GARY LINEKER: Tradition of the FA Cup is always safe at Chelsea

By Daily Mail Reporter Updated: 03:36 EDT, 17 May 2010

Most people were rooting for the underdogs of Portsmouth at Wembley yesterday, but I was delighted that Chelsea won the FA Cup again.

For all the foreign influence at Stamford Bridge over recent years, they are the one big club who have always respected the tradition and history of the competition and for that reason fully deserve the Double.

Even in the early rounds of the FA Cup, the big names from Chelsea are always on the teamsheet - and you can't always say that about their biggest rivals.

Big guns: Chelsea captain John Terry, Didier Drogba, Florent Malouda and Frank Lampard have all featured for the Blues throughout the competition

Chelsea's third-round tie at Preston in January could have provided an excuse for some to take the day off. But not Frank Lampard, John Terry, Michael Ballack and Nicolas Anelka.

When Didier Drogba came back from the Africa Cup of Nations, he scored one and made two assists in the fifth round tie against Cardiff City. It just goes to show that playing in cup ties does not have to sap your energy. In fact, it could help your league form - as Chelsea have shown this season by winning both.

I have experience of seeing the Double won at Wembley. Unfortunately, it was as an Everton player in 1986 when we lost the FA Cup final to Liverpool for them to win the Double for the first and only time in their history.

It might not carry quite the same prestige in 2010 because of the importance of the Champions League compared to the FA Cup but Chelsea will hopefully set a precedent for other clubs to take it seriously again. You could see after the final whistle they were chuffed to bits and thrilled to win another trophy.

Deserving: Carlo Ancelotti holds aloft the FA Cup

How ironic that a club managed by Claudio Ranieri, Jose Mourinho, Avram Grant, Felipe Scolari, Guus Hiddink and now Carlo Ancelotti should remind us all of what a great competition the FA Cup is!

Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United use it as an opportunity to rest their better, more experienced players. Chelsea don't and it was worked for them because winning is a habit.

I am not a big fan of rotation anyway: fit young footballers shouldn't get tired playing twice a week. Terry and Lampard make themselves available for every single game and it hasn't hurt them.

Chelsea were worthy winners yesterday, although Portsmouth deserve a great deal of credit in what could be their last big match for a long time.

Chelsea hit the woodwork five times and still Pompey didn't capitulate. When they got their penalty at 0-0, you did wonder whether it would be one of those extraordinary matches you get in football. But when Kevin Prince Boateng took that shocking penalty, you sensed Chelsea would go up the other end and score.

England manager Fabio Capello would have enjoyed the game - all his players did well and I thought the most significant performance came from Portsmouth goalkeeper David James.

I'm sure some will question him slightly for Didier Drogba's free-kick winner because it went in on his side but I thought it was a flimsy-looking wall and Drogba's kick was perfectly placed.

Before then, James kept his side in it with four terrific saves. He may be pushing 40 but he showed me he is England's No 1 goalkeeper. I'd be confident to see him in goal for the World Cup and even his rushes of blood seem to be less frequent.

Chelsea's great players performed. Ashley Cole was outstanding, he is such a natural athlete he is already back to his pre-injury peak. Lampard was terrific, his passing excellent, and he won't worry too much about the penalty miss. Mildly embarrassing perhaps, because he didn't get good contact but it won't linger because Chelsea won.

I was surprised Joe Cole started on the bench while Salomon Kalou started – and that was before Kalou missed an absolute sitter. He is ordinary compared to Cole in my view.

As for Drogba, it was right that he should score the winning goal. He has had an outstanding season, if it wasn't for Wayne Rooney's exceptional form, he would have deserved all the individual trophies himself.

He can be a moody soul at times but Chelsea will put up with that when he scores as many goals as he does.

Positive: Fabio Capello would have noted the performance of David James

Chelsea were the best team in England by some distance and it was only due to some surprising lapses that the title was in the balance until the last day.

The strength of their squad is really impressive, particularly when you consider that injury prevented Michael Essien, Ricardo Carvalho and Jose Bosingwa from making a serious impact.

Chelsea are a very good team, but only when they win the Champions League can we call them great.