Telegraph:

Champions League: Vintage Chelsea display sinks Bordeaux
Chelsea (2) 4 Bordeaux (0) 0

By Henry Winter at Stamford Bridge

The tears of Moscow have begun to dry, the dream returns of a
Champions League triumph. Chelsea were so imperious, so decisive in
their attacks, so in tune with Luiz Felipe Scolari's instructions,
that their fans will begin to believe that this could be their year.

For those in blue searching for omens, the sight of Nicolas Anelka
scoring with almost the last kick here, a contrast to his disastrous
final touch in Moscow, seemed significant. With Frank Lampard, Joe
Cole and Florent Malouda also scoring, Chelsea have got Moscow out of
their system, although Laurent Blanc's visitors offered little threat.

Blanc's old club, Manchester United, visit at the weekend, the first
meeting since the Champions League final and it promises fireworks.

It was as if a summer of pent-up frustration over Moscow had been let
loose at the Bridge. This was catharsis time for Chelsea, the moment
to banish the ghosts of the Luzhniki. With the memories still raw, the
vanquished Champions League finalists tore into Bordeaux, with Lampard
and Joe Cole scoring good first-half headers to put Chelsea in
complete command.

Chelsea's 4-1-4-1 system may have echoed Bordeaux's but any similarity
ended there, emphatically so. Chelsea were superior in every
department. Scolari's full-backs, Ashley Cole and particularly Jose
Bosingwa, were soon operating as flying wingers, giving Chelsea
command of midfield and soon the lead.

Before his side took the lead after 14 minutes, Scolari had been
screaming at Bosingwa to push on. The message, and the venom with
which it was delivered, was easily understood by Bosingwa, who
responded in style. With Scolari's exhortations ringing in his ears,
Bosingwa drove down the right, nutmegging Diego Placente as Chelsea
tore into the French.

That move petered out, but the next shredded Bordeaux's defence.
Blanc, such an elegant centre-half in his time, must have been aghast
at the porous nature of his back-line. When Joe Cole laid the ball off
to Bosingwa on the right, Lampard made his move, gliding unnoticed
into the box, knowing that a fine cross was imminent.

Bosingwa delivered in every sense, placing a perfect ball on to the
head of Lampard, who flicked Chelsea in front. Scolari punched the air
in delight, buoyed that his advice had been taken on board so well by
Bosingwa. Like Scolari's 2002 Brazilian World Cup-winners, Chelsea
rely for much of their width on their full-backs.

Bosingwa may not be Cafu but his pacy breaks have lent Chelsea a
terrific outlet this season; Chelsea's problem position of right-back
has been well and truly solved. Scolari's love of attacking full-backs
may be a riskier tactic away from home but at the Bridge, against such
limited opponents as the French, it worked well.

This Blanc Bordeaux were poor, anything but vintage, and Chelsea were
rampant. After an Anelka shot and a Terry header threatened to beat
Ulrich Rame, Chelsea secured their deserved second on the half-hour.
When Lampard swung a corner across the face of an expectant Matthew
Harding Stand, few predicted Joe Cole would metamorphose into a
latter-day Kerry Dixon. But timing his jump well, catching out
Fernando and Franck Jurietti, England's little big man flicked an
excellent header across Rame and in.

As an enjoyable half unfolded, the one disappointment was to note that
the Bridge was not full, a pity as Chelsea under Scolari are well
worth watching. John Obi Mikel, responding to the Brazilian's
coaching, has grown into the anchoring role, and now looks the natural
successor to Claude Makelele. With Michael Essien injured, Mikel has
become even more important.

The tall Nigerian made one mistake in the first half, an undercooked
pass intercepted by Wendel, and Mikel was grateful that Ricardo
Carvalho and Terry were their usual alert selves. Otherwise Mikel's
tackling and range of passing gave Chelsea a strong platform to
perform on, allowing Deco, Lampard and Joe Cole to go and display
their talents.

Lampard, in terrific form of late, should really have made it three
but dragged his shot wide. No matter. Chelsea were so in control.

