Ali Lochhead

My first time at The Bridge in ten years and I'm stunned. So what's going on boys and girls?

It seems to me Chelsea's talent on the pitch was outstanding. Pedro was phenomenal with the ball, brilliant effort, footwork and passing, a joy to watch. There was some great play by Willian ... Diego Costa is Diego Costa...the same goes for Cesc Fàbregas...Eden Hazard...no need to say more, these players are legend. And yet Palace bossed it.

Zaha had a hunger the Chelsea boys seemed to lack. Kennedy showed it when he came off the subs bench, is it because he has to make his mark, fight his way into the starting line-up? Is it that the others have become complacent? Is it the money? After-all they get their pay cheque regardless. Is it psychology - are they simply lacking in confidence as a team despite their collective talent? This is The Bridge with Mourinho at the helm - the fortress where, for years, teams feared to tread. "We're Palace and we're taking the piss" the visiting fans taunted with justification. Their little away section made more noise than the rest of the stadium. "We're bored," my mate told me during the first half, when I asked why everyone was so quiet. I was on his spare season ticket and perhaps when you've shelled out £900 pounds for your seat you have a right, as well as an expectation to be entertained. Or has The Bridge just become too corporate? My son says he and his friends are getting behind Palace as a Premier League club which brings on local talent, still carries a strong local fan base and a sense of South London identity. Chelsea could be any European club, goes the argument. But maybe CFC does accurately represent London - Corporate London, as it is today. My heart will always be true blue but the last time I was a regular at The Bridge it was a lot noisier! Maybe Chelsea has forged a European identity, maybe we need a biggger stage...will the Champions League fuel the hunger?