Chelsea 7 Ipswich 0

Rarely can Ipswich fans have travelled to an away match with such trepidation. Rarely can the worst possible fears be realised so spectacularly.
In the twilight between Roy Keanes departure and Paul Jewells arrival, Ipswich Town arrived in West London with a scratch team and a scratch manager. Ian McParland was the man given the opportunity to spring the surprise that even he didn’t expect.
Speaking after the match, McParland said “I thought we would either give a good account of ourselves or we could take a good thrashing, and unfortunately it was the latter”.
Facing the league champions, taking charge of a side for the first time in the lowest of confidence after the departure of their former manager. McParland was further disadvantaged by the parlous state of his available squad.
The week had entailed frantic phone calls to loan clubs to try and successfully negotiate their availability for the cup match, but whilst Town gained Darren O’Dea and Jake Livermore, they quickly lost the latter again as he succumbed to injury in training. It resulted in a recall to the side for Colin Healy, making his very first start in a Town jersey in over a year. The loss of the suspended Grant Leadbitter saw Jaime Peters restored to the side, along with Carlos Edwards on the opposite flank.
In truth, Town barely had the opportunity to play on the flanks. Whilst Town managed to keep a clean sheet for thirty minutes, even vaguely threatening the Chelsea goal on a couple of occasions, the scoreline had remained blank largely as a result of some lax and nervous finishing on behalf of the home side.
It couldn’t last, and it didn’t, as three goals in quick succession had the match well and truly won before the half was out, with Town fans facing up to the prospect that their distraught side were only going to see the deficit widen.
Peters and Edwards had found themselves effectively playing as fullbacks, given the amount of time both Mark Kennedy and Troy Brown had spent covering their own goalmouth.
The half time break brought solace, but only until the players returned to the pitch, as within seven minutes of the restart, the score had been added to twice more. With almost forty minutes remaining, Town fans realised they had little chance of actually seeing their players for the rest of the match, so withdrawn were they at the opposite end of the pitch.
At times like this, when there is little to take pride in on the pitch, the fans take centre stage, as they did so with the mixture of pride and black humour that is so often found in such circumstances.
McParland paid credit to the supporters after the match, for their support under such duress “I feel sorry for the Ipswich fans today, they’re a good bunch of fans. It’s a good football club and I just hope the new man that comes in can deliver some success and put smiles on their faces.
“The fans were fantastic today. They came and enjoyed their day. I think they enjoyed it a little bit better than me.”
Town managed to inject some life into their attack with the introduction of the energetic Ronan Murray and the previously exiled Tamas Priskin, as Chelsea looked to coast through the remainder of a match which had appeared little more than a training exercise for the most part.
But the Champions had one final flourish, as finally Frank Lampard found his range with a quick brace late in the game. Town stared down an even more embarrassing defeat, as late saves from Marton Fulop managed to stem the flow.
Whilst Chelsea will undoubtedly be buoyed by the goal-rush, Town simply continued where they had left off against Nottingham Forest previously and produced a performance that would have resulted in heavy defeat at any Premier League club. The lack of confidence and belief in the side, clearly even lower following Roy Keanes sudden exit, led to a continued inability to hold possession, as Chelsea found the ball returned to them repeatedly.
Whilst the backline regularly became a back six, in front of them there was little chance of respite. With Colin Healy asked to perform a holding midfield role just in front of the back four, it left only David Norris, Jason Scotland or Connor Wickham to aim at.
Wickham endured a torrid time, as John Terry showed the watching scouts that the England U21 International has quite some learning to do. Wickham was rarely able to get a touch, with his frustration evident and resulting in an early withdrawal.
Part of Wickhams problem also stemmed from the completely ineffectual Jason Scotland who, in more exalted company, gave a painful example of how unsuited he is to a withdrawn striking role. The big striker continually dropped deep in an effort to receive the ball, having found little joy from a mobile Chelsea midfield. Yet, having done so, the same midfield were able to steal possession from him repeatedly.
It was an indication of just how far the club has to recover over the coming months, with the worst aspects of the side magnified by a strong opposition. Before they are able to do so, a stronger proposition than Chelsea await, in the form of Arsenal. With further injury problems mounting for Town, and the same players remaining unavailable, the Gunners may be considering travelling with an abacus.
However, with a sell-out crowd and a new managerial appointment, maybe, just maybe, the scene is set for a new dawn at the football club.