If John Terry thought he had it bad running the gauntlet against Manchester City last weekend, it was nothing compared to the red-hot reception Nicolas Anelka received from one of Europe’s most passionate set of travelling supporters.
Every time France’s enfant terrible touched the ball, the 3,000 Marseille ultras whistled, booed and hissed with a unity that was deafening.
And this on Anelka’s home patch. Imagine the noise when the French exile, now retired from international football, returns to France for the corresponding fixture on December 8.
He will be about as welcome as the mowers stripping the Stamford Bridge grass while Florent Malouda, who was also booed but at a more muted level than his countryman, tried to pay tribute to Anelka’s coolness under fire.
Anelka had converted Chelsea’s 28th minute penalty with all the insouciance he had displayed in the League Cup against Newcastle a week earlier. His strategy? A two-step run-up and gentle roll of the ball into the net before heading in the direction of the Marseille fans to celebrate.
"He was under a lot of pressure because in France a lot of people were watching this game so he had many reasons to prove," said Malouda. "Here at the club everybody knows his quality and it’s great to see him play that way and show his quality to the world. It’s difficult for me to speak about [France and what happened at the World Cup] but I’m just happy for Nicolas and I’m happy to see the team play at that level."
A disapproving French public would have taken note of how the league champions were completely outclassed by Anelka and his friends. At the heart of the Champions League lesson was Chelsea’s French connection, who strutted their stuff with the elegance and certainty of a Parisian catwalk model.
Anelka smoothly led the line in Didier Drogba’s self-enforced absence, Gael Kakuta offered another glimpse of his dazzling potential on the right of Carlo Ancelotti’s front three and the ace in the pack once again was Malouda on the left flank, jinking between defenders, fizzing in crosses and testing the keeper from distance with a series of stinging drives.
The Three Musketeers put Marseille to the sword in the first half hour before relaxing their grip in the knowledge that bigger tests lie ahead, starting with a showdown against Arsenal here again on Sunday afternoon.
Malouda, who has carried on where he left off last season with a sensational opening to the new campaign that has yielded six goals and a creative hand in many others, admits he is playing the best football of his career.
"Yes, of course," he said, before adding with a twinkle in his eye: "I hear that for one year and a half now. Of course I know I’m 30 years old and it’s time to be in the best form of my life.
"I try every time to produce my best game. It’s not always easy but with the work I’m putting in training I get good fitness and I can reproduce this kind of performance week in, week out. It’s good because we have a lot of important games coming. We play Arsenal on Sunday and we have to win this weekend."
Unlike Anelka, who retired from the international arena after being given an 18-month ban by the French Football Federation following his ill-tempered role in the team’s summer debacle in South Africa, Malouda has been welcomed tentatively back into the France fold.
He recognised the significance of performing in front of an audience including France’s assistant coach Alain Boghossian ahead of the next round of Euro 2012 qualifiers.
"I was under pressure because next week I will be in France so if I want to spend a good week I had to win tonight," said Malouda. "It’s always strange when you play against a team from your country but I’m really happy with the result."
Kakuta was the least effective of the Frenchmen but his reputation for creating mayhem is enhancing by the week. Similarly to the Newcastle match, the teenager, controversially plucked from the Lens academy, faded after threatening to run amok and was substituted on the hour mark.
"He played a good game and he played for the team," Ancelotti said. "It is the most important thing for a young player because sometimes they want to show their ability and quality."
During a tie beamed live in France, Chelsea’s French connection had reminded their homeland what they are missing.
Every time France’s enfant terrible touched the ball, the 3,000 Marseille ultras whistled, booed and hissed with a unity that was deafening.
And this on Anelka’s home patch. Imagine the noise when the French exile, now retired from international football, returns to France for the corresponding fixture on December 8.
He will be about as welcome as the mowers stripping the Stamford Bridge grass while Florent Malouda, who was also booed but at a more muted level than his countryman, tried to pay tribute to Anelka’s coolness under fire.
Anelka had converted Chelsea’s 28th minute penalty with all the insouciance he had displayed in the League Cup against Newcastle a week earlier. His strategy? A two-step run-up and gentle roll of the ball into the net before heading in the direction of the Marseille fans to celebrate.
"He was under a lot of pressure because in France a lot of people were watching this game so he had many reasons to prove," said Malouda. "Here at the club everybody knows his quality and it’s great to see him play that way and show his quality to the world. It’s difficult for me to speak about [France and what happened at the World Cup] but I’m just happy for Nicolas and I’m happy to see the team play at that level."
A disapproving French public would have taken note of how the league champions were completely outclassed by Anelka and his friends. At the heart of the Champions League lesson was Chelsea’s French connection, who strutted their stuff with the elegance and certainty of a Parisian catwalk model.
Anelka smoothly led the line in Didier Drogba’s self-enforced absence, Gael Kakuta offered another glimpse of his dazzling potential on the right of Carlo Ancelotti’s front three and the ace in the pack once again was Malouda on the left flank, jinking between defenders, fizzing in crosses and testing the keeper from distance with a series of stinging drives.
The Three Musketeers put Marseille to the sword in the first half hour before relaxing their grip in the knowledge that bigger tests lie ahead, starting with a showdown against Arsenal here again on Sunday afternoon.
Malouda, who has carried on where he left off last season with a sensational opening to the new campaign that has yielded six goals and a creative hand in many others, admits he is playing the best football of his career.
"Yes, of course," he said, before adding with a twinkle in his eye: "I hear that for one year and a half now. Of course I know I’m 30 years old and it’s time to be in the best form of my life.
"I try every time to produce my best game. It’s not always easy but with the work I’m putting in training I get good fitness and I can reproduce this kind of performance week in, week out. It’s good because we have a lot of important games coming. We play Arsenal on Sunday and we have to win this weekend."
Unlike Anelka, who retired from the international arena after being given an 18-month ban by the French Football Federation following his ill-tempered role in the team’s summer debacle in South Africa, Malouda has been welcomed tentatively back into the France fold.
He recognised the significance of performing in front of an audience including France’s assistant coach Alain Boghossian ahead of the next round of Euro 2012 qualifiers.
"I was under pressure because next week I will be in France so if I want to spend a good week I had to win tonight," said Malouda. "It’s always strange when you play against a team from your country but I’m really happy with the result."
Kakuta was the least effective of the Frenchmen but his reputation for creating mayhem is enhancing by the week. Similarly to the Newcastle match, the teenager, controversially plucked from the Lens academy, faded after threatening to run amok and was substituted on the hour mark.
"He played a good game and he played for the team," Ancelotti said. "It is the most important thing for a young player because sometimes they want to show their ability and quality."
During a tie beamed live in France, Chelsea’s French connection had reminded their homeland what they are missing.
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