15/05/2017 Match of the Day

How about that? Just brilliant! Oh that is wonderful! An absolute

belter! What a chance. What a goal! Oh, look at that!

The new manager off to a winning start. Hazard here. Oh, great goal.

What a performance from Antonio Conte's boys in blue. That surely

has secured the 13th consecutive win. Champions in the making. They

can reach out and almost touch that trophy. Brilliant. Cahill! Fantastic

goal by Pedro. Blue is the colour of the Premier League winners again.

Evening, after Chelsea clinched the title on Friday, tonight was all

about the home coming with Watford the visitors. Danny Murphy and Mark

Schwarzer will reflect on that. Your commentator at Stamford Bridge was

Guy Mowbray. It is Watford tonight, but they stand for the rest of the

Premier League as a mark of respect. The team that has been on top since

December 11th, the club that is champions of England for the sixth

time and there might be more to come this season, with the FA Cup final

only 12 days away and one more league game, it is not surprising

Antonio Conte has rung the changes. Nine in fact.

John Terry is in and Kante is back. For Watford, three changes from the

team beaten at Everton on Friday A fourth successive defeat without

scoring for The Hornets. Just three more games to go in John Terry's

Chelsea career. Tonight is his first start in the Premier League since

September. It is his 716th Chelsea appearance and he is the first

non-Manchester United player to win five Premier League titles.

Chelsea keep on pressing. It is Batshuayi. Got his shot away. His

shot was blocked. It was all a bit of a scramble. Holebas lost it to

Ake. It was a smart turn by Batshuayi.

John Terry attacked it and John Terry's in and it's bounced in. The

captain's got his goal! It is proving to be a fairy tale final

season at the Bridge for Chelsea's captain, leader and legend. John

Terry scores a 67th goal for Chelsea. He said in his programme

notes tonight, if I could have written my story as a 14-year-old

when I signed on the pitch, this would have been it. What a time

chapter. Another goal at Stamford Bridge for John Terry, before he

goes to a new, strange home, wherever it may be. The smile says

it all. Chelsea 1, Watford 0. His first goal since scoring for

both sides in a 3-3 game against Everton last year. John Terry has

gifted a goal to Watford. Would you believe it? That wasn't in the

script. The smile's gone now. Didn't that escalate quickly? I was just

talking Ake scoring -- ago scoring for both sides. He got in a mix up

with Chalobah. Not enough on the header. Seemed unsure with Chalobah

in his way and Capoue has been able to get Watford level. Watford's

first away goal since the end of January. Chelsea 1, Watford 1. 35

seconds from their kick off, Watford are level again.

Willian has fired a long range pass to Hazard and Hazard has just missed

the target, having done just about everything else perfectly. He thinks

he should have a corner. He should have a word with Willian first and

say, thank you very much for another tremendous pass.

Kenedy trying to hold off Amrabat and it was palmed behind by Gomes.

Amrabat with what he tried to do. But he couldn't fully stop Kenedy.

It is Cesar Azpilicueta. It is 2-1 Chelsea. Cesar Azpilicueta scores

his first Premier League goal of the season. Having started every single

Premier League game this season. And he has got that through the crowd

and into the corner of the net like an arrow. That is a terrific strike.

Taking full advantage of Watford failing to clear the ball and the

manager was kicking it in too! Chelsea in front and in charge

again. Willian goes for goal. But can't

find it. Concentrating on pushing the ball past Gomes, who did get a

glove to it. Deflected. And it's 3-1 Chelsea and

Batshuayi has another goal. The man who won the title with his close

range effort at The Hawthorns on Friday night. Three nights on, he

scores from close in again. And it might be the Gil that take -- goal

that takes away Watford hope. Ake got on to it as Kenedy's shot was

blocked. It spiralled Ake's way and he kept his cool to give Batshuayi a

tap in. The champions are enjoying their home-coming parade.

