EASY ‘FOUR’ CHELSEA AS CHAMPIONS SEND AWFUL ALBION CRASHING TO DEFEAT!!!

Frank Lampard notched a brace as Chelsea ran out 4-0 winners at Stamford Bridge to go top of the Premiership for the first time this season. Albion had started well and looked they could contain the champions, that was until Lampard broke the deadlock inside the half hour mark. Following that goal the floodgates opened and Bryan Robson’s side were never really in it as Joe Cole, Didier Drogba and Lampard again all scored to give the Londoners an easy 3 points.

The game began with the Baggies trying to frustrate the home side and it worked to a certain extent as the visitors came closest to opening the scoring when Paul Robinson swung over a left wing cross but just as Greening was stealing in at the back post, Del Horno cleared the danger in the nick of time. Chelsea did not create their first chance until the 21st minute, Del Horno sent a curling left footed cross into the box which Drogba could only head wide of Chris Kirkland’s left hand post.  

Albion weren’t so lucky two minutes later when Neil Clement failed to control a Thomas Gaardsoe pass. The mistake enabled Chelsea to hit the Baggies on the break, Shaun Wright-Phillips picked up the loose ball and fed Drogba down the right flank, he swung in a low cross which seemed to evade everybody except the grateful Frank Lampard who made no mistake by slamming the ball into the net past the onrushing Kirkland to give Chelsea the lead. Minutes later, Mourinho’s men could have found themselves two up as Gallas was able to glance a free header towards goal but luckily for Albion goalkeeper Kirkland was there to make the save.

In the 43rd minute though it was 2-0 as another mistake by the Baggies proved costly when Paul Robinson failed to shepherd the ball out for a goal kick and instead let the pacey Wright-Phillips nip in behind him and cross for the waiting Joe Cole to stab home into the empty net.

Half Time: Chelsea 2-0 Albion

In the second half Chelsea were still looking the most likely to score and add to their tally, Joe Cole was able to pounce on a mix-up between Greening and Chaplow to deliver a sweet right footed cross which went fizzing across the face of the goal just evading the sliding Drogba to Albion’s relief as he looked set to tap into an empty net. Drogba then came close again, this time bulleting a header towards the top corner of the goal from a Lampard cross, somehow Baggies keeper Kirkland pulled off a remarkable save to deny him.

Chelsea continued to pile on the pressure as the dangerous Wright-Phillips twisted and turned Robinson inside out before teeing up Michael Essien who looked set to notch on his full debut, but once again Kirkland was there to this time block with his legs before the rebound was cleared away by Clement.  Ex-Chelsea man Clement soon had to be on alert again though as this time he deflected a Michael Essien shot over for a corner.

In the 68th minute all of the Chelsea pressure finally paid off when Cole sent over a corner which caused panic in the Baggies defence and Del Horno was able to knock the ball back for Drogba to tap into an empty net. Moments later, Bryan Robson made a change as he brought on new boy Nathan Ellington for his Premiership debut replacing the tired Jonathan Greening.

The substitution did little to help the Baggies fire power up front and only encouraged the hosts in scoring again. Poor defending once more by Albion led to the loose ball falling for England midfielder Frank Lampard who lashed home from just inside the box to complete the Chelsea rout. The visitors had their first shot on goal in the 90th minute when Diomansy Kamara tried his luck from a free kick but Carlo Cudicini in the hosts goal saved it comfortably to end a miserable night for the West Brom supporters.

Full Time: Chelsea 4-0 Albion

MAN OF THE MATCH: Richard Chaplow

PLAYER RATINGS OUT OF TEN

Kirkland 6 - Could not fault him for any of the goals really, made a couple of good saves to keep the scoreline down.
Albrechtsen 5 - Looked totally outclassed by Joe Cole, who ran rings round him all night.
Gaardsoe 4 - An awful game for Tommy, was at fault for the first goal and never looked comfortable.
Clement 5 - Not the best of games for Clem either but did save his side with a few clearances.
Robinson 5 - Was at fault for the first goal and really struggled up against Wright-Phillips.
Greening 5 - Didn’t really do much to be honest, there was no creativity from him whatsoever.
Scimeca 5 - In the first half he battled really well up until the first goal, but after that totally lost it.
Chaplow 6 - One of the bright sparks of the night, never gave up battling and worked his socks off which is more than I can say for the rest of them.
Johnson 4 - Simply not good enough at this level and it showed. As much as he tries he just hasn’t got the quality.
Kamara 4 - Likes to dribble but into opposition defences, very poor game and I hope that’s not the best he can play.
Kanu 5 - Couldn’t knock him for effort, but he too looked totally outclassed by Terry and Carvalho.

SUBS:
Inamoto 5 - The game was dead and buried by the time he came on, battled well but did not really get into the game.
Ellington 6 - Looked sharp when he came on and showed some nice touches. Be nice to see him when he is 100 per cent fit.

REF WATCH

Mark Halsey 3 - Very poor, the usual ‘BIG club ref’ always giving decisions to the home side.

FAN WATCH

Albion 7 - Very good in the first half, died down a little bit when Chelsea went 2-0 up though. It still can be better.
Chelsea 4 - Never sang once until they scored the first goal. After that it was dribs and drabs.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Well what can I say? It really was a poor performance. I have to admit I think Robson got it tactically wrong. As much as I can see what he was trying to do it was never going to hold a team like Chelsea for 90 minutes. One thing I was very surprised at was Andy Johnson playing in the centre of midfield, the guy just isn’t good enough in my opinion and he looked miles out of his depth last night against Lampard and co. Why we didn’t start with Inamoto I just don’t understand, I mean the guy has been our best performer in pre-season and he didn’t even look too bad against Man City so what has he done wrong to lose his first team place?

All round we were poor last night, we had nothing creative up front. Kanu and Kamara never looked a threat going forward and to me it just looked like we went to get a draw not a win which I think is ridiculous, ok you have to be careful what you do against the big sides but at least put your best side out! I mean that team we put out was nowhere near our best side. It’s also frustrating to hear that Robson will do it again as well. We cannot play the rotation game because we haven’t got the quality of players to do that, simple as.