Sat, 28th Oct 2006

Goals from Frank Lampard and Michael Ballack, and a penalty save by Hilario, gave
Chelsea a fifth win in a row, a sixth away win in a row, and a 12th consecutive game
without defeat.

But Didier Drogba suffered an injury which required a precautionary x-ray after he had
been substituted.

Sheffield United had conceded only four goals in four home games before today. They
lost in front of their biggest crowd of the season, 32,321.

Andriy Shevchenko and Ashley Cole had not travelled north on Friday, rested as the run
of games takes in a midweek fixture every week from the beginning of October to mid-
December.

The first surprise was the music as the teams took the pitch: the Star Wars theme tune.
You expected Jose Mourinho to come flying out in some space vehicle.

There was a welcome 'Get better' message from the stadium announcer to Petr Cech
which was greeted by applause from both home and away fans before the teams were
read out.

United were forced into an early change when Tong was injured as he twisted his leg
when challenging with Cole for the ball. Cole had pulled his shirt. After half-time he re-
appeared behind the United bench using a crutch. Montgomery, on his 25th birthday, took
his place.

Around the 15th minute there was far too much activity in the Chelsea penalty area. After
an unchallenged Quinn cross from the United right had been headed by Ferreira for a
corner leaving the home team claiming Carvalho had fouled Hulse as he caught him with
his hand as they prepared to jump, the corner wasn't cleared and Drogba made a
masterful six yard box clearance from the second low cross coming in with Hilario by-
passed. Then when the third cross came in referee Atkinson of West Yorkshire
astonishingly pointed to the penalty spot as Drogba and Davis challenged for the ball.

Chelsea argued politely, but the referee had made up his mind, pointing to his shirt and
gesturing that Drogba had tugged on Davis. Webber took the penalty and pussy-footed it
to Hilario's left, the goalkeeper swooping confidently to push it aside and pull off the best
save so far of his Chelsea career.

In the next eight minutes every trivial decision went Chelsea's way, but when Ferreira
was bundled off the ball running into the area only a goal-kick was given ? it looked at
least as bad a foul as Drogba's, and when Drogba charged away on to a Cole pass he was
flagged offside: he was clearly onside.
Chelsea were struggling wide, allowing too many crosses in to the area. Also, possession
was not being maintained or won sufficiently in midfield.

Chelsea looked certain to take the lead five minutes before the interval with the best
football of the first-half. Starting from Hilario, Bridge and Terry, the ball was played up
to Ballack who released Ferreira, and his cross was knocked back across goal, then
Drogba headed it back again and Lampard arrived to head for the net from close range,
but Kenny pulled off a fantastic, flying point-blank save.

Chelsea kept attacking, and as Lampard played the ball into the area, he was felled by
Leigertwood. Referee Atkinson gave the foul only when there was no advantage and
booked Leigertwood. Lampard took the free-kick centrally from nearly 30 yards, and
swerved it towards and away from Kenny who selected the wrong line and dived out of
the way. It was Lampard's fifth goal of the season.

There was still time for United to get in another two right-wing crosses which Terry and
Carvalho headed away before the half-time whistle.

Drogba had been carrying a leg injury since midway through the first-half, he'd twice had
treatment, and for the second-half Kalou replaced him.

Ballack, who had not been having one of his better games, made a crucial interception
right at the beginning of the second period when United's corner, won on the run down
their right, wasn't cleared.

And with Ferreira having conceded a free-kick on the edge of the area, it was a very edgy
start. But the free-kick was poor, and Kalou broke with pace when Bridge and Carvalho
worked the ball away, and his pass only just failed to find Robben.

Chelsea's next attack brought the second goal. Kalou knocked back a diagonal forward
ball to Robben, Robben turned well and found Lampard wide whose left-wing cross was
headed in at the far post by Ballack.

Chelsea were on song. Lampard was just wide twice, more good Kalou play set up
Robben whose right-footed shot was well blocked by Kenny. The ball spurted up in the
air but Lampard was flagged offside as he headed in. In fact, Cole was the more
obviously offside, and that may have been harsh too.

The referee's performance antagonised Chelsea further when he failed to give a handball
against Montgomery that even the linesman had flagged for and Gillespie fired just over.
Immediately the game began to get out of hand. Webber went in mentally high on
Ferreira, Quinn did the same on Ballack, the free-kick was given for the first foul but the
referee then ran away as furious Chelsea demanded better control.

Montgomery finally got booked for taking out Kalou as he sprinted away down the left-
wing after good play by Bridge. It was another bad foul and the referee was struggling.
But with a string of substitutions following the game went quiet. Chelsea were closing it
down, and with eight minutes left Makelele replaced Robben and Chelsea switched to a
midfield diamond with Wright-Phillips making a front two with Kalou.

Kalou showed a greater all-round confidence following his 90 minutes at Blackburn, and
the game was won with no booking suffered.

Sheffield United (4-4-1-1) Kenny; Bromby (Kozluk 59), Jagielka (c), Davis, Armstrong;
Gillespie (Kabba 67), Tonge (Montgomery 7), Leigertwood, Webber; Quinn; Hulse.
Booked Leigertwood (41), Montgomery (59).

Chelsea (4-3-3) Hilario; Ferreira, Carvalho, Terry (c), Bridge; Ballack, Essien, Lampard;
Robben (Makelele 82), Drogba (Kalou h-t), J Cole (Wright-Phillips 67).
Scorers Lampard (42), Ballack (48).
by Neil Barnett