West Ham United 1 Chelsea 3: Another nightmare for Robert Green as he repeats World Cup fumble

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hM_qNBIiJJIendofvid

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By Patrick Collins

Carbon copy: Robert Green spills the free-kick (above) that led to Chelsea's second goal (below) in similar fashion to his World Cup blunder this summer


They filed away from Upton Park on Saturday night, shrugging their shoulders and telling themselves that things might have been even worse. Time was when West Ham fans carried high hopes of a contest with Chelsea. These days, they are grateful if the roof does not fall in.

The season is four games old and 12 points now separate the London 'rivals'. West Ham's cupboard is painfully bare, while Chelsea have forgotten how to lose.

The whole affair was as predictable as Christmas. And we became increasingly aware of a significant statistic: on the three previous occasions that Chelsea won their opening four games, they went on to win the Premier League. The feat is not beyond them this time.


In earlier matches, Chelsea have revealed the full scope of their attacking talents. This time, such extravagance was unnecessary. For West Ham appear incapable of giving the best sides the shadow of an argument. They are a club reduced to staring at the usual suspects and hoping they can find three who are even less able than themselves.

Not that the manager sees it that way. When you do not have a point to your name and your side are shipping goals, there is a temptation to talk rose-tinted nonsense. Avram Grant did not try to resist.

He thought the team had 'improved in a very short time'. He observed that 'the level we played at today is not the level of relegation. We played like a team in the middle of the table'.

He even said, without a hint of a blush: 'We can take a lot of positives from this.' Nonsense, of course, and he knew it. But what can we expect from a man in his position? The truth?


Two good: Salomon Kalou doubled Chelsea's advantage


For West Ham were beaten almost out of sight by a side that seemed almost indifferent to the outcome. There was an indolence about Chelsea, as if the season has come all too easily to them. Clearly they possessed the ammunition to inflict spectacular damage but there was a sense that all would be well simply because the opposition was so poor.

The opening goal arrived in the second minute and it confirmed all the fears about the frailty of the West Ham defence. Didier Drogba - who proved the most indolent of all - launched a left-wing free-kick. Not a single defender got off the ground and Michael Essien scored with a header so simple he had the grace to seem embarrassed.


High riser: Michael Essien is unmarked as he nods Didier Drogba's past a slapdash West Ham defence


West Ham's disillusioned following were quiet, strongly suspecting that worse was to come. And they were right. After 18 minutes, Drogba dipped a free-kick from distance, Robert Green, in the West Ham goal, never looked like holding the relatively simple effort and he spilled it into the most vulnerable area.

Matthew Upson, with none of the assurance expected from an occasional England central defender, met the loose ball with a panicky hack, drove it into the body of Salomon Kalou and watched it amble across the line.

'England's No 1,' jeered the Chelsea followers as Green's face betrayed his blank bewilderment. He always knew he would take time to live down his World Cup misadventure. The wait may be a good deal longer than he imagined.


Deja vu: After managing Portsmouth for much of last season, Avram Grant's West Ham sit rock bottom of the Premier League


Yet for all the ease of their lead, Chelsea were listless. Lapses of defensive discipline allowed Victor Obinna a couple of plausible firsthalf chances, both of which were declined. John Obi Mikel retaliated with a drive which struck the angle of post and bar. And what little passion the game had ever possessed began to ebb away.

Carlo Ancelotti stood by the pitch, nagging his soporific players. Grant morosely paced the box a few yards away. You could almost believe that he was hankering for those carefree days back at Portsmouth.

John Terry, returning from the injury which had cost him England caps, was enjoying football's equivalent of an extended net against bowlers of friendly pace. He did most things right, since he was never under pressure to do things wrong, and departed, undistressed, after 82 minutes.

Chelsea scored again a minute later. Paulo Ferreira played a deep cross, Green started to advance and changed his mind and Essien leaped a couple of feet above Ben Haim for the third. The last thing we expected was West Ham retaliation, yet it arrived two minutes on when Petr Cech punched a corner clear and Scott Parker met it with a delicate volley 20 yards out.

Grant attempted optimism. 'We deserved more,' he said. 'If we were in this position after 25 or 30 games, it would be different. But I think we won't be in this position.'

Sadly, he sounded unconvincing and unconvinced.



source: dailymail
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