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CHELSEA FC : Match Report: Charlton 0 Chelsea 2

Charlton v Chelsea

/noticias.info/ Second-half goals by Hernán Crespo and Arjen Robben gave top placed Chelsea three points over second placed Charlton at the Valley this afternoon, Saturday.

In addition, Crespo and William Gallas hit the post. Charlton failed to muster one shot on target. It was easily Chelsea’s best performance of the season.

The clean sheet set a top flight English record of no goals conceded at the beginning of a season. It has now gone on for six games.

Early on Chelsea were dominantly possessive. That climaxed after four minutes with Essien, Ferreira and Robben combining to set up Duff scampering along the right to knock in a cross which Crespo battled for, and the ball broke to Lampard whose flashing left-footed volley was deflected for a corner.

Lampard then received back his own short corner and smacked a low, diagonal ball through the crowd and just past the far post. Within a minute Essien won the ball off Charlton in their half and Crespo cracked an early shot on the turn which Andersen had to dive smartly to collect.

When Charlton did venture into Chelsea’s half Terry was at his extraordinary best, cushioning one header back to Cech and horizontally intercepting a through pass for Bent.

The front three were switching positions constantly, and when Robben took a pass in the centre-forward position he turned Hreidarsson, ran past Perry and fired a 20 yard power-strike which Andersen could only block up into the air.

But Charlton weren’t second for nothing, and a free-kick from the halfway line was knocked out to Rommedahl in space, and his cross found Thomas in even more space inside the area. Fortunately his shot was poor and wide.

Chelsea replied to a good Charlton spell by hitting the post. Essien robbed Kishishev and fed Crespo’s run, but the striker’s early shot beat the advancing Andersen only to bounce off the foot of the woodwork.

Charlton v Chelsea

Referee Howard Webb had been having a less than average game when, six minutes before half-time, Robben went down when trying to go past Young and grabbed the ball with his hands expecting a free-kick. Despite, at least, a handball if not a foul Webb waved play on, and Charlton sped away for Rommedahl to run at Carvalho on the edge of the area who brought him down. Carvalho was booked.

It was Murphy’s third chance to have a shot from a free-kick and the third time he belted it into the wall. It gave Charlton a surge just before half-time, however, which stimulated them to end the half strongly.

But it was Chelsea who started the second-half powerfully. Gallas, having been tripped on a run, sneaked in at the far post from Lampard’s resulting free-kick and headed against the post when everyone missed the ball.

Two minutes later Andersen had to drop smartly again when another Lampard free-kick, won by the midfielder himself, was deflected on the shot. Good hands were required as Crespo closed in.

Chelsea were on top. Robben won a free-kick wide on the left, and although this was cleared the ball was lobbed back, won by Essien, and Andersen frantically kicked it away from Crespo.

The goal had to come. Crespo provided it. Makelele won the ball off Kishishev deep in Charlton’s half, Essien crossed and Crespo powered a bullet header into the roof of the net at the near post. Nine minutes of the second-half had gone.

Within five minutes Bent got behind the defence and forced a fantastic save from Cech only to be given offside, and Robben took Duff’s pass beyond the right diagonal of the area and curled an unbelievable drive into the far top corner. Two-nil, game over.

Charlton v Chelsea

Quickly, Wright-Phillips was sent on for Duff. Now Chelsea had pace on both wings to counter. But it was Crespo who led the next attack, racing up the left before crossing for Wright-Phillips to bounce a volley at the far post which Andersen athletically touched round.

It was Crespo’s last action. Before the corner was taken Drogba replaced him, and for Charlton Ambrose and Holland substituted Kishishev and Thomas. From the corner, underhit by Robben, Rommedahl broke away and Makelele was booked for blocking him.

Charlton had switched left-backs, Spector for Robben, when Joe Cole became Chelsea’s final substitute with 12 mintues to go, replacing Robben.

The game drifted to a close. Chelsea drifted six points clear at the top — for one night at least.


Charlton: Andersen; Young (c), Perry, Hreidarsson, Powell (Spector 70); Kishishev (Holland 67), Hughes, Murphy; Rommedahl, Bent, Thomas (Ambrose 67).

Chelsea: Cech; Ferreira, Carvalho, Terry (c), Gallas; Essien, Makelele, Lampard; Duff (Wright-Phillips 62), Crespo (Drogba 66), Robben (J Cole 78).
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