Janmatt is in. Oh, that is a terrific goal! Absolutely superb

solo goal from the Dutchman, Daryl Janmatt. There is one man who

doesn't think it is too clever. But it is a pearler, because he started

it. A mistake led to him getting on to the ball. That is the best bit of

the lot, the shoulder dip to get inside Ake. And Janmatt normally a

full-back, but he took that like a centre forward. Perhaps Chelsea

haven't won a Premier League game for the 29th time this season yet.

Willian's pulled back. Hazard. It was never the right time.

We are getting champions' flicks and tricks now!

Chelsea getting the oles. What a move this is. Batshuayi turns and

Gomes saves. That would have been a goal to savour. They were all taking

their turn on the ball to strut their stuff.

Holebas dispossessed. Cesar Azpilicueta went for No 2. Gomes is

not happy. Holebas trying to be too clever.

It comes to Okaka and he has levelled for Watford. 3-3 at

Stamford Bridge. Watford fans celebrating as if their team is

going to get the result of the season. After challenging the first

time, Okaka delighted to find the ball come down to his right foot.

One swing of that later and it is Chelsea 3, Watford 3. The player

given his Italy debut by Antonio Conte with the third Watford goal.

Prodl's come slamming into the tackle and Batshuayi with an angry

reaction that you can perhaps understand. He didn't take the ball

at all. He is just late. The to rosti of the -- ferocity of the

challenge earned him a card. John Terry made the run, but he was never

getting to that. Gomes had to get that. Looked as though the free kick

had been hopelessly overit, but it was going in you know.

Fabregas! Chelsea win another one! Fabregas with the crowning moment of

a memorable Stamford Bridge night and Antonio Conte gets it right

again. A winning goal from the substitute again. And Kante plays

his part in winning the ball, finding Willian. Willian played the

right pass at the right time and what about that for a cool, cool

finish? Fabregas finds the corner and Chelsea have found a way to win

a 29th Premier League game this season.

Pedro caught by Prodl. I don't think Prodl will see the end of the game.

A yellow card not so long ago and there is almost certain to be

another one for that. There it is. Prodl has to take the long walk.

Watford and Prodl for one gave so much to this game for so long. But

two mistimed lunging tackles and his night is done.

Cesar Azpilicueta tries everything to get there. It is over for the

night. Another Chelsea victory. This one's been just a little bit

different. John Terry with the first goal and then with a mistake that

saw Watford level first time round. And then we had five more goals to

enjoy. A night that has lit up west London in terms of entertainment. A

night worthy of champions. And now we have fireworks lighting up the

night sky. Chelsea, champions, 2017. And tonight on this party night at

The Bridge, Chelsea 4, Watford 3. A quite brilliant evening. You needed

to win to continue the celebrations, these 30 wins, no team has done it

in a 38 game season. Do you keep records, do you like breaking

records like that? Yes, the most important thing is to win the

league. Then if you have the possibility to... Improve on this

type of record, yeah, we must try. Now, we are in a position we can

reach this target and the players and I want to reach this target.

Chelsea the champions, you played them tonight, are they the

champions? TRANSLATION: Antonio Conte is an

intelligent manager. He had to change the model from last year. He

did it. He's a great manager. Also he has incredible players.

Congratulations to him and the whole team. They deserve it. Your first

Premier League goal of the season, have you been saving that one? Of

course. It was a good moment to score my first Premier League goal

of the season. After being champions, obviously, it was a

special moment for me. Talk us through that mad minute. Crazy. I

got on the scoresheet. Couple of minutes later, made the mistake and

let it in. Mixed emotions. Delighted to get on the scoresheet myself, but

any young kid watching, getting it out is a simple rule, and I should

have cleared it. What about the goal, we saw the emotion on your

face and what it meant? Delighted to start tonight. And delighted to get

on the scoresheet and win this evening. It's important we keep our

momentum going as a group into the FA Cup. We want to come back here

and win our last league game. No matter who plays, the hunger is in

the group and it is important to keep that. You said this is how you

would have scripted it when you were 14 years old. Is there more to come?