With Bordeaux offering such minimal threat, for all the hard running
of Marouane Chamakh, Scolari was able to make substitutions with their
meeting with United in mind. Michael Ballack sprinted on to warm
applause, with Deco making way.

At one point the German burst like a dreadnought through the middle,
knocking Alou Diarra out of the way. Ballack's arrival was simply
another reminder of why Chelsea will be such a formidable force again
this season, with their strength in depth.

Similarly encouragingly for Chelsea, there seemed signs of real
understanding between Ashley Cole and Florent Malouda down the left.
Joe Cole's interplay with Bosingwa was another feature of Chelsea's
play, although Cole was removed with 17 minutes left. Juliano
Belletti, showing his versatility, came on in right midfield.

Without Deco and Joe Cole, Chelsea's creativity ebbed. Scolari kept
shouting, kept cajoling, and the energy emanating from the dug-out
transmitted itself on the terraces.

Chelsea's fans urged the players to raise their tempo, perhaps knowing
that such a laid-back attitude will bring punishment if repeated this
weekend against Dimitar Berbatov, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez.

Chelsea's players responded, conjuring up a memorable goal eight
minutes from the end. Mikel built up steam, breaking through a series
of challenges, zigzagging through five white shirts, before laying off
to Lampard.

The back-heeled return was probably intended for Mikel, but Malouda
took over, firing the ball in. "We want four'' chanted the Shed, and
Carvalho almost obliged with a header that hit the bar.

The fourth did arrive with seconds left, Anelka tucking away the loose
ball after Belletti's thunderous shot had almost snapped the crossbar.
After their downfall in Moscow, Chelsea are up and running again.

Match details:

Chelsea:(4-1-4-1): Cech; Bosingwa, Carvalho, Terry, A Cole; Mikel; J
Cole (Belletti 74), Deco (Ballack 61), Lampard, Malouda (Kalou 84);
Anelka. Subs: Hilario (g), Di Santo, Ferreira, Alex. Booked: Deco.
Bordeaux (4-1-4-1): Rame; Jurietti, Planus, Diawara, Placente; Diarra;
Gouffran (Obertan 65), Fernando (Ducasse 74), Gourcuff, Wendell;
Chamakh (Cavenaghi 65). Subs: Valverde (g), Henrique, Bellion, Traore.
Referee: P Vink (Netherlands).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\
------------------------


Independent:

Chelsea 4 Bordeaux 0: Chelsea less than vintage but Bordeaux lack
bottle on opening day

By Sam Wallace
Wednesday, 17 September 2008

Not really a vintage Bordeaux, more a crate of Laurent Blanc plonk.
Chelsea, on the other hand, were sparkling as they began a new
Champions League campaign after the tears and rain of Moscow in May.
This year they really believe it is their turn for the big one and as
opening statements go, this one will reverberate around Europe.

"We're on our way to Rome," was the introduction from one of Chelsea's
pitchside announcers with the kind of modest understatement to which
we have become accustomed at Stamford Bridge. You can take it as read
that he meant the Champions League final in Rome on 27 May rather than
the Group A game against Roma in November. At this club they have a
sense of entitlement when it comes to success in this competition.
Last night you could see why.

At times it was captivating to watch, although Blanc, the Bordeaux
manager, may have preferred to have removed his trendy spectacles and
rubbed his eyes in despair. The English, Frank Lampard and Joe Cole,
led the charge with the goals in the first half; the French contingent
in blue shirts, Florent Malouda and Nicolas Anelka, finished the
visitors off after the break. It was brutal at times. And the only one
who was not completely impressed was Scolari.

It was a favoured tactic of Jose Mourinho to deflate the mood after a
big win and this time it was Scolari who chose that approach. From his
manner it sounded as if the Brazilian had just cut short the party
mood in the changing rooms with his complaints about what he said was
a lack of discipline in the second half. "We didn't play very well,
they made many mistakes when they had the ball," Scolari said. "You
need to control the game more, and we didn't control it very well in
the second half." They controlled it enough to make sure that Bordeaux
did not muster a single meaningful shot on target all night.

