West Ham United were hammered at home against a ruthless Chelsea who, themselves, were coming from a painful Carling Cup Final exit a week earlier. The Blues recorded an emphatic 4-0 away victory even after playing a good part of the game without influential midfielder Frank Lampard.
The celebrations started as early as 120 seconds into the game when John Terry’s parried header was slotted home by new-boy Nicholas Anelka, only for the Frenchman to be told that he was off-side. Chelsea did not despair, though. With 17 minutes on the clock, Frank Lampard put the away team in the lead after Salomon Kalou had been tripped in the box by Antoine Ferdinand for a Chelsea penalty.
Three minutes later, former West Ham midfielder Joe Cole broke Hammers’ heart with a well-guided low shot after an equally superb control. The Bubbles just weren’t forming; because, two minutes later, Germany captain Mickael Ballack cemented last year’s League Cup champions’ lead with a fine, angled shot, making the most use of Frank Lampard’s cross, who was, by now, everywhere, including, in the 33rd minute, in the referee’s book. What looked like a tangle on the ground between the Englishman and West Ham’s Boa Morte ended in dismay for the former, who was having an excellent game thus far.
But it seems Chelsea are just as dangerous without one man as they are with one, if not more potent. Two Mark Noble shots were all the home team had to show before half-time.
Chelsea managed to keep their defense tight-lit in the second half until late when Carlton Cole should have scored after managing to squeeze the ball past and beyond Petr Cech only for captain John Terry to clear off the line. That was all the conformation they needed for a mediocre evening, but former Arsenal left-back made sure of the points when he reacted quickest from Joe Cole’s parried shot to side-foot the ball into the net from an acute angle.
The win keeps Chelsea’s title-aspirations alive after league-leaders Arsenal crucially dropped points at home against Aston Villa. West Ham United will feel bitter, but not too so, since they will know they had played with a side teeming with unspeakable talent and determination.
The celebrations started as early as 120 seconds into the game when John Terry’s parried header was slotted home by new-boy Nicholas Anelka, only for the Frenchman to be told that he was off-side. Chelsea did not despair, though. With 17 minutes on the clock, Frank Lampard put the away team in the lead after Salomon Kalou had been tripped in the box by Antoine Ferdinand for a Chelsea penalty.
Three minutes later, former West Ham midfielder Joe Cole broke Hammers’ heart with a well-guided low shot after an equally superb control. The Bubbles just weren’t forming; because, two minutes later, Germany captain Mickael Ballack cemented last year’s League Cup champions’ lead with a fine, angled shot, making the most use of Frank Lampard’s cross, who was, by now, everywhere, including, in the 33rd minute, in the referee’s book. What looked like a tangle on the ground between the Englishman and West Ham’s Boa Morte ended in dismay for the former, who was having an excellent game thus far.
But it seems Chelsea are just as dangerous without one man as they are with one, if not more potent. Two Mark Noble shots were all the home team had to show before half-time.
Chelsea managed to keep their defense tight-lit in the second half until late when Carlton Cole should have scored after managing to squeeze the ball past and beyond Petr Cech only for captain John Terry to clear off the line. That was all the conformation they needed for a mediocre evening, but former Arsenal left-back made sure of the points when he reacted quickest from Joe Cole’s parried shot to side-foot the ball into the net from an acute angle.
The win keeps Chelsea’s title-aspirations alive after league-leaders Arsenal crucially dropped points at home against Aston Villa. West Ham United will feel bitter, but not too so, since they will know they had played with a side teeming with unspeakable talent and determination.
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