Source: Team_Talk
Terry revels in 'special' cup victory
John Terry hailed a "special" feeling after helping Chelsea seal their first league and FA Cup Double by beating Portsmouth 1-0 at Wembley.[LNB] Chelsea hit the woodwork five times in the first half and could have gone behind had Kevin-Prince Boateng not missed a penalty in the 56th minute.[LNB]Didier Drogba then scored with a stunning free-kick three minutes later, before Frank Lampard missed a spot-kick of his own a minute from time.[LNB]Blues skipper Terry told ITV1: "It's unbelievable. It's never been done in the club's history and to do it with this group of players feels so special.[LNB]"I thought our luck was out but what a great free-kick from Didier."[LNB]Terry was unimpressed with the infamous Wembley surface though, adding: "The pitch ruined the final. It's probably the worst pitch we've played on all year."[LNB]Terry, continuing his criticism of the Wembley surface, told BBC Radio 5 Live: "It was not good enough for a Wembley pitch.[LNB]"The FA have to decide if this is a football pitch or events stadium."[LNB]On the victory itself, Terry added: "It is incredible. What an amazing day today.[LNB]"It was one of those days but we came strong and full credit to Didier.[LNB]"The reason why we are top of the league and won the FA Cup is that we are the best team and we have great determination."[LNB]Goalkeeper Petr Cech admitted he "got lucky" with his first-half penalty save from Boateng.[LNB]"I knew what the choices were and from the body language when he ran towards me I chose that side - but I was lucky to get there," he said.[LNB]The Czech international added that the players were desperate to write their names in the club's history, which he felt may have played a part in them uncharacteristically missing a host of chances before Drogba finally made the breakthrough.[LNB]"I'm speechless because during the game there were a lot of emotions," he said.[LNB]"We wanted to be the first team at Chelsea to win the Double - and we also defended the FA Cup, which is an achievement as well.[LNB]"We kept missing and missing and it looked like it was not going to be our day but to make two crucial saves I am delighted."[LNB]Drogba admitted it was hard to come back down to earth after sealing the Premier League title last weekend with an 8-0 thrashing of Wigan.[LNB]He told ITV: "It's fantastic; we achieved the double. It was difficult to come back and stay focused (after) we celebrated the title.[LNB]"It was difficult again against a very good Portsmouth team.[LNB]"You start to feel that you won't score but if you manage to create chances in the first half it means in the second you will have some."[LNB]On his free-kick, he added: "I saw a little gap, not a big space, because the wall was in its position.[LNB]"I hit the post again but it went in this time."[LNB]Portsmouth manager Avram Grant was proud of his players after what they went through in a difficult season which saw them relegated following a nine-point deduction for going into administration.[LNB]Grant told ITV1: "It's a day (when) I'm very proud and very sad; sad because we couldn't win the game, but it's an unbelievable season and something I won't forget."[LNB]Grant attributed no blame to Boateng, saying: "Win as a team, lose as a team. It happens even to the best.[LNB]"Unfortunately it's happened to me twice. What can you do?[LNB]"We played tactically very well, we gave everything. The fans were great. Unfortunately we couldn't win."[LNB]Asked if the Pompey fans had seen the last of him, he replied: "I don't know. They are great."[LNB]Portsmouth midfielder Jamie O'Hara admitted the Pompey players started to believe they could win the game after the way the first half went.[LNB]He told ITV1: "We rode our luck in the first half - David James pulled off some unbelievable saves - then we had the chance to win the game.[LNB]"If the penalty had gone in we could have defended for our lives, but it wasn't meant to be. Chelsea showed their class in the end."[LNB]O'Hara played despite a stress fracture in his back, and asked if he risked his fitness, he replied: "Yes. I put as much as I could into the game.[LNB]"It's going to the last time we all play together, so it's an emotional day for everyone at the club. It would have been great to go out with a big win."[LNB]He added: "They'll be back. They're a massive club with great fans."[LNB]Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti identified Cech's penalty save as vital to the win.[LNB]"It was the key moment," he said. "It would have been very difficult if Portsmouth scored."[LNB]On the Double, he told ITV1: "It's very important. First time (for the club), for me also. Fantastic season, fantastic day.[LNB]"We were unlucky the first half, it can happen in football, (but) five posts never happened in my career, five in one half."[LNB]He continued: "As a group, the organisation of the club, everyone worked this year to do their best and everyone deserved it."[LNB]Asked if the Champions League will be the goal next year, he said: "We will try. This year we wanted to win also the Champions League but we have to be happy for the Premier League and the FA Cup."[LNB]Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole said: "It was a funny day. I've never seen the team miss so many chances. But it's finished as a great day.[LNB]"It's history for this club. I'm so pleased for everyone who's worked so hard all year."[LNB]On hitting the woodwork five times, he told ITV1: "I've never seen it done before. When Frank missed the penalty at the end you think, 'Okay, it's just going to be 1-0'."[LNB]Asked about his future, Cole said: "My focus is getting on the plane to South Africa then winning the World Cup, and that's what I'm going to do."[LNB]Defender Ashley Cole, who set a new record with his sixth FA Cup winner's medal, said his much-criticised move to Chelsea from Arsenal in 2006 had been vindicated.[LNB]"It feels great. I came here to win trophies and this is the third one I've won here," he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "It is a great achievement for me and I'm very happy and to do the double here is fantastic."[LNB]Man-of-the-match Drogba warned that Chelsea would look to at least match their achievements next season.[LNB]"I am really lucky and really proud of what we achieved today," he said.[LNB]"We had a great season and to do the double is something fantastic and we made history.[LNB]"We won a lot this year so why can't we do it again next season? We have a good squad and next season we will try to keep the (Premier League) title and do the same."[LNB]Portsmouth midfielder Michael Brown said they had been lucky to get to half-time still on level terms but admitted Boateng's missed penalty eventually cost them.[LNB]"We rode our luck in the first half and we knew we had to do that," he said.[LNB]"We knew at half-time when they didn't score we would get a chance and the penalty was such a massive break for us but it was not to be and poor Kevin is distraught.[LNB]"They scored a fantastic free-kick and with Chelsea there is no way back."[LNB]On what lies ahead for next season in the Championship, Brown said: "It is up to the powers that be to decide on a budget and the players they need."