Certainly from me, yes. I said if I could have written my story all my

life would have panned out this is how it would have been. Going out,

being crowned champions, to leave the football club in number one

great hands. The players we have here, as well. It will be a sad and

emotional day for me next year. I've been here 22 years. Long time. I'm

delighted with the experience and opportunity I have had at this

football club. You will be looking at the club outside in next season.

We haven't had a lot of European success for English teams recently,

do you think they could do it? It will be good to be back in the

Champions League. We will need to do that. It is more difficult to retain

it. It is tough. Lots of players with a lot of experience in there.

We have seen how difficult it is to keep it, so that is something to

work on next season. It Chelsea beat Sunderland on Sunday they will end

up 93 points, the second-highest total in Premier League history,

that record already held by Chelsea themselves. That was 12 years ago

when Jose Mourinho was manager. After the final whistle there were

plenty of celebration that Stamford Bridge. There were fireworks. The

players and the manager celebrating with the fans. And they will do it

all again at the weekend. We were talking before this match, we had

Gary Cahill talk about how much credit Chelsea have this season and

whether they were maybe underappreciated. More people

talking about Spurs and run may have been on. When you look at those

records, 93 points, 33 Premier League wins if they beat Sunderland,

do you think they are underappreciated? Not really. As

players they probably feel like most people were behind Tottenham to try

and snatch the win of the title. They missed out last season in such

dramatic circumstances. I think Chelsea have been outstanding

throughout the whole course of this season. Everybody can see that. With

those records continuously forming, I'm sure they will win next weekend

against Sunderland. No way you can doubt they are rightful champions.

The stats are remarkable, aren't they? Incredible. Even more

incredible when you think about their start. They looked shaky. But

one change, that continual work on the training pitch to get that

system right. The emergence of some of those players in that system. I'm

thinking of Moses, David Luiz being mistake free, I cannot think of him

making stupid errors. Alonzo coming in, doing so well, I was questioning

him, but he has fitted in. The manager deserves credit. What he has

done with a group of quality players, he has got them to a work

ethic I haven't seen in a while. John Terry had a minute of mixed

emotions, first the goal and then the mistake which led to the Watford

goal. Look at the picture from a Chelsea perspective. He's not played

much this season. You've been at that club, in the Chelsea dressing

room, what will they miss when he goes off the field? His leadership

qualities. He hasn't played a lot of football this season. On match day

he is very much a leader around the club. When I first walked in the

dork who is the first person to come up to you and welcome you, anything

you need, anything you want, let me know and I will try to facilitate. I

will look after you as best I can. The one person I think is the

natural replacement is Gary Cahill. He has done an exceptional job in

his absence. He has learned from the best. He will be the one who will

take Chelsea forward. He said there is still life in him. In other

interviews he has said he hasn't ruled out retiring. How can I put

this diplomatically... When you went towards the end of your career, and

maybe went to a lesser club than some of the ones you had been at,

what did you look for as you were picking that club? First and

foremost you are looking at a place where you can play. When you get to

the end you appreciate how important it is to be out on the pitch. When I

was talking to John recently at a friends house about the fact he was

so desperate to play, and the fact he feels good, he has a couple of

seasons left, he said. All I said to him was you might be a bit shocked

and surprised that sometimes the players around you are not, and

these are some of the best players in Europe over the last ten years,

and not just on the pitch. They're off pitch things, preparation,

travelling, food Reid, training kit you wear, you train on. There will

be a differential. He would be used to that. From an elite club. Yes.

Going from a 5-star hotel and going to a two star. It is the way

different clubs that their money into things we don't see as people

outside. It could be something like an away game on a Friday. Chelsea

will do it seamlessly. I was at clubs where you don't do so well,

and then the food isn't great... And you were the first to complain.

CHUCKLES That really doesn't surprise me. I

am a changed man. You must have really crumbled back then.

CHUCKLES The bigger picture for Chelsea.

Rumours around Antonio Conte which he has tried to dispel. Rumours

around Hazard and Diego Costa. Who would be the biggest loss out of

those three to go? For me Hazard. He is the game changer. In all of the

big games I've watched he's been the difference between a draw and a win.

