorey and the Portuguese defender produced a curling cross which Ivar Ingimarsson attempted to clear. The ball deflected off his head and rolled off the face of the crossbar with goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann beaten.
It remained hard, but mostly fair. After 25 minutes Terry did what he does best, he came up against Reading’s best forward Kevin Doyle, using innate physical force in the confrontation. Much easier than playing in a back three for the England captain.
Once again we saw Drogba in full flight. He headed the ball out of his own penalty box and then rampaged the full length of the field and it took Ibrahima Sonko to show equal physical might to dispossess him. But, having lost Graeme Murty to the hamstring ailment that made him doubtful before the kick-off, Reading were struggling to maintain their unbeaten home start in the Premiership. And on the stroke of half-time they went behind.
This, however, was a goal of dubious origins. Frank Lampard may be as English as they come, but when he went down just outside the Reading penalty box there was decidedly an element of him conning the referee. Lampard was not fouled by Steve Sidwell, but, making the most of the situation, fell dramatically forward into the Reading man.
Referee Riley bought it to such an extent that he showed the yellow card to Sidwell, and the misjudgment was compounded by an own goal.
Lampard took the kick from a central position 20 yards out, it struck Terry on the shin and ricocheted against Ingimarsson, and deflected off him into the net. Sickening at both ends of the half.
Riley’s tenuous hold on this match disintegrated after half-time. After 54 minutes he booked Terry because of the vehemence with which the Chelsea player was disputing every decision. However there was more confrontation than pure football, and inevitably someone had to get sent off.
It happened in the 61st minute, the miscreant was the 17-year-old Nigerian John Obi Mikel. Having already been booked for a foul on Hunt in the first half, he gave the referee little choice but to show a second yellow when he strong-armed Sonko to the ground.
The youngster had to be wrestled away from the official, and was marched virtually in an armlock to the tunnel by Drogba. But even that did not quell the tempers, and Holland international Khalid Boulahrouz and Sonko had to be separated when they squared up.
Andre Bikey became the second player to be sent off for his second foul on Drogba in the frantic closing battle, which ended with Terry putting on the keeper’s jersey after Cudicini was forced off with another sickening-looking injury following a clash with Sonko.
With Terry in goal, with Chelsea playing for time, the referee then sent off Rui Farria of Chelsea and Kevin Dillon of Reading — they are the fitness trainer and assistant manager of the respective clubs — who were squabbling over the ball.
Afterwards Lampard said: “It was a battle, the way they set out meant it wasn’t vintage football from us but we got through.”
Of Chelsea’s winner, the England midfielder added: “I claim most things but it did deflect away and then back, so I don’t really think it was mine.” Star Man: Michael Essien (Chelsea)
Scorer: Chelsea: Ingimarsson og 45
Referee: M Riley
Attendance: 24,025 Player Ratings: Reading: Hahnemann 6, Murty 6 (Bikey 36min, 4), Sonko 7, Ingimarsson 6, Shorey 5, Seol 7 (Little 64min, 6), Harper 6, Sidwell 6, Hunt 6, Lita 4 (Long 73min, 5) Doyle 7
Chelsea: Cech 5 (Cudicini 1min, 6) Ferreira 7, Boulahrouz 6, Terry 6, Bridge 6, Mikel 4, Essien 8, Lampard 6, Drogba 7, Shevchenko 5 (Cole 63min, 5) Robben 5 (Kalou 82min, 5)
Scorer: Chelsea: Ingimarsson og 45
