Premier League - Chelsea take derby spoils

Eurosport - Sun, 23 Aug 23:27:00 2009

Chelsea maintained their 100 per cent start to the new Premier League season with a 2-0 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage.

FOOTBALL 2009-2010 Premier League Chelsea Didier Drogba - 0

Strikers Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka were on target in either half in what was a comfortable three points for Carlo Ancelotti's side.

Victory for the Blues saw them join Tottenham on nine points at the top of the fledgling table, behind only on goal difference.

Drogba broke the deadlock on 39 minutes with his third of the season, Anelka slipping the Ivorian through after having received the ball rather fortuitously from Frank Lampard.

There was a hint of offside as Drogba raced in on goal but the flag stayed down and he made no mistake with a typically deadly finish past Mark Schwarzer.

Chelsea dominated possession and Fulham rarely threatened Petr Cech's goal, but the points were only made safe when Drogba turned provider to send Anelka through on goal in the 76th minute.

The Frenchman, following the earlier example of his fellow striker, finished expertly, taking the ball round Schwarzer before slotting into an empty net.

Drogba's opener was the first real chance of the game, and Chelsea's first shot on target, in what proved to be a tight opening period that offered little by way of goalmouth action.

Fulham set their stall out early with containment clearly Fulham boss Roy Hodgson's main aim, as the hosts allowed the visitors to come onto them and hoped to hit on the break.

Clint Dempsey nearly succeeded in doing just that after just two minutes, the American firing over the bar on the turn from Zoltan Gera's ball into the box.

That proved as close as Fulham were to get as Chelsea flexed their muscles and stamped their authority on the game, albeit in an understated way.

Michael Ballack fired over the bar from a 12th minute free-kick before the German miscued a header from a free-kick with the flag staying down, despite the German clearly being in an off-side position.

Frank Lampard saw a second-half strike at goal easily saved by Schwarzer, but otherwise, the Blues largely failed to create goalscoring opportunities, despite their bossing of the game.

At the other end, chances were even harder to come by as Bobby Zamora and Clint Dempsey - paired in the absence of injured striker Andrew Johnson- struggled against John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho.

Damien Duff, recently signed from Newcastle, made his Fulham debut, but the Irish winger's impact on the game was minimal. Hodgson will want to see more from his latest recruit in the months to come.

Hodgson will also hope the injury sustained by captain Danny Murphy in the 69th minute does not prove too serious with a long trip to Russian side Perm in the Europa League looming on the horizon.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport

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  1. its stil early 2 tel who is goin 2 win d epl we v only­ play few games,take hull city wen dey started in d­ league d boys were on fire like burnly b4 d season was­ over they were burn out we wil c after christmas!!i­ dont mean 2 hurt ay1 feelin is a fact!!

    From samuel b, on Mon 24 Aug 1:50PM

  2. no.90 wat is ur point?!

    From samuel b, on Mon 24 Aug 1:34PM

  3. I have a feeling Chelsea will win the Champions League­ this year

    From ThomasP, on Mon 24 Aug 10:31AM

  4. wheres jenko1002000 reply then chelsea rentboy­ turdburglar and nob

    From DAZGGMU-RED-LEGEND-OF-YAHOO, on Mon 24 Aug 9:18AM

  5. I thought these pages were for football discussion! not­ for spam (ipodwiips3) and that mug Donney who is an­ ermbarresment to any decent living Scot!! Go get a life­ mate.

    From andyjenkins25, on Mon 24 Aug 9:08AM

  6. well i did predict chelsea for the crown, and perhaps­ spurs, for second,. but arsenal, have to be respected,.­ man city the dark horses.

    From joe, on Mon 24 Aug 8:48AM

  7. Emir?? What are you on!? Pre season friendlies...none­ lost , Charity shield....won!, all prem games won!,­ Ancelotti a loser? Yeah right! Watch and learn MUG.

    From andyjenkins25, on Mon 24 Aug 8:37AM
  8. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    chelsea is going down!
    anceloti is da bigest loosaaa

    From emir_radyo6, on Mon 24 Aug 7:51AM
  9. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    clean up British of disease vote BNP

    From sirstevejones, on Mon 24 Aug 6:44AM

  10. is Anelka is muslim.am hearing it for the first­ time.where does he come from. but it was a good­ performance from those lad.hope they will keep it up

    From helen, on Mon 24 Aug 6:32AM

  11. Anelka still scored n made a good performance even­ though he is fasting during the month of ramadhan...

    From pujai, on Mon 24 Aug 3:40AM

  12. philip h you talk a lot of sense

    From long suffering brit, on Mon 24 Aug 12:46AM

  13. Holy Smokes 3 London clubs in the top of the Prem and­ to top it all off a team that was the laughingstock at­ the begin of the season last year is on top with 100%­ record ......*rubs eyes*......Spurs number 1­ atm....WAAAHH!!

    From carlos c, on Sun 23 Aug 11:24PM

  14. 'Come on Chelsky. This is our year. I wish all the­ best­ for the team - from your most loyal fan in­ SouthEast­ Asia!!!!!' says gbonglong. Bill oddie,­ well known naturalist and zoo-oligist closely examines­ the northerner's illiteracy to spell­ 'chelsea' and the stolen car outside his house­ :D

    From chelseaboy, on Sun 23 Aug 10:45PM

  15. ON TOP...
    english PL has 56% foreigners...
    imagine what­ would happen when they all gone ??
    Italy has only­ 24%
    if u see EPL all english ... u r an idiott
    look at­ your national team... hehehe... far behind ITALY ,­ SPAIN , GERMANY and even FRANCE
    look at the history­ books u narrow minded... u won nothing in over 50­ years.
    Do not think that u can manage without help from­ hated foreigners.

    From Danny, on Sun 23 Aug 10:32PM

  16. Come on Chelsky. This is our year. I wish all the best­ for the team - from your most loyal fan in SouthEast­ Asia!!!!!

    From gbonglong, on Sun 23 Aug 10:28PM

  17. my apoligies derek s. message was for foreigner below­ you. ie dys-nyandoro

    From brian, on Sun 23 Aug 10:05PM

  18. nr 88...
    i c your team didnt have good start...­ hehehe
    do not worry about African Cup.
    Our main frast­ will b Lamp and Deco u foool
    also do not forget Sheva­ will shine
    and on top We got new face from Serbia and­ Man City...
    so keep your nose down cos no one want to­ read your bollloks.
    TRUE BLUE FOR LIFE

    From Danny, on Sun 23 Aug 10:00PM

  19. derek s, get your facts straight. George Best was from­ the UK, born and bred in Belfast and not one of those­ so called foreigners you refer to. Check your­ ancestors.??

    From brian, on Sun 23 Aug 9:58PM

  20. what more can we tell 'em? We are the team of the­ season and no weapon/team battle against us shall­ prosper.
    Chelsea for Top!!!!!

    From Ngunongon, on Sun 23 Aug 9:54PM
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