Sometimes you had to remind yourself that this was the second-best
team in France, the football nation that reached the last World Cup
final. In the strange world of European club football that we inhabit,
skewed by the Premier League's billions, France's league runners-up
cannot even give England's equivalent a decent game. But tell us
something we don't know. There was not an area of the pitch in which
Chelsea did not dominate.

While the Romanian team CFR Cluj held on for a momentous win against
Roma in the other group game, Chelsea showed how to deal with European
football's second tier. They drove Scolari to distraction with their
sloppiness in front of goal, but that was only because when it came to
scoring goals it was inevitable that they would win with a few to
spare. Lampard and Anelka both missed sitters in the first half.
Scolari threw his arms up in disgust. And yet when they put their
minds to it, Chelsea ripped Bordeaux to shreds.

"We took some punishment because we lost many balls in the middle,"
Scolari complained. "On another night, another team getting those
positions in front of goal might have hurt us quicker. If they'd had
more quality, it would have been dangerous for us." Quality, however,
is in abundance in the Chelsea team and before they had even settled
into the game, this young Bordeaux side found themselves two goals
behind and struggling to keep pace.

First to strike was the in-form Lampard who glided into the spaces
between Bordeaux's defenders to guide in with his head the third goal
of his season and the 113th of his Chelsea career. It came from a
cross from Jose Bosingwa who was excellent, an overlapping right-back
who has given Chelsea a new dimension in attack. Bordeaux could not
stop him.

The second goal was flicked in off Joe Cole's sore head from Lampard's
corner. The elbow from Robert Kovac against Croatia last week does not
seem to have done any permanent damage to the England midfielder who
out-jumped a much bigger Bordeaux defence. There was more of the same
in the second half, the blue torrent showing no sign of abating. Even
Malouda was having a good game.

Just after the hour, Michael Ballack came on for his first appearance
since the Wigan game on 24 August and he did so to a rapturous
reception. How times have changed at Stamford Bridge for the German
midfielder about whom the locals were once so distrustful. He was the
driving force in Chelsea's late run last season and now Scolari must
try to keep him, Deco and Lampard all happy. It will not be simple.

Under Mourinho, Chelsea would have closed this game down long before
the hour but, to their credit, they kept up the impetus to go forward
long after Bordeaux had given up hope. Malouda scored the third after
a brilliant flick from Lampard. Anelka's goal came in injury time when
goalkeeper Ulrich Rame touched Juliano Belletti's shot onto the bar
and the French striker tidied up the loose ball. Chelsea took the
first step on their way to Rome, although successful Champions League
campaigns are not built in a day.

Chelsea (4-1-4-1): Cech; Bosingwa, Carvalho, Terry, A Cole; Mikel;J
Cole (Belletti, 75), Deco (Ballack, 61), Lampard, Malouda (Kalou, 83);
Anelka. Substitutes not used: Hilario (gk), Di Santo, Ferreira, Alex.

Bordeaux (4-2-3-1): Rame; Jurietti, Diawara, Planus, Placente; Diarra,
Fernando (Ducasse, 75); Gouffran (Obertan, 65), Gourcuff, Wendel;
Chamakh (Cavenaghi, 65). Substitutes not used: Valverde (gk),
Henrique, Bellion, Abdou Traoré.

Referee: P Vink (Netherlands).


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\
-------------------


Flair of Lampard puts Chelsea in fantasy league of their own
Ambition rises as Chelsea take first step to Rome

Champions League Group A
Chelsea 4 Lampard 14, Cole, J 30, Malouda 82, Anelka 90
Bordeaux 0

Kevin McCarra at Stamford Bridge The Guardian, Wednesday September 17 2008

The only battle that daunted Chelsea was the struggle to maintain an
interest in the match. They came out ahead in that battle with late
goals. The third, in particular, was a demonstration of the verve
which is becoming characteristic under the management of Luiz Felipe
Scolari.

