Chelsea 3-0 West Ham

Chelsea’s late-season surge continues and despite Manchester United still leading them by six points part of the message from Carlo Ancelotti’s side now is that Fernando Torres has finally scored, and may continue to do so until the title is decided. Entering after 77 minutes, the Spaniard registered his first goal since the £50m move from Liverpool in January suggested his sharpness has returned: on the rain-soaked Stamford Bridge turf the ball held up behind the striker but he was able to nonchalantly pirouette before delivering the sweetest of finishes with his left foot. West Ham had begun this game rooted to the bottom, two points off 17th, which for any player in the relegation dog-fight at this juncture of the season can appear a yawning margin. Avram Grant lined his side up in a 4-3-3 that matched Carlo Ancelotti’s formation, and it was Chelsea who had the best of the chances during a first half that would frustrate the Italian yet end the best way. Throughout the opening period Ancelotti had been waving at his side to slide balls in behind Lars Jacobsen, the visiting right-back: after 43 minutes Chelsea finally received the message and they had the lead. Didier Drogba, who had been the focus of most of Ancelotti’s glowering, twisted a pass that released Ashley Cole into a gallop that had the visiting rearguard turned and desperate to regain ground. Before they could manage any damage limitation though, the England left-back zipped over a cross that allowed Frank Lampard to bury a finish beyond Robert Green for a lead that had been coming. First up, Florent Malouda had raced down the inside right channel but unloaded a shot that Green parried with his body. Now Chelsea began proving that they are able to switch tempo when required, which has not always been evident this campaign. When Freddie Sears hacked a clearance away from the touchline the ball went straight to Malouda. He ambled a couple of steps then smacked a pass into Drogba’s feet. An instant turn and the Ivorian blazed a shot at Green that skidded across the sodden surface before the keeper collected. After Ashley Cole swung at a volley with his “wrong” right foot Chelsea again tip-toed through West Ham’s defence. Salomon Kalou laid possession off to Drogba before swivelling into the area where he found the ball returned by the striker only marginally too heavy for him. At this point West Ham appeared to have dug in for an attritional contest in which they would defend while Chelsea came at them in ceaseless waves of blue. Yet from somewhere Grant’s gang found their mojo. Sears sprinted from near halfway past Cole to halt in the home area with the ball at his feet. He sent over a cross for Jonathan Spector to produce a diving header that forced Petr Cech into his opening save. Then, from a Mark Noble corner, Sears backheeled from close range, but Ashley Cole stopped the ball on the line and Cech gathered. Grant had reckoned before kick-off that nine points were required from the final 15 available. Yet if he informed his band at the break that an invaluable draw could be salvaged here, the sight of Kalou hitting Green’s right post might have doused this hope. For a frantic period before Torres’ intervention the drenched pitch levelled the contest as initially Drogba and company hurtled forward before West Ham subsequently went close themselves. Drogba played in Lampard but the midfielder could not finish, then the Ivorian striker appeared in West Ham’s area but his chested control proved too heavy. Next up a David Luiz 20-yard drive crashed off Green’s crossbar. But this presaged West Ham moving into their opponents’ territory. Demba Ba stung Cech’s hands before Robbie Keane – on for Mark Noble – failed to finish. While Malouda smashed home in added time Grant could at least console himself that at least Scott Parker should return immediately, after the newly crowned Football Writers’ Footballer of the Year missed this one with an achilles problem. THE FANS’ PLAYER RATINGS AND VERDICT TRIZIA FIORELLINO, ChelseaSupportersGroup.net When Torres finally scored I thought the ground was going to collapse, the noise was so loud. We were pretty average and our play was pretty slow. When Lampard scored I thought the flood gates would open but it didn’t happen, but it was party time all the way once Torres scored. We keep winning but I think we probably left our run two games too late. The fan’s player ratings Cech 8 ; Ivanovic 8 , Luiz 7 , Terry 8 , Cole 7 ; Essien 7 (Benayoun 57 7 ), Lampard 7 , Mikel 7 ; Malouda 7 , Drogba 9 (Torres 77 8 ), Kalou 6 (Anelka 70 6 ) TIM CONLAN, Observer reader I never thought we would get anything out of this game, especially when I saw the line-up, but I thought we played quite well. Grant gambled at the end with effectively four forwards and we got caught with two late goals, but I thought the scoreline flattered Chelsea. I think we could still stay up with 39 points, but it’s possible rather than probable. We could do with a point at City next week. The fan’s player ratings Green 7 ; Jacobsen 7 , Gabbidon 8 , Da Costa 7 , Bridge 8 ; Hitzlsperger 6 , Noble 6 (Keane 60 5 ), Spector 8 ; Sears 8 (Obinna 82 4 ), Cole 7 (Piquionne 79 5 ), Ba 6 To take part in the Fans’ Verdict, email sport@observer.co.uk Premier League Chelsea West Ham United Jamie Jackson guardian.co.uk

Posted by on April 23, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.