Very hard to handle individually. Fitness levels have been great this

season. His end product has been good, as well. I don't expect to see

him in a Chelsea shirt. You don't! Everything he is saying, it seems

inevitable there is something new in the offing. Barcelona want him. When

they come knocking you cannot stop these players. We'll have to see.

It'll be a difficult summer without them because they are the two top

players. Would you say Antonio Conte? I would. As good as Hazard

is, but for me it is Antonio Conte. He's been the major difference this

season from last. He has united this team. He has got them fit. They are

tactically more switched on. Hazard, you know, as much as he will be a

big loss, another player can replace him. It'll be tough but they will

find someone. Diego Costa is another one, he scored 21 goals again this

season, he did that Schumacher years ago when they won the season. He

will be a tough one to replace if he leaves. The biggest job for them

would be to replace Antonio Conte if he left. He will have a great... He

is thinking of a big treasure chest for the summer, at the squad.

Talking about replacements. But he will not be short of options. They

are a fantastic club, they are moving forward, in the heart of

London, where people want to come to. Limited Budget, I imagine Roman

Abramovich will give him what he needs, so where would he want to go?

You understand the structure. If Roman Abramovich gives him the

money, and all indications they are, will it be him who brings in the

players? Will it be a scout system? Going back to the last time they won

the title, the feeling was that maybe Jose Mourinho didn't get the

players he wanted for maybe a variety of reasons. They need a

better summer than they had a couple of years ago. They do. The most

important thing is the manager and the scouting developments are on the

same page. They have to make sure that whoever they bring in they are

both in agreement with. They watch a player a minimum of ten times,

discounts, and different ones watch them, as well. They could not have

watched you ten times. -- ten times, the scouts, and different ones. I

don't think so. CHUCKLES

Antonio Conte, he will think you might want to bring in his own

people. But that is up to the club. To the another manager to make that

decision, or do they rely on them scouting network? Or combination?

For me they need to do a combination. And then have the

manager's final decision. You don't want a big sum up evil when you are

champions. You want enough players coming in to challenge the existing

players. Variety is key. Some obvious things will happen. John

Terry probably going for centre half. There is always a willingness

to bring in players if you have just won the championship. They have

fantastic young players. We'll be relied on a couple of those to play

enough games? -- will he rely on a couple of those to play enough

games? As history suggests, Chelsea don't tend to trust them. I reckon

they already have targets. I reckon they will have been mining players

up already. Nine months ago, they didn't know they would win the

league. They were in a great position, now they have won it, so

now they can push with a lot of those potential targets. The kids

are there, as well. They are, and the need to find a balance. When

Antonio Conte arrived he said you need to start introducing young

players, give them an opportunity, because they are talented players at

the club. I think they will continue with that method going forward. As

far as Watford are concerned, Amrabat scored a good one, they

ended up 13th last season. Was it a good season for Watford? A poor

season? They have stayed up after a relegation battle. It is a good

season. There will always be discontent at certain styles, at

certain times of the season, especially a club like Watford

because they have gained result in a way that isn't particularly pleasing

on the I. That is what I have heard from some of the supporters. I guess

it is a balance, what do you want? I think the thing is the identity. The

turnover of players, the constant change of manager. It's difficult

for supporters to feel a part of it. Sometimes if you start the season

well and finished badly that is what you remember. That's the problem.

They got themselves into a great position early on then they fell

back. Last season, Manchester City, you can see them six games without a

win. More football on the BBC throughout this week.

Thanks to Danny and Mark. This evening was party time at the Bridge

and they will have another one on Sunday. You will see that on Match

Of The Day. Tonight is very much the homecoming party. Chelsea feeding

off the energy of a jubilant crowd. John Terry is in! A fairy tale final

season at Stamford Bridge. Would you believe it! That was not in the

script. Azpilicueta! The champions are enjoying their homecoming

parade. Amrabat is in! Terrific goal. Okaka has levelled for

Watford. Chelsea win another one... Fabregas! Party night at Stamford

Bridge. Chelsea four, Watford three. A quite brilliant evening.

From acclaimed writer Jimmy McGovern...