Eight minutes from the end Mikel John Obi, who was nominally a holding
midfielder, set off on a weaving run and a flick of Frank Lampard's
heel then put Florent Malouda in position to fire into the far corner
of the net. Scolari's disgust for even minor mistakes is always
displayed but that would have gladdened him.

It will have raised the Brazilian's spirits that so little was taken
out of his squad before the arrival here of Manchester United on
Sunday. Perhaps he will remember this occasion primarily as a useful
opportunity to give Michael Ballack half an hour's practice after his
foot injury. If the night lingers in the memories of the Premier
League side it will be because of a disbelief that there was not an
utter rout. A wasteful Nicolas Anelka will be baffled that he made so
little of his openings until, at the very end, he netted after the
substitute Juliano Belletti had struck the bar.

Neutrals would have felt sorrow that French football could send out a
side so meek and fatalistic. They could not clear any sort of barrier,
a limitation symbolised by the striker Marouane Chamakh falling over
an advertising hoarding. Even the talent that Bordeaux do have was
misapplied. Yoann Gourcuff, freed from his misery at Milan by a loan
to Bordeaux, possesses talent but it was not used here and he sent a
hapless free-kick nearly as far wide as it was high.

Although Scolari was unimpressed by Chelsea's display, it takes
resistance of some sort for any team to define themselves. Their gaze,
in any event, is unavoidably fixed on the final in Rome next May.
Having come close under Claudio Ranieri as well as Jose Mourinho and
closer still under Avram Grant, Chelsea have no option but to imagine
their hands on the trophy at last. The majority of the line-up here
had also started when United raised the European Cup aloft four months
ago.

Scolari, managing in the Champions League for the first time, would
not have suffered from beginners' nerves. It was his own midfielder
Mikel who caused fleeting concern when he hit a sloppy pass in a
dangerous area after 10 minutes but it had already been clear that
Chelsea would have many chances.

They were well aware of the most appealing avenue. The right-back Jose
Bosingwa, indeed, was so far advanced that he was offside soon after
kick-off. Regular watchers of Bordeaux had predicted that Chelsea
would prey on their left-back, Diego Placente, and the opener did come
from that wing, in the 14th minute, as Bosingwa crossed and Lampard,
undisturbed by markers, headed home with care.

Resilience was not part of the visitors' repertoire and neither was
attacking. All the same, this was additional evidence of the gusto in
Chelsea's play that has been fostered by Scolari. Lampard's corner
from the left, shamingly for Bordeaux, was headed into the net by the
diminutive Joe Cole with half an hour gone. He does not get such
chances very often but everything was possible for a Chelsea line-up
encountering marginal resistance.

Lampard's miscue, after a delivery from Bosingwa had broken to him,
felt like light entertainment. Scolari, however, is not prone to such
indulgence. It says much for his professionalism that he could find it
within himself to be disgruntled. Most spectators, when not heartened
by the freedom with which Chelsea play, would have been staring in
disbelief at the ineptness of Laurent Blanc's men. If Chelsea were
troubled it would have been by their lack of ruthlessness and by the
yellow card collected by Deco for a foul on Alou Diarra. Scolari soon
took off the Portugal international, although that was less a
punishment than a means of allowing Ballack his match practice.

A trace of slackness in Chelsea was perhaps inevitable. When Lampard
hit a crossfield pass after 69 minutes and merely picked out the
opposition midfielder Wendel, there was no price to be paid. Without
the suggestion of danger from Bordeaux the levels of concentration
slipped in the Premier League team. It is, for all that, a gratifying
evening for a side when boredom is the most severe problem with which
they must wrestle.

Other result

Roma 1 CFR Cluj 2

Remaining fixtures

Oct 1 CFR v Chelsea, Bordeaux v Roma

Oct 22 Bordeaux v CFR, Chelsea v Roma

Nov 4 CFR v Bordeaux, Roma v Chelsea

Nov 26 Bordeaux v Chelsea, CFR v Roma

Dec 9 Chelsea v CFR, Roma Bordeaux

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\
----------------


Mail:

A drop of red: Bordeaux find Scolari's Chelsea vintage far too classy
By Matt Lawton

Chelsea 4 Bordeaux 0

According to Luiz Felipe Scolari, Chelsea stunk the place out last
night. They were poor in possession. Wasteful in front of goal. A
waste, seemingly, of space.

