The Sunday Times

November 16, 2008

Chelsea outclass Albion

West Bromwich Albion 0 Chelsea 3

John Aizlewood at The Hawthorns

FOR CHELSEA it could hardly have gone more to plan and their
performance could hardly have been more professional. First they
withstood West Bromwich Albion's early onslaught. Then, once Albion's
sting had been drawn they scored three clinical goals before
half-time, just to remind everyone who leads the Premier League this
morning. And finally, they played out the second half with neither
fuss nor ado.

Albion, meanwhile, started the evening at the bottom of the pile and
there they lie this morning, in ever increasing danger of losing touch
with the pack and losing hope.

The quirk of an evening kick-off and Liverpool's perfunctory
lunch-time victory over Bolton meant this was no longer a bottom
versus top encounter, but as Albion manager Tony Mowbray admitted in
midweek, a team who kicked off having conceded just one goal on their
Premiership travels this season were hardly his visitors of choice.

And, forever destined to swash-buckle despite being without a victory
since October 4, Mowbray again kept the faith, pausing only to restore
James Morrison and Abdou-laye Meite.

Another calf – this time Petr Cech's – ruled out the Chelsea
goal-keeper, but even with a fistful of fellow absentees, Ashley Cole,
Didier Drogba and Michael Essien found themselves only on the bench.

Albion began brightly – Albion always begin brightly – and, with the
lavishly gifted Borja Valero prompting, cajoling and firing a
fusillade of pinpoint long balls towards Ishmael Miller and Roman
Bednar, they momentarily threatened to seize the moment. Yet, for all
their undeniable eagerness Albion's front pair crashed time and time
again against John Terry and Branis-lav Ivanovic.

Morrison blasted an early piledriver inches over Carlo Cudicini's bar
early on, but with John Obi Mikel chaperoning Chelsea's defence like
an overprotective older brother on prom night, they created only one
real chance in the first period, 15 minutes in, when Valero surprised
even himself by spinning around Mikel so deftly the Nigerian ended up
on his backside. He guided a through ball into Miller's path, only for
the youngster's shot to flash across goal.

Chelsea bided their time. Initially, they seemed all at sea. For all
Nicolas Anelka's recent goal glut, he seemed as starved of service as
Russian aristocrats after the communist revolution. Deco flitted
hither and thither to little effect, but Miller's miss had aroused the
beast within. Florent Malouda offered a glimpse of what was about to
come with a magnificent ball into the ever-yawning gap between Meite
and Gianni Zuiverloon. Scott Carson saved excellently from Frank
Lampard.

Lampard's miss marked the moment Deco settled himself in central
midfield and the scales began to tip Chelsea's way. After 34 minutes,
so did the scoreline. There seemed little danger, certainly in
Carson's mind, when Jose Bosingwa collected the ball 25 yards out on
the right, but the Portuguese looked up, noted Carson's sloppy
positioning and curled it home with his left. Even at that point,
there seemed no way back for Albion against a team who had conceded
just four Premiership goals all season and none of them in the second
half.

First, Meite's poor clearance reached Malouda, who unleashed the
coiled spring that was Anelka. Greedy after his possession, the
Frenchman sprinted into the penalty area and as Carson dived to the
ground, chipped gently into goal.

Morale tumbling like house prices, the last thing Albion needed was to
concede a third before half-time. They conceded a third before
half-time. Deco found Saloman Kalou on the right, the Ivorian danced
through a timid defence, curled a magnificent through ball to the
onrushing Anelka, who daintily guided Chelsea's third past Carson.

Cowed for possibly the first time this season, Mowbray plumped for
damage limitation after the break. Off went Bednar, on came Kim DeHeon
and Albion flooded midfield, hoping the hitherto marginalised Morrison
and Jonathan Greening would offer Miller support.

Instead, although substitute Filipe Teixeira flashed a piledriver
inches over, such was Chelsea's insouciant dominance, that Albion's
midfield quintet left the struggling home defence with even less cover
and only some prodigal finishing from a team who knew they were about
to return to the top of the league prevented the scoreline from
getting out of hand.

Shortly after Anelka had been denied his second hat-trick in three
league games by a brave Ryan Donk, he was replaced by this week's
whipping boy, Drogba. His cameo passed without incident, just as the
evening had passed with little to ruffle Chelsea. Men against boys.

