All those prone to seizures, spasms or suicidal thoughts, look
away now.
Martin Taylor is serving a three-match ban for the challenge
that turned Eduardo's ankle 180 degrees and Frank Lampard will do
the same after an assistant referee took offence to his petulant
shove on Luis Boa Morte.
The Barclays Premier League has gone potty. Official.
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Flashpoint: Lampard has words with Boa Morte
Chelsea generals met in the war room on Sunday to discuss
tactics as they consider an appeal, but it should be a no-brainer;
all out attack is the only option.
If they grit their teeth, Lampard will be in the stands for
games against Barnsley in the FA Cup and the 'gimmes' against Derby
and Sunderland.
If they bare their teeth instead, it raises the alarming
prospect that the FA will apply the 'Aliadiere principle' and add
an extra game to his punishment.
Should Lampard make a stand and be prepared for the possibility
that he will then miss the chance to avenge their Carling Cup Final
defeat by Tottenham on March 19?
Decisions, decisions.
To take this on the chin — and how Lampard must be wishing that
is exactly where he had planted his retribution for Boa Morte's
part in his dismissal — would be to gloss over a miscarriage of
justice.
Not quite on the same scale as the Birmingham Six, but baffling
all the same.
For all his talent, Boa Morte is undoubtedly the Premier
League's most irritating player.
One rule for one, one for another? Last weekend, Martin
Taylor was rightly sent off for his rash challenge on Eduardo, but
on Saturday, Claude Makelele's almost identical lunge at Julien
Faubert went unpunished (see picture below)
He twice called it on with Chelsea captain John Terry in the
opening half hour, but his tangle with Lampard should have taken
referee Peter Walton no more than 10 seconds to sort out.
Instead assistant referee Guy Beale summoned Walton to the
sidelines and Lampard was sent off for the second time in his
career.
Just imagine 'Big Fat Frank', as the West Ham supporters
joyously belted out while he walked off the pitch in the 35th
minute, flanked by lawyers on the steps of Soho Square later this
week and contemptuously admitting that the FA are bastions of the
beautiful game.
Make a stand, Frank.
"I have no problem with the referee, only the assistant,"
claimed Avram Grant — the Chelsea manager who appeared more
relieved that his side responded so emphatically at the end of a
week he wishes he had never had.
"The referee said it was very clear that Lampard touched the
face of Boa Morte and if he did it's a red card. If not, then it's
not a red card."
Still, it was hardly the red mist.
Chelsea saved that for their opponents with a display of such
attacking intent in the opening half hour there was talk of
supplanting the Premier League's record score.
After Lampard kissed the badge in front of the West Ham fans
following his penalty — awarded for Anton Ferdinand's trip on
Salomon Kalou — Curbishley's side kissed goodbye to the game.
Joe Cole sent the sweetest of half-volleys beyond Robert Green
with his left foot that merited more than the muted celebrations
from the former West Ham midfielder.
Lampard then spotted Michael Ballack's blindside run and the
Germany captain volleyed the floated pass with the outside of his
boot beyond the West Ham keeper.
Three down in 30 minutes, West Ham were dead and buried.
"If they didn't score three goals, we would have been on level
terms at the break," protested Curbishley.
It seems that sending-off affected everyone.
Chelsea were awesome but even the game's golden moments — Cole
and Ballack's goals deserve joint billing — were overshadowed by
the colossal performance of Terry.
The England captain was back to his very best while outbattling
Carlton Cole.
He was immense, but others deserve credit; Ashley Cole returned
to the side and scored his first Chelsea goal, Ballack was a
towering figure in midfield, Paulo Ferreira was excellent and Joe
Cole can take enormous satisfaction from his performance.
Sadly for the manager, Roman Abramovich is electioneering in
Russia and was not at Upton Park.
"He saw the game on television," claimed Grant. "I know he would
see our games — even if he was on an island on the moon."
It was certainly a performance from another planet. And that
didn't just apply to Guy Beale.
From http://www.thisislondon.co.uk
