AFP

Rampant Chelsea make it six in a row

Sun, 20 Sep 19:03:07 2009

LONDON (AFP) - Chelsea extended their 100 percent record under Carlo Ancelotti as goals from Ashley Cole, Michael Ballack and Didier Drogba gave them a comfortable 3-0 victory over London rivals Tottenham at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

The win was enough to lift them back above Manchester United to the summit of the Premier League, three points ahead of their rivals, who had briefly gone top with a 4-3 win over Manchester City earlier in the day.

Tottenham were second best but left having lost more than three points as defenders Ledley King and Sebastien Bassong both suffered serious-looking injuries.

Chelsea goalscorer Cole said: "This is the best squad, team and spirit since I've been here. John Terry won the title here so it's probably not as good as that year but we all stick together and fight. Hopefully that can help us win the title."

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp bemoaned referee Howard Webb's decision not to give a penalty for Ricardo Carvalho's challenge on Robbie Keane at 1-0.

"Robbie tried to stay on his feet, if he went down it might have been different," Redknapp said. "If he (Webb) felt he (Keane) dived he should have given a yellow card."

Chelsea almost opened the scoring in the eighth minute when right-back Jose Bosingwa latched on to Ballack's header and fired in a shot from the edge of the area.

Tottenham goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini, the ex-Chelsea man, was relieved to see the ball rebound back into play off top of his near post.

Jermain Defoe should have given Tottenham the lead three minutes later though when he was played through by Wilson Palacios's fine ball.

The England marksman already has five Premier League goals to his name this season but was denied by the boot of Petr Cech, the Chelsea goalkeeper.

Cech was needed again to deflect away Tom Huddlestone's long-ranger, which caught him by surprise, and Jermaine Jenas fired wide by the most slender of margins from the next attack.

Chelsea's reply was a header from Frank Lampard that wasn't far away either and an effort from Nicolas Anelka that fizzed into the side-netting.

The home side's appeals for a penalty when Vedran Corluka and Ballack collided in the box were ignored by Webb but the reprieve was short-lived for the Croatia defender as Chelsea scored seconds later.

Drogba fired in a cross from the right that was met by Cole's diving header, with the left-back having stolen in ahead of Corluka.

The second half began with Lampard scuffing a good chance wide but there was trouble for Tottenham when centre-back King's already-damaged knee failed him and he was replaced by Alan Hutton.

Webb had another decision to make when Carvalho challenged Keane in the Chelsea box. Again he ruled no penalty should be awarded although the defender appeared to clip Keane.

Chelsea doubled their lead through Ballack straight afterwards. Anelka's cross was chested down by Drogba and Cudicini could not hold on to the low shot that followed. Lampard was first to the loose ball and set up the German for a tap-in.

Further disaster for Corluka and Cudicini followed when Cole's long ball over the top sent Drogba clear of the Croatian, who had switched to centre-back in King's absence.

Out came Cudicini only for Corluka to divert the ball past him and Drogba collect it for another tap-in.

Cudicini almost cost Tottenham another when he let slip a shot from John Obi Mikel, who had come on for Ballack, but the Italian just managed to claw it away before it trundled over the line.

Yet there was further misery for Spurs when Bassong fell heavily and had to be stretchered off, a fate that then befell Drogba five minutes before the end.

 

Comment 1 - 7 of 7

Sort comments by: Most recent
  1. well and truely beaten in the end, gave up once the ref­ gave us nothing........................the test is the­ next 4 games against struggling sides. COYS

    From Wayne, on Mon 21 Sep 7:19AM
  2. andy gray is such a plonker...wonder y they use him­ for chelsea games,when he hates the club that­ much....he kept complaining about Drogba and some­ stupid spur penalty claim.....but he forgot the­ handball from lampard's freekick,which was more of­ a stonewall penalty.....he didn't even feel sorry­ for Drogba after the miskick..I bet he wanted spur to­ win so manure could be on top of the league....he is­ such a @#$%...SORRY ANDY,CHELSEA IS TOP

    From David, on Mon 21 Sep 1:00AM
  3. Mikel must score some g o a l s this season. He is­ realy improven and coping with cal'anceloti.­ Chelsea wil surely rule d season. 4rm OY. 9ja

    From SkoolDaisy4, on Sun 20 Sep 10:37PM
  4. Mikel must score some g o a l s this season. He is­ realy improven and coping with cal'anceloti.­ Chelsea wil surely rule d season

    From SkoolDaisy4, on Sun 20 Sep 10:36PM
  5. Andy Gray kept harping on about the Carvalho/Keane­ penalty all through the game but not one mention of­ Lampard's free kick which was blatantly handballed­ out the box!

    Talk about biased, i thought commentators­ were supposed to be fair?

    COME ON YOU BLUES!!!

    From aarronwaite, on Sun 20 Sep 9:03PM
  6. Lets face it spurs have not got thebottle to keep in­ the race at the top. dont know what corluca was­ doing.spurs have to show more grit. Come on you spurs.­ Spurs steve.

    From STEPHEN O, on Sun 20 Sep 8:02PM
  7. I have to hand it 2 you boys did a great job no extra­ needed you blew them away the titel is ours­ Chelsea4Life

    From Mac, on Sun 20 Sep 7:07PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account