WEST BROM: Carson 5, Zuiverloon 4, Meite 4 (Donk 68min), Olsson 4,
Robinson 4, Koren 5, Morrison 5 (Teixeira 58min, 5), Greening 5,
Valero 6, Miller 6, Bednar 5 (Kim ht, 5)

CHELSEA: Cudicini 6, Bosingwa 7, Ivanovic 7, Terry 7, Bridge 6,
Lampard 6, Mikel 6. Deco 7, Malouda 7, Kalou 6 (Ballack 68min), Anelka
7 (Drogba 74min)

Chelsea's record breakers

Chelsea's comprehensive 3-0 win at West Bromwich Albion last night
ensured another record Premier League start to the campaign. The
seventh straight away victory this season was also their 10th away win
in a row, breaking the Premier League record they set in the 2004-05
campaign, and equalling the top-flight mark set by Tottenham in 1960

Chelsea, though, are still one shy of the record eight consecutive
away wins at the start of a season set by Tottenham in 1960-61.

Tottenham went on to win a record 16 of their 21 away games in 1960-61
to take the title. West Brom and Everton are the only other sides to
have won six in a row away from home at the start of a season.

Chelsea's reborn forward Nicolas Anelka has been key to the run,
scoring seven of their 19 away goals this season, including five in
the past two games. His teammate Frank Lampard has been on target
three times while defender Jose Boswinga , who scored the Blues'
opener last night, has hit two


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Telegraph:

Nicolas Anelka scores two as Chelsea prove too strong for West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion (0) 0 Chelsea (3) 3

By Jonathan Wilson at The Hawthorns

The problem with being a member of the Big Four is that you are judged
by different standards to everybody else. Saturday's victory was every
bit as emphatic as the scoreline suggested, and yet there was a sense
of the humdrum about it – less because it was Chelsea's record 10th
consecutive away victory in the Premier League, than because their
ability to hammer mediocre sides is not in question.

What could end up costing them titles this season is the difficulty
they have in breaking down well-organised defences, and West Brom do
not have one.

It is all very well for West Brom's manager Tony Mowbray to talk about
the quality of his side's performances, but they are a team far
stronger in the middle third than either of the two in which games are
won and lost.

For all their eventual superiority, Chelsea were fortunate, as many
other sides have been this season, that West Brom lack the
ruthlessness to turn their bright passing into anything more
meaningful. Just as tellingly, there is a self-destructiveness about
their back four, despite the return of Abdoulaye Meite from injury.
That manifested itself in a handful of needlessly conceded corners,
then in an openness Nicolas Anelka twice exploited and, most
crushingly, in some deeply unimpressive goalkeeping from Scott Carson.

A year to the week since the clanger that gifted Croatia the lead at
Wembley in that decisive Euro 2008 qualifier, he is having another
November to forget.

What must frustrate Mowbray is that until Chelsea took the lead, West
Brom had been more enterprising.

Three goals in 11 minutes before the break confirmed Chelsea's return
to the top of the table. In the end it was all very simple. Without
having over-exerted themselves in the first half they were able to
drop their intensity in the second, and give substitute appearances to
Michael Ballack – back from a foot injury for his first game in a
little over a month – and to Didier Drogba, who managed to continue
his rehabilitation from his knee injury without getting embroiled in
any further controversy.

The surges forward from full-back of Jose Bosingwa have been a key
part of the more attacking approach instilled by Luiz Felipe Scolari
this season, and it was he who set Chelsea on their way, albeit with
the assistance of Carson. The Portugal international's shot was firmly
struck, but he was only invited to shoot because Carson had drifted
away from his post in expectation of a cross. Scrambling to recover,
the keeper could only push the ball onto the underside of the bar,
from which it bounced down over the line.

The two banks of four Mowbray had set out had been solid enough until
then, but shape went with parity, leaving Anelka to capitalise on the
significant pace advantage he enjoyed over Meite. His first finish,
dinked over Carson, was deft, but his second, rolled in at the near
post, called into question Carson's positioning.

The French striker has now scored 13 goals this season, 12 of them in
the Premier League, which puts him four clear of his closest rival,
Wigan's Amr Zaki, in the top goalscorer charts.

Remarkably, only one of those 13 has been the first goal of a game.
Perhaps that is simply an indication of his effectiveness at
capitalising on the space teams chasing a game leave behind them – and
it is of course better to be a flat-track bully than not to be a bully
at all – but if that sort of ratio is maintained over the season, it
does raise further doubts about how many tight games Chelsea will win.


