West Brom 0-3 Chelsea

[BlueLion. 21,491]

West Bromwich Albion 0-3 Chelsea F.C.

November 15 2008, Premier League, The Hawthorns, Birmingham



Jose Bosingwa and Nicolas Anelka scored as Chelsea beat West Brom to stay top of the Premier League.

The Blues were magnificent throughout, and after resolutely denying the home team, battered their way past the West Brom backline. Jose Bosingwa's sumptuous curling effort got the ball rolling for Chelsea, before a quick fire brace from in-form French striker Nicolas Anelka gave Chelsea a three-goal advantage heading into the break.

It was the ideal response from Luiz Felipe Scolari's side, after they had been dumped out of the Carling Cup in midweek by Championship outfit. Scolari elected to make five changes to the team, with John Terry, Frank Lampard, Jose Bosingwa, Nicolas Anelka and John Mikel Obi all reinstated to the starting eleven. With Petr Cech and Ashley Cole nursing injuries, Carlo Cudicini and Wayne Bridge continued to deputise, while Branislav Ivanovic kept his place at centre-half with Alex da Costa on the sidelines. Michael Ballack was on the bench after returning from injury.

West Brom began brightly, and had a decent opportunity within 56 seconds of the kick-off, with James Morrison having a long-range effort that flew high over the bar, before Borja Valero had an effort fly just wide of Carlo Cudicini's upright. It was a positive start from the home side who had lined up in an attacking 4-4-2 formation, and they had successfully kept Chelsea's defence alert after a prolonged period of pressure early on.

However, Chelsea's class in the midfield - notably through the highly influential Deco - was beginning to take its toll on West Brom, and whenever the hosts ventured forward, the Blues looked capable of tearing their opponents apart. Kalou and Malouda both lashed shots over whilst under pressure, before Frank Lampard forced a good save from Scott Carson. Played in by Deco, Lampard's left-footed drive was palmed away well by the former Aston Villa custodian, as Chelsea's quality began to show.

Carson saved again from Malouda moments later as the French winger unleashed a hammer of a shot with his left foot that took a strong pair of wrists to keep out, as Chelsea inched closer and closer to the opening goal, but their breakthrough came from an unlikely source, as Jose Bosingwa launched an unstoppable, swerving effort into the top corner with his left boot, that Carson could only help into the goal as it looped over him.

It was Bosingwa's second goal of the season - both in consecutive trips to the Midlands - and moments later the floodgates opened as Chelsea put another two past their opponents. Nicolas Anelka was the scorer of the second goal, as he collected a brilliant headed pass from Florent Malouda. Running along the wing, he entered the West Brom penalty area before coolly chipping over the advancing Scott Carson in similar fashion to the way he had sealed the game at Blackburn. It was a classy finish from the on-song Frenchman, and he had even more reason to smile moments later.

Salomon Kalou danced around his marker before taking on another pair of defenders. The Ivorian's clever run allowed Anelka the time to run beyond the centre-backs, and, collecting the ball from his teammate, the Chelsea striker finished with aplomb on his left foot.

The second half began as the first had ended, with the yellow-clad visitors in control. Anelka had a decent opportunity to fashion a chance for his hat-trick on 53 minutes, but instead passed to Deco, whose shot was blocked by Jonas Olsson. At the other end, Andrade Filipe Teixeira - a second-half substitute for the home side - cut inside Bosingwa before launching a shot not too far over the crossbar that had Cudicini worried.

The Albion were steadily pulling themselves back into the game, and whilst the scoreline suggested otherwise, the home side's second half performance was much improved on that of the opening 45 minutes. Despite this, the final ball into the penalty area was what was letting them down, as Cudicini made several clean catches from dead-ball deliveries. Michael Ballack was soon reintroduced to first-team football, as the German midfielder came on for Salomon Kalou.

With 11 minutes remaining, Branislav Ivanovic made a good block to deny Ishmael Miller, who had been causing trouble for much of the match. Teixeira had another effort soon after, but not before John Terry was taken off due to injury. The England and Chelsea skipper was later seen sitting on the bench with an ice pack attached to his foot - the only down side to a thoroughly professional performance from the visitors.

Kim volleyed wide when in a good position and Malouda wasted a good chance to add a fourth goal when his diving header from Deco's delivery floated harmlessly wide. Didier Drogba came on to replace Anelka with a quarter of an hour remaining.

The Chelsea number 11 later had an effort from 12 yards blocked by Paul Robinson, but a resolute performance in the second period from West Brom had restricted Chelsea to just the three goals. The result, nevertheless, means Chelsea remain top of the Premier League for yet another weekend.
__________________________________________________________________

West Brom: Carson, Zuiverloon, Meite, Olsson, Robinson, Koren, Morrison, Greening, Borja Valero, Miller, Bednar
Subs: Kim, Filipe Teixeira, Donk

Chelsea: Cudicini, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Bridge, Lampard, Mikel, Deco, Kalou, Anelka, Malouda Subs: Drogba, Ballack, Ferreira

Attendance: 26,322

Star Man: Nicolas Anelka

Edited November 15, 2008 by BlueLion

[Steve 10,227]

good report thanks

[BlueLion. 21,491]

You're welcome, thanks for reading

[Elliott 7]

The Hawthorns is actually in West Bromwich, not Birmingham Alex. West Bromwich isn't a suburb of Birmingham or something, its it's own separate town.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

It also has a Birmingham post code.

[Kez 2,727]

its a seperate city though

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Whatever it may be, if you would like to discuss the geography of England, please do it elsewhere.

[Elliott 7]

It also has a Birmingham post code.

Means fuck all. My town has a Luton postcode, Bedford has a Milton Keynes postcode. Hell the entirety of Northern Ireland has a Belfast postcode, are you meaning to tell me Northern Ireland is just one big city?

I just thought I'd help you achieve accuracy with your reports mate, if you'd rather leave your reports flawed, so be it

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Erm... I was joking Fair play mate, I don't do Geography at school anymore