PERFECT CHELSEA SINK
ADDICKS
Chelsea put an end to Charlton's perfect start to the season, and
ensured their own continued with a 2-0 win at The Valley.
Chelsea were made to fight for their win, but their quality shone
through and, after hitting the woodwork twice, goals from Hernan
Crespo and Arjen Robben ensured that Jose Mourinho's 100 per cent
record remained intact.
The first half had been a mixed bag of half chances and missed
opportunities - with Chelsea starting strongly but forced to
compete by their plucky hosts.
Michael Essien had chipped an early effort over when well placed,
but it was Frank Lampard's slightly deflected volley soon after
that had Stephan Andersen scrambling to ensure the ball was outside
his right-hand post.
Lampard, celebrating his 100th consecutive start, whipped in a ball
that evaded everyone, and Robben stung Anderson's palms with a
drive, whilst at the other end Jerome Thomas snatched at Charlton's
first chance, dragging his shot wide.
Crespo could, and should, have opened the scoring when he lively
Essien dispossessed a plodding Radostin Kishishev and put the
Argentine through.
However, Crespo clipped the ball past Andersen and off of the face
of the post and the best chance of the opening half went
begging.
Essien had a shot well blocked and a backwards header drop wide,
whilst Dennis Rommedahl was disappointed when a powerful drive just
missed the target.
The second half saw Chelsea strike the woodwork for the second
time, a Lampard free-kick dropped perfectly for the Frenchman at
the far post, but he reacted slowly and could only shin the ball
against the post.
Andersen continued his impressive performance when he reacted well
to a deflected Lampard frew-kick to gather, and it was Chelsea in
the ascendancy.
A goal seemed inevitable, and so it proved - Essien dispossessed
Kishishev for the third time in the match and picked out a fine
cross that Crespo nodded past Andersen superbly.
Darren Bent twice found himself offside, the second time drawing a
fine save from Cech before noticing the flag, but in the flash of
an eye it was 2-0.
Robben was the scorer, skipping into the space afforded at the edge
of the box by Damien Duff's run and curling brilliantly home with
his left foot.
The goal ripped the guts out of Charlton's game plan, and the heart
out of the contest, with Chelsea happy to wait for the chances and
Chalrton unable to bully their way back into the match.
Lampard had a shot wide and Essien should have done better with an
unhurried cut-back, but otherwise it was merely the triumphant
posturings of a Chelsea side that know that they are good enough to
beat anybody.
- credit: Patrick Goss, Sky
Sports, 17 Sept 2005