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Independent:

Clinical Anelka gives Chelsea relief from drama of Drogba

West Bromwich Albion 0 Chelsea 3

By James Corrigan at the Hawthorns

Back in their sanctuary of the Premier League the blue machine rolled
ever ominously on last night, threatening to crush rivals and legends
in its wake. Chelsea duly equalled the League record of 10 consecutive
away victories held on their own for more than four decades by the
double-winning Tottenham side. Only Bolton can now save the mark of
Greaves, Mackay, Blanchflower and Co when they host Phil Scolari's
joyous travellers in three weeks' time. And with the season's leading
marksman Nicolas Anelka in this scoring form the history assault could
take on an inevitable feel. "Nicolas has all the confidence in the
world," said his team-mate John Obi Mikel. "I think he will score many
more."

After these two goals from his only two shots, Anelka already has 12,
and eight of these have come from the last four games. Scolari gave a
simple reason why the £12 million striker's shooting boots suddenly
fit so well. "The players believe in him more and because of that are
keen to give him more chances," he said. "And maybe the system we play
suits as well."

Which all adds up to not very good news for Didier Drogba,
particularly as the system of one target man plus two wide men would
not allow Drogba and Anelka to play together. The word is that the
Ivorian will not contest the Football Association charge for throwing
the coin back into the Burnley section of the crowd last week and that
means he will doubtless soon be starting a three-match ban. It is
likely Drogba would only be warming the bench, anyhow.

He eventually got on here but by then the match was over and Anelka
had guaranteed the positive headlines. In fact, it was over at
half-time with three on the scoreboard and so many more in the bank.
That they failed to cash in any further was as much down to Chelsea's
profligacy as any sterling West Bromwich fightback.

Just like last weekend, Chelsea were able to bounce back – this time
from the Carling Cup setback against Burnley on Wednesday – with an
emphatic performance that returned them to the top after Liverpool's
afternoon win. In contrast, poor West Bromwich seem doomed for a fight
down the other end. Not too much should be read into this reversal but
plenty will, naturally. At least they have got half their fixtures
against the Big Four out of the way. A small mercy for Tony Mowbray,
who didn't have many to cling to. He tried to be positive and played
two up front, which was commendable to some, suicidal to others.

"A team like West Brom cannot shut up shop against Chelsea," reasoned
Mowbray. "They have too much quality." That was evident from the 34th
minute onwards when the visitors embarked on their rampage and West
Bromwich imploded. "Up until then I thought it was even," said
Mowbray. Scolari concurred. "For the first 15 minutes they were the
better side," he said, clearly reflecting on one Ishmael Miller chance
that should at the very least have hit the target.

As for the Chelsea goals, Scott Carson will come in for criticism for
letting two in at his near post, the first a curling strike from Jose
Bosingwa in the 34th minute, the last on the brink of the whistle when
Anelka skidded in a low one for his second. His first had come with a
clinical dink over Carson when put through by an opportunistic Salomon
Kalou header.

That was that, although it really shouldn't have been. "There were
three or four goals to be taken," said Scolari and he was not
exaggerating. It took on the guise of a training match.

But even in practice injuries occur and Fabio Capello will be anxious
to discover the results of a scan on John Terry's foot injury that
forced his withdrawal in the latter stages and could see the central
defender miss Wednesday's friendly in Berlin. "It is underneath the
foot," explained Scolari, looking perplexed. "It is one of those new
football injuries."


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Observer:


Anelka double rewards Chelsea's happy travellersr report
West Brom 0 Chelsea 3 Bosingwa 34, Anelka 38, Anelka 45

Stuart Barnes at the Hawthorns

Stamford Bridge is not quite the fortress it used to be, but Chelsea
can do no wrong on the road. They destroyed West Brom with three goals
in the run-up to half-time to ensure a Premier League record 10th
successive away win, three at the end of last season and seven so far
this term.

Nicolas Anelka delivered two goals with the sharpness of a player at
the top of his game as Chelsea returned to the top of the table after
being overtaken by Liverpool earlier in the day. Albion opened in a
manner that suggested they might make things difficult, coming forward
with plenty of ambition and purpose. Luiz Felipe Scolari admitted:
'They started better than us and had one or two opportunities. But the
second and third goals finished the game.

'Nicolas has more confidence and the other players have more
confidence in him. So they are giving him more chances to score. The
record is not for me. It is for the players and the club. We have lost
some points at home, so it is important we keep on winning away.'