It was nonsense, of course, Chelsea's manager no doubt delivering his
speech with Sunday's meeting with Manchester United very much in mind.

A case of guarding against complacency, having seen his side attack
with such pace that they did occasionally lose control of the ball.

The damn fools. Privately, however, Scolari is sure to reflect on this
and the sight of Frank Lampard and Joe Cole scoring with two perfectly
executed headers and wonder how this competition ever claimed the jobs
of his three immediate predecessors.

His side made Champions League football look ridiculously easy last
night, a further two goals in the second half against a lousy Bordeaux
representing what would already seem to be the first steps on a long
march to the final in Rome.

The competition has been cruel to Chelsea in recent years and the
empty seats here at Stamford Bridge might well have been a reflection
of that. John Terry has said the scars of Moscow will never heal.

Add their three semi-final losses to the heartache of defeat against
Manchester United last May and there are probably those who would
rather they did not bother entering.

For Scolari, though, there are no such scars and there is no such
hangover. This was his first encounter with Europe's elite and his
side were so in control he even had time to panic at the sight of
Marouane Chamakh flying over an advertising hoarding and landing in a
heap on concrete.

You have to hand it to the Brazilian. His facial expressions are
wonderful. He was every bit as animated not just in the way he
celebrated the four goals but in the way he cursed the few mistakes
his players made.

That Joe Cole, like Lampard, scored with his head was remarkable
enough. That he did so with a head full of stitches against what
Laurent Blanc described as 'three big blokes' made it all the more
amazing.

But the England midfielder still appeared to get a ticking-off when
Scolari eventually replaced him with Juliano Belletti in the 74th
minute. High standards, indeed.

Not for the first time this season, Chelsea were mightily impressive.

They appear to be thriving in the system Scolari has created as well
as in the freedom their Brazilian manager has given them.

Bordeaux coach Blanc noted how Ashley Cole and Jose Bosingwa were
'playing like wingers' and Cole certainly seems to be enjoying life
now the shackles fitted by Jose Mourinho have come off.

Bosingwa has added an extra dimension to Chelsea's attacking play and
so, perhaps more significantly, has Deco.

Chelsea have become hugely enjoyable to watch, defensively disciplined
but daring and direct when going forward. Never mind that Bosingwa was
at times berated by Scolari for being too cavalier.

He was a major reason why Bordeaux were so comprehensively beaten.
That Didier Drogba has made just one appearance as a substitute merely
emphasises their considerable quality.

He was suspended last night after missing the start of the season with
injury but is bound to start this weekend at the expense of Nicolas
Anelka.

If it is tough on Anelka, who has now scored two goals in as many
games, it will be even harder on United.

A good Bordeaux should always travel well but Blanc deserves the
coaching award he received last season for guiding these chaps to
second in the French league.

They were no match for a Chelsea side lifted by the news of Terry's
availability for United on Sunday and never looked like responding the
moment Lampard secured the lead in the 14th minute.

In 90 minutes, they did not actually managed a single shot on goal. No
wonder Scolari was angry.

Chelsea might have winced when they gave Lampard a massive new
contract at the age of 30 but they can hardly accuse him of failing to
earn his money.

As well as providing the assists for Chelsea's second and third goals,
he timed his run brilliantly to meet Bosingwa's cross with a terrific
header.

An own goal very nearly followed when Fernando forced a fine save from
Ulrich Rame, but there was nothing the Bordeaux goalkeeper could do to
deny Joe Cole in the 30th minute.

Lampard delivered the corner and his team-mate rose above those big
brutes to guide a header past the Frenchman.

