OK, so this was a pretty good game, got off to a great start with the fastest goal in FA Cup history, 26 seconds from Saha.

Let’s compare how Chelsea reacted to this setback to how Manchester United reacted when Barcelona scored early on in the Champions League Final. Manchester United crumbled, their players hid and shirked responsibility and the rest is history. In this game, Chelsea dusted themselves down, took it in their stride and continued to play as they always do.

I enjoyed how Malouda played out wide on the left, he gave Hibbert a torrid time and again showed what a poor player the Everton right back is. For the equalizer, Malouda stayed out wide as opposed to drifting inside, that gave Lampard a huge target for him to play the ball to. If you then watch Drogba’s movement in the box to get on the end of the cross, there’s something to teach your players there. He peeled away, held until the ball was crossed and then attacked it with vengeance, Lescott had no chance and neither did Howard in goal.

Chelsea then continued with controlling the game and eventually they won through another piece of individual brilliance from Frank Lampard. He has to be the complete midfield player. That’s 20 goals again this season, I think that is three seasons on the run for him at 20 goals. That’s incredible and priceless. He celebrated the goal by running around the corner flag like his dad, Frank Lampard Sr, did when he scored at Wembley for West Ham.

Chelsea were the favorites, they had strength and depth through their team which was illustrated when Everton made a couple of substitutions late on bringing on young players that have come through their academy, Chelsea brought on the captain of Germany, Michael Ballack! There’s the difference right there.

So in summary, the favorites won because they kept their composure, played to their strengths and relied on their go to players, Lampard and Drogba to come through for them.

As coaches we need to learn from this, teach our players how to respond to a setback early in the game, teach them to keep calm, play to their strengths and teach our game winners that they are there to do just that, take their chances and win the game for us!

Let me know what you learned from the game…Let’s Talk Soccer!