Albion, after their best ever start in the Premier League, have only a
single point to show from their past six matches. Even so, Tony
Mowbray continues to talk in optimistic terms. 'There was no disgrace
for us,' the manager said. 'We gave it a go and kept them at bay for
half an hour. But when Anelka gets those sort of chances he rarely
misses. We could have played one up front and sat in our own half. But
really, you can't shut up shop against teams like this. It's not bad
when they can bring players like Drogba and Ballack off the bench.

'We have had had a tough run of fixtures. No one likes being bottom.
I'm confident, though, that this group of players can comfortably stay
in the division.'

James Morrison's meaty 22-yarder a foot too high reflected his team's
bright start. Then Ishmael Miller curled a shot beyond the far post
when fed by Borja Valero. Chelsea's first clear chance fell to Frank
Lampard, from Florent Malouda's volleyed pass. He had space to advance
on Scott Carson, but the goalkeeper was equal to the shot.

Carson parried a solid attempt by Malouda before he was beaten at his
near post - and looked culpable - as Jose Bosingwa fired the ball in
with his left foot from near the junction of the penalty area. He got
a hand to the ball, but not strong enough to keep it out. Before
Albion could regroup, Malouda's forward header released Anelka, who
cut in from the left and, under some pressure, dinked the ball
delightfully over Carson for 2-0.

The game was all over on the stroke of half-time as Lampard found
Salomon Kalou, whose pass sent Anelka goalwards for another silky
finish, this time beyond Carson at his near post.

The Frenchman could easily have had a hat-trick after the restart.
Another shot on target was deflected behind, then he fired over when
Deco's corner came loose at the far post. Anelka then set up a chance,
which Malouda put wide, before being called off and replaced by Didier
Drogba.

Ishmael Miller persevered while substitute Kim Do-Heon volleyed a
chance beyond the far post, without Albion ever looking like gaining a
foothold back in the game.

Although Scolari would not discuss Drogba's FA charge of violent
conduct for throwing a coin at Burnley supporters during the midweek
Carling Cup defeat, he insisted that Anelka and Drogba can play
together 'when they are in good condition and can train together'.

Of more immediate concern is a foot injury sustained by John Terry,
the extent of which will be determined after a scan today, after which
a decision will be made on whether he can join the England squad for
Wednesday's friendly in Germany.

THE FANS' PLAYER RATINGS AND VERDICT

Steve Wilton, WBA.VitalFootball.co.uk We always expected to lose, but
I thought Miller's pace would cause Terry problems. Miller did work
his socks off and gave Terry a hard time, but he couldn't find the
net. Realistically, we were undone by the quality of Anelka and a
cracking strike by Bosingwa. He looked like he was going to cross but
he shaped to shoot, which fooled Carson, who didn't have the best game
and was perhaps responsible for all three goals, beaten twice at his
near post. We're lacking a midfield with the quality to pick the pass
and score goals. We're in a false position in that we've played many
of the top teams – we've competed well, but we need more urgency,
getting the ball forward, though without sacrificing our passing game.

The fan's player ratings Carson 5; Zuiverloon 6, Olsson 7,
Meite 6 (Donk 5), Robinson 5; Morrison 6 (Teixeira 7), Valero 7,
Greening 5, Koren 6; Bednar 5 (Kim 6), Miller 8

Mike Martin, Soccer.Suite101.com It was not a great game. It was a bit
like the match at Boro, where the other team weren't particularly
awful except that they can't score goals but we can, because they
can't afford players like Anelka, who's been brilliant lately. He's
doing so well because of the fact that he's playing – and playing
without Drogba. He's assumed a Michael Owen role and the service to
him has been great, so being a great striker he's going to score.
Drogba still seems to be in a semi-stupor, though he seems to come on
only when we're 3-0 up. Lampard's playing the best football of his
career. We're combining attacking thrust with patience, though we seem
to score goals in rushes – we're a bit like the team version of Wayne
Rooney.

The fan's player ratings Cudicini 7; Bosingwa 8, Ivanovic 6,
Terry 7 (Ferreira n/a), Bridge 6; Lampard 7, Mikel 7, Deco 6; Kalou 6
(Ballack 6), Malouda 6 Anelka 9 (Drogba 5)


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Mail:


West Brom 0 Chelsea 3: Albion hit by Anelka firepower as Blues issue warning

By Daniel King

After Didier Drogba and Chelsea had plumbed the depths against
Burnley, Nicolas Anelka and his team hit the heights again.