Chelsea were so comfortable. So in control. Lampard squandered an
opportunity to move ahead of Drogba as Chelsea's most prolific scorer
on the continent but made amends by then providing the delightful
back-heel that enabled Florent Malouda to add his name to the
scoresheet eight minutes from time.

The finish, rather like the final ball, was a fine one. On the
touchline Scoalri continued to curse.

This was garbage after all - a fourth Chelsea goal failing to appease
the Brazilian perfectionist, probably because Anelka simply seized on
a rebound after Rame had diverted a missile of a shot from Belletti on
to his crossbar.

Up in the directors' box, Roman Abramovich appeared to be rather more
impressed than his manager. 'Let's have more of this rubbish,' the
Russian doubtless declared.

CHELSEA (4-3-2-1): Cech 6; Bosingwa 8, Carvalho 7, Terry 7, A Cole 7;
Deco 7 (Ballack 61 7), Obi 7, Lampard 8; J Cole 8 (Belletti 74 7),
Malouda 7 (Kalou 84); Anelka 6. Booked: Deco.

BORDEAUX (4-2-3-1): Rame 5; Jurietti 5, Diawara 5, Planus 5, Placente
5; Diarra 5, Fernando 5 (Ducasse 76); Gouffran 5 (Obertan 65 5),
Gourcuff 6, Wendel 4; Chamakh 6 (Cavenaghi 65 5).
Man of the match: Joe Cole.
Referee: P Vink (Holland).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\
-------------------------


Express:

SCOLARI SETS OFF ON EURO GRAIL QUEST

By Tony Banks

Chelsea 4 Bordeaux 0

LUIZ FELIPE SCOLARI has insisted that he will not be weighed down by
the baggage of ChelseaÌs Champions League history. And he showed why
last night as his team ruthlessly began their clubÌs sixth tilt at
glory in this competition.

Goals from Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Florent Malouda and Nicolas Anelka
began the task of burying the painful memories of that final defeat by
Manchester United in Moscow last May, as Scolari saw his debut in this
competition rewarded with a comfortable win at Stamford Bridge.

This Bordeaux team looked very far from a fine vintage as they
crumbled before ChelseaÌs flowing football, and it was only when
ScolariÌs team started to take their foot off the pedal in the second
half that Laurent BlancÌs side threatened.

It was only four months ago that John TerryÌs tears after missing in
the penalty shoot-out saw Chelsea troop home defeated from the final
in Moscow, and it was as if the pain of that dismal night was driving
on ScolariÌs team.

The Brazilian insists he has never talked to his team about that
final, but it is clearly still in the bloodstream of some. Seven of
last nightÌs side started in Moscow. The Champions League remains the
Holy Grail of Blues owner Roman Abramovich.

And his Brazilian manager, whose team hit the top of the Premier
League with SaturdayÌs win over Manchester City, has never lacked
confidence and ebullience Ò as befits a man who has already won the
South American equivalent of this competition, the Copa Libertadores,
twice in his career with two different clubs.

No coach has ever triumphed in both competitions, and Scolari did
admit before last nightÌs game that the Champions League is a far
different kettle of fish, with many stronger teams involved.

Chelsea already had a victory under their belts before kick-off, with
the FAÌs decision to rescind skipper TerryÌs red card for his
sending-off against Manchester City.

Bordeaux coach Blanc, once of Manchester United, had taunted Chelsea
during the week for spending so much money and yet failing to win the
competition in five years of trying. But after a shaky start when
Mikel John ObiÌs wayward pass handed Wendel the opportunity to drive
narrowly over, ScolariÌs side quickly found their stride.

Jose Bosingwa picked up Joe ColeÌs square ball, and his first-time
cross caught the Bordeaux defence watching the ball. Lampard stole in
at the back post to nod home his second goal in four days.

BlancÌs young side were showing their rawness, goalkeeper Ulrich Rame
then being forced to turn AnelkaÌs drive round the post. Terry then
nodded wide when he should have scored Ò and defender Fernando
Menegazzo almost scored an own-goal.

The French side were all over the place at the back, and when Lampard
this time swung in a corner it was Joe Cole of all people popping up
at the near post to flick in the second.

