Premier League - Chelsea ease to crucial win
David Luiz, Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard found the net as Chelsea eased the pressure on manager Andre Villas-Boas with a 3-0 Premier League win over Bolton at Stamford Bridge.
Bolton kept the home side at bay for the first 45 minutes but, moments after the restart, Luiz's classy finish put Chelsea ahead.
Drogba doubled the lead just after the hour, heading in Lampard's corner to put Chelsea into cruise control.
Lampard, captain in John Terry's absence, then found the net himself- tucking in Juan Mata's cross to put the gloss on the win.
Having been held to a draw by Birmingham in the FA Cup and outplayed by Napoli in the Champions League, Villas-Boas was desperate for his Chelsea side to put their woes behind them and keep ahead of Arsenal in the race for fourth.
Chelsea also went into this game looking to keep their first clean sheet since Terry last featured, at Queens Park Rangers last month.
Starting positively, Chelsea had a couple of chances to go ahead in the first half - but were foiled by the alert Adam Bogdan.
Bogdan denied Lampard then Daniel Sturridge, whose curling effort from the right seemed destined for the back of the net.
Ryo Miyaichi, the Japanese teenager on loan from Arsenal, was Bolton's main threat throughout - and the forward could have given Bolton a shock lead on the stroke of half-time - but his first-time shot from Tuncay Sanli's cutback flew just over the bar.
But that was as good as it got for Bolton, as Chelsea went up a gear after the break.
Luiz joined a Chelsea attack and, seizing on a loose ball in the box, shifted the ball onto his right foot before guiding a fantastic shot into the far bottom corner.
Though the Brazilian centre-back's defensive work frequently comes in for criticism, the Brazilian can be a thrilling sight going forward.
No sooner had Bolton seemed to steady the ship, they were 2-0 down - and this time they only had their poor marking to blame.
Drogba got ahead of David Wheater to flick Lampard's corner into the back of the net - with Bogdan isolated.
Tuncay and Miyaichi came close in the second half, but Bolton's fate was sealed when Mata picked out Lampard's late run to the far post, and the unmarked midfielder swept the ball in at the far post to score his 12th career goal against the Trotters - more than he has managed against any other club.
As Owen Coyle hung his head after yet another defeat, Villas-Boas puffed out his cheeks at full-time - relieved that his side produced a performance that just when he needed it.
Comment 39 - 58 of 58
We must get rid of the old boys! they cant go on forever!
AVB, please note:
2 of Chelsea's goals were scored by golden oldies!
Man U beat Norwich 1-2, with Scholes & Giggs scoring Man U's goals.
There is no substitute for 'experience' & 'class'.
AVB, please note!
Proof that David Luiz is great going forward, but a hopeless defender. Make him into an attacking midfielder, or even a forward.
Also essential that Chelsea have a good holding midfielder; OK, can't have another Makelele, but as long as the appointed player plays a disciplined game, any one of Mikel, Romeau or Essien chould fit the bill.
Stick with the experienced Lamps & Essien, & keep your 'fellow Portugeezer' Merilies on the bench
Lampard and Essien were difference over what Chelsea have produced in the last few games.
Let's hope AVB can see it and keep them in and get a few points ahead of 5th place before he starts playing around with his "project" again.
The old guard did it for Chealsea again,don't change the team PLEASE.
fernando torres can be converted to a creative midfielder.He can be made to play behind Drogba.He has the skills,he has the pace,he has the ball sense and vision and he is a team player.He has made more assists than Mata who is supposed to be the creative person..Remember Rooney used to be an all out striker but has become most valuable in recent years pulling the strings behind the strikers and yet taking his chances when they present themselves.This role will even take off the pressure of goal scoring from Torres which is likely to help him start finding the back of the net.He is a Victim of lack of supply of sweet balls though he has blown some seaters due to pressure to score.
f
went to game, the atmosphere was like a graveyard, the chelsea crowd seem to be mostly yuppies who think their at the theatre, they sit there quiet with their prawn sandwichs
another pathetic performance! coyle OUT!!!
Just try and stay out of the relegation zone Chelsea, not enough money in the world to buy you a title again this year.
chelsea traditionally plays 433 and are reputed to keep things tight in defence .without a defence minded holding midfielder puts the last line of defence under pressure which explains why we have not kept a clean sheet for weeks now.meiriless and ramires are too attack minded and are not good defensively despite thier high energy levels.they are also not good passers of the ball to be able to supply the attackers with the required balls to score.even mata is more of a support striker than a creative midfielder..today because essien and lampard played in the midfield the pressure was less on our defence and thier ability to keep things simple ensured that chelsea created a lot of chances that was not seen at napoli..if we wish to build from todays victory we must play mikel essien and lampard in the midfield.mikel remains the best ball passer in chelsea and does not drift away into attack forgeting his defensive role.his presence would allow essien make those his dashing runs forward to enable mata and lampard supply drogba and torres adequately while sturridge comes from either flanks..mikel will always fall back whenever david luiz goes to attack.romeo should always play the holding role in the absence of mikel.remember that makalele never left his role to attack which explains why he only scored one goal throughout his chealsea career.the holding midfield role not only stabilizes the defence but initiates the attach especially with a good ball passer.this was how stanford bridge never saw defeat for over four years.our back four of ashley cole,david luiz ,cahill and ivanovic are good and can only get better.avb should not be in a hurry to change the team rather he should substitute lampard in the second half with quicker players like ramires or meriless.they must play upfront behind the strikers .meireless is good at running in from the midfield to score goals as in his days at liverpool and the burst of ramires can always put him in sight of goal .
This is a great day that most saw comming,Chelsea are now past it and should of 3 years ago started buying young talent..but cause the owners and most chelski fans are living in cloud Chelsea land they thought nothing would go wrong,and from a football fan I like most want Chelsea to fall as the days of spending big have gone,you have very little young talent and by 2014 won't even make top 4.
an unconvincing win doesn't mean anything for the long term future AVB must go
fanks frankie for showin vat w---er whos the the man,, f--k im off bck ome an let true chelsea men back in
Disappointed in Bolton. Even they should beat these overpaid, overpriced massive ego no hopers
Dat was a good one boys
Bravo Chelsea. I think you would do this against NAPOLI when next you meet for the Championship return leg. AVB should ensure that the attack is fortified while Drogba should try and find his normal for. We need somebody like MIKEL to give them good pass. Luiz has been doing the job of Mikel. Before, Mikel plays defensive midield with Essien as attacking midfielder. Why not keeping the tradition AVB? Ramires is good, but always on the fast without adequate management of situation. Sturridge, keep it up on the right flank. We need good left flank. Should Chelsea failed to qualified for the Champion League, AVB must go.
I hate to read most of these comments..they sound sooooo uneducated ......the so called big boys deliver again....and u want them offloaded...
@Rod T... you really have a very distorted image of what football is... anyone comparing Napoli with Bolton shouldn't be commenting on a football forum... well come to think about it they should.. as the comic relief guys... your comment really made me laugh...
it wud tke ye a guud hour & a half tae shave that beard aff.but yil hav plenty a time on yer hans aftar ye get sacked.
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