A difficult week ended with a return to the easy life for Luiz Felipe
Scolari as a comprehensive victory sent his side back to the top of
the table and set a Premier League record for consecutive away
victories into the bargain.

The only statistic the Brazilian ultimately cares about is bringing
the title back to Stamford Bridge, and Chelsea will have to prove that
they are more than flat-track bullies, starting with Arsenal at the
end of this month, if they are to realise that ambition.

But for now, Scolari's team continue to trade victories with Liverpool
and the goal difference which gives them the edge over their nearest
rivals is compelling evidence that they are a class apart when it
comes to putting away the socalled lesser teams.

After being second best in the opening exchanges at The Hawthorns,
Chelsea took advantage of a gaffe by West Bromwich keeper Scott Carson
to take the lead through Jose Bosingwa, and they never looked back,
with Anelka's clinical brace ending the game as a contest before
half-time.

November is the cruellest month for Carson. It is a year to the week
since his calamitous error allowed Niko Kranjcar to give Croatia the
lead at Wembley in a game which ended England's hopes of qualifying
for Euro 2008.

This time, poor positioning and a slow reaction prevented him from
stopping a longrange, left-footed shot from Bosingwa which was
impressive but should not have beaten a goalkeeper with pretensions to
rebuilding an international career.

Another pair of fine finishes from Anelka took his tally for the
season to 13 goals and ensured Chelsea beat their own record of nine
Premier League away wins in a row and equalled Tottenham's all-time
top-flight landmark of 10.

West Bromwich boss Tony Mowbray badly needs a striker to convert into
goals the sort of pretty football which allowed them to enjoy the
better of the opening 20 minutes or so. But players with even a
fraction of Anelka's undoubted ability will not come cheap in the
January transfer window.

Scolari has achieved a lot in his short time at Chelsea, not least in
making the team attractive as well as effective, and conducting
himself with a dignity not usually associated with the club. But
coaxing goals out of a player who has for so long failed to realise
his potential is another significant item on the credit side of the
Brazilian's managerial ledger.

Scolari said: 'Nicolas Anelka is happy because he has more confidence.
The other players believe in him more than before and give him more
chances to score.

'Maybe the system that we play is better for Anelka.'

There remains the suspicion that a fully fit and focused Drogba is a
more powerful weapon against stronger defences, but Anelka is filling
his boots against the weaker rearguards. Just four minutes after
Bosingwa had flattered Chelsea by catching Carson out, the French
striker darted on to Florent Malouda's header, left Abdoulaye Meite
for dead and dinked the ball inside Carson's near post for a finish
which was a little touch of genius.

Moments before half-time, the game was over as a contest when Meite,
playing for the first time since August, once more betrayed his lack
of speed and match fitness, this time allowing Anelka to race on to
Salomon Kalou's pass and embarrass Carson again by beating him at the
near post.

There is much to admire about Albion as a team and a club, and neither
Mowbray's men nor the home crowd allowed the inevitability of defeat
to overwhelm them. But for all the singing in the stands and the neat
football on the pitch, Chelsea should have scored more goals.

Substitute Filipe Teixeira's shot just over the bar early in the
second half was the closest the home team came to beating Carlo
Cudicini, who played because Petr Cech had joined Chelsea's long list
of casualties.

Not that Scolari will receive much sympathy on that score from
Mowbray. The Albion manager said: 'It was 34 minutes until they scored
and we were in the game. But Nicolas Anelka gets chances and he very
rarely misses.

'That's the quality their team can afford. And it's not bad when you
can bring [Michael] Ballack and Drogba on.'

With 15 minutes left, Drogba received a predictably derisive welcome
on to the pitch from the West Bromwich fans. It is understood that he
will not contest his violent conduct charge for throwing a coin back
into the Burnley fans, which will mean he must serve an automatic
three-match ban.

But by then the Chelsea supporters were far more concerned with
singing Anelka's name to the incongruous tune of Black Lace's
'Agadoo'.

Penny for your thoughts, Didier.

WEST BROM (4-4-2): Carson; Zuiverloon, Olsson, Meite (Donk 68min),
Robinson; Morrison (Teixeira 58), Koren, Greening, Valero; Miller,
Bednar (Kim 46). Subs (not used): Kiely, M Cech, Brunt, Moore.