Bordeaux, like Chelsea, finished domestic runners-up last year, but
there was a huge gulf between the sides last night. ScolariÌs side
have been playing with markedly more freedom this season, and when
Lampard and Cole combined skilfully again to carve the Bordeaux
defence open, Cole sliced his shot wide.

As Chelsea eased off BlancÌs side advanced but they did not have
anything like enough firepower to threaten a comeback.

And they were finished off with two more goals in the last eight
minutes. First Lampard cleverly put Malouda through, and in
injury-time substitute Juliano Belletti saw his shot tipped on to the
bar only for Anelka to roll in the rebound.

Chelsea (4-1-4-1): Cech; Bosingwa, Carvalho, Terry, A Cole; Mikel; J
Cole (Belletti 74), Deco (Ballack 61), Lampard, Malouda (Kalou 84);
Anelka. Booked: Deco. Goals: Lampard 14, J Cole 30, Malouda 82, Anelka
90.

Bordeaux (4-2-3-1): Rame; Jurietti, Planus, Diawara, Placente;
Fernando (Ducasse 74), Diarra; Gouffran (Obertan 65), Gourcoff,
Wendel; Chamakh (Cavenaghi 65).

Referee: P Vink (Holland).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\
------------------------


Mirror:

Champion League: Chelsea 4-0 Bordeaux

Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Florent Malouda and Nicolas Anelka were all
on target to give Chelsea a 4-0 win over Bordeaux in their opening
Group A Champions League match.

Failure in Europe's elite competition has signalled the end for the
previous three Chelsea bosses but there were no scares for Luiz Felipe
Scolari at Stamford Bridge, whose debut in the competition was
straightforward after the hosts established a lead.

With Didier Drogba to return from suspension, Scolari will head into
the Group A matches against Cluj and Roma encouraged by their start to
the campaign - they were comfortable winners but did not have to be at
their vintage best to beat Bordeaux.

Although the scoreline was predictable, it was a minor suprise Scolari
selected an named an unchanged starting line-up, the first time
Chelsea had done so in 18 months.

More of a shock was the fact Chelsea's goals in the first half came
from Lampard and Cole headers, with neither midfielders known for
their aerial ability.

It would be enough to enrage Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc, the World
Cup-winning defender with France who has been tipped to take charge of
Les Bleus.

It was also Blanc's first match in the Champions League and his team
looked like a Premier League graveyard - ex-Liverpool midfielder Alou
Diarra was in midfield and Souleymane Diawara, who was relegated with
Charlton, was in defence. He even had David Bellion on the bench.

Brazilian Wendel had an early shot from long range that dipped over
following a sloppy pass from John Mikel Obi - but after that it was
all Chelsea.

They were ahead in the 14th minute when Lampard finished off a crisp
move for his third goal of the season.

Deco had moved the ball inside to midfielder Cole, who in turn fed
Jose Bosingwa on the right flank.

Bosingwa drove his cross in first time and Lampard sent his header in
the far corner before wheeling off in celebration.

Anelka, looking to atone for his penalty miss in the final last
season, forced a save from Ulrich Rame when he cut inside from the
left and drove towards the near post, and the Bordeaux goalkeeper also
had to work when midfielder Cole backhealed on target.

Captain John Terry then went close when he met Lampard's free-kick
with a header.

The French runners-up had no answer to Chelsea's attacks, with
Fernando almost scoring an own goal trying to cut out a Bosingwa
through-ball. The second goal came on the half-hour mark through Cole,
with the England midfielder beating centre-backs Fernando and Franck
Jurietti at the near post to nod home Lampard's corner.

Chelsea's own wastefulness kept the scoreline down - Anelka raced
beyond the Bordeaux defence and passed into open space when he could
have shot, then Lampard screwed a volley wide from six yards.

Bordeaux's attempts to fight back consisted of three Yoann Gourcuff
free-kicks, each of which was increasingly speculative and Petr Cech
was not troubled by them.