CHELSEA (4-1-4-1): Cudicini; Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry (Ferreira 85),
Bridge; Mikel; Kalou (Ballack 68), Deco, Lampard, Malouda; Anelka
(Drogba 74). Subs (not used): Hilario, A Cole, Sinclair, Mineiro.
Booked: Terry, Bosingwa, Ivanovic. Sinclair, Ferreira, Mineiro.

Referee: S Bennett (Kent).

MATCH FACTS
HERO: NICOLAS ANELKA —Who needs Drogba?

VILLAIN: SCOTT CARSON — Caught out for the crucial opening goal.

MAGIC MOMENT: ANELKA'S exquisite finish for his first goal.


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NOTW:

WEST BROM 0, CHELSEA 3
French ace proves he's Anel of a striker

By DAVID HARRISON, 15/11/2008

NICOLAS ANELKA threw missiles around with deadly accuracy at The
Hawthorns — and Chelsea were coining it in.

The striker's double blast took his team back to the top of the table
as he continued his amazing scoring streak.

His two goals made it eight from his last four matches and he is now
the runaway leader at the top of the Premier scoring charts with a
round dozen.

Bench

No wonder Luiz Felipe Scolari can afford to leave Didier Drogba on the
bench awaiting his fate from the FA and the police after his
coin-throwing in midweek.

Anelka is the man of the moment for the Blues and Drogba can
anticipate a prolonged stretch on the sidelines on top of any
suspension he gets.

West Brom's willingness to take on all-comers with an attacking
formation might be viewed as a kamikaze mission by a team rooted to
the bottom of the table. But boss Tony Mowbray's refusal to compromise
his beliefs was again evident in an opening spell which took Chelsea
by surprise.

The Baggies ventured forward with some purpose and James Morrison and
Borja Valero both struck long-range shots which were too high to
trouble Carlo Cudicini.

Even better was a flowing move which ended with Valero picking out
Ishmael Miller. The former Manchester City striker dragged his shot
across the face of the goal but it almost became a perfect pass for
the onrushing Roman Bednar, who was inches away from converting at the
far post.

That early spell of Albion pressure triggered a response from Chelsea
which emphasised how anxious they had become about their spirited
opponents.

Block

Frank Lampard took it upon himself to orchestrate the visitors'
response in midfield.

The England player, released into the box by Florent Malouda, forced
Scott Carson to make a brave block with his legs at the near post.

Soon after, Malouda had the Baggies keeper at full stretch with a
swerving effort.

The force was now with Chelsea as Lampard drove them forwards, though
their opening goal in the 34th minute contained a big element of
surprise.

Jose Bosingwa stepped inside from the right and curved a 25-yarder
towards Carson's near post. The keeper's positioning was suspect and,
though he got a hand to it, could not stop the ball flying into the
top corner.

Four minutes later, the game was over as a contest. Malouda's header
sent Anelka free down the left and the French striker accelerated into
the box before calmly lifting his shot over Carson.

Streak

Anelka's hot streak continued with his second just before the break.
Salomon Kalou picked him out and his shot from 10 yards again left
questions about Carson, who left his near post unprotected.

The full length of the Premier League separated the two teams at the
start of the day and, by half-time, the gulf in class was even wider
than that.

Albion had been taught a lesson in how to play the game with a
ruthless efficiency.

The Midlands club passed the ball into endless cul-de-sacs and got nowhere.

Chelsea moved it around economically into areas where they could
punish their opponents and finished their chances with a clinical and
deadly touch.

Adventure

But Scolari's men are not just a team of workmanlike labourers. There
is an air of adventure about them which is proving irresistible.

Albion struggled to contain them at the start of the second half but,
oddly, Chelsea's finishing touch temporarily deserted them.

Lampard's pass opened up the home defence, yet Malouda allowed Carson
to close him down and spread himself across the line of the shot.

Anelka was unusually unselfish when presented with a hat-trick chance
10 minutes into the second half. There was ample time for him to
unleash a shot but he chose to pass to Deco and the midfielder was
crowded out.

Chelsea have lost none of their aggressive bite despite the extra
entertainment value they have added to their game.

Skipper John Terry and Bosingwa were both booked for crunching
challenges when the Blues needed to establish their physical presence.
But they do not need to resort to thuggery. There is too much quality
in the side for that.

It is a pity Albion do not carry some of their devilment.

They cannot continue their season earning admiring glances for their
pretty approach play.

Ugly does not appear to figure in manager Mowbray's vocabulary but he
might have to resort to something less elegant if Albion are to claw
their way out of trouble.


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