Striker Marouane Chamakh started the second half by tripping over the
advertising hoardings and into the crowd, and he required treatement
after the fall.

The visitors were showing ambition to get back into the game but it
left them prone to Chelsea counter-attacks.

Scolari gave Michael Ballack the final half-hour as he made his
comeback from a foot injury, with the Germany captain replacing Deco
in midfield.

Anelka came close to adding another, latching onto Lampard's reverse
ball but firing into the side-netting.

Malouda added the third after a run from Mikel that took him around
three defenders. He passed to Lampard, whose backheel invited Malouda
to fire into the far corner.

Ricardo Carvalho hit the crossbar with a header before the end, and a
goal would not have flattered the hosts.

Then Juliano Belletti hit the crossbar and Anelka tapped in for the fourth.

Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Carvalho, Terry, A Cole (Belletti 74), Obi, J
Cole, Deco (Ballack 61), Lampard, Malouda (Kalou 84), Anelka. Goals:
Lampard 14, J Cole 30, Malouda 82, Anelka 90

Bordeaux: Rame, Jurietti, Diawara, Planus, Placente, Diarra, Menegazzo
(Ducasss 74), Gouffran (Obertan 65), Gourcuff, Wendell, Chamakh
(Cavenhagi 65). Ref: P Vink


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\
------------------------


Sun:

Chelsea 4 Bordeaux 0

From IAN McGARRY at Stamford Bridg

CHELSEA went through Bordeaux like water — but Phil Scolari still had a whine.

Big Phil toasted his four-goal Champions League debut with a dose of
sour grapes.


The Blues boss tore strips off his team's magnificent performance in a
thinly-disguised bid to keep them sharp ahead of Sunday's Premier
League clash with Manchester United.

How the former Brazil coach could keep a straight face as he
criticised his team's poor possession and bad attitude is a mystery.

As bad as Bordeaux were, scoring four goals in Europe is still an
occasion to be savoured.

So to turn the triumph into a bout of mind games with his own players
seemed harsh.

Chelsea were simply dominant. First to the ball, lightning quick on
the break and deadly in front of goal in this Group A opener.

Scolari should be thankful that on this evidence, he will not have to
worry much about the Champions League until the knockout phase next
year.

Frank Lampard shone again — running the match, scoring one goal and making two.

Among the other stand-outs were Lamps' fellow England internationals
Joe Cole and John Terry.

On the bench were two World Cup winners in Scolari and Bordeaux chief
Laurent Blanc, who was in the France squad which triumphed in 1998.

On the pitch, there was only ever going to be one victor.

Even Chelsea right-back Jose Bosingwa had a free rein on the flank and
the clock was only on 14 minutes when he wandered to the edge of the
area. His cross perfectly picked out the unmarked Lamps, who had time
to check the keeper's position before heading neatly into the bottom
corner.

Already Chelsea's record-holder for Champions League appearances with
63, his 18th goal put him level with Didier Drogba as their top
marksman.

Nicolas Anelka rifled a shot from 20 yards on the angle which made
keeper Ulrich Rame more nervous.

Then Joe Cole tried a cheeky backheel which was scrambled clear.

Bosingwa's cross was turned towards goal by Fernando but luckily for
the Bordeaux defender, Rame dived back to stop the ball just before it
trickled into his own net.

But, on the half-hour, Lamps launched the perfect corner to the near
post and Joe Cole rose to guide in a brilliant header.

Lamps should have made it three but pulled his volley wide.

Florent Malouda added a third in the 82nd minute when Lampard found
him some space with a clever reverse flick.

By this time Michael Ballack — back from a foot injury — had been
brought on to warm him up for the United clash and the Blues were on
cruise control.

When Anelka followed up Juliano Belletti's long-range blast to make it
four in the dying seconds, it was the port at the end of a gourmet
meal.

Chelsea are still unbeaten this season and on this form they do not
look likely to lose any time soon.

With every goal they scored last night the warning for United was stark.

Beware. Chelsea are coming to get you. Whatever Big Phil says.