Chelsea 5-0 Blackburn
Essien earned the Man of the Match award
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Saturday, 24, Oct 2009 07:57
By Darren Estwick.
Chelsea produced a majestic second half performance to destroy Blackburn Rovers 5-0 at Stamford Bridge.
Two second half goals by Frank Lampard and a goal a-piece from Didier Drogba and Michael Essien decimated Rovers who had earlier scored an own goal through Givet.
The opening exchanges suggested that goals were up for grabs as both teams signalled their early intent by pushing men forward at every opportunity, but it was Chelsea who caused the collateral damage.
Virtually straight from kick-off a well-worked Chelsea move ended when a cross by Lampard found the fit again Joe Cole free in the area, but he somehow contrived to nod his header wide.
A few minutes later Lampard struck a shot from well outside the area only to see the ball travel inches past the post.
Then a counter attack from Chelsea finally gave them the result they craved. A quick ball to Nicolas Anelka down the left wing who found himself in a lot of space and it was his cross that caused Gael Givet to put the ball into his own net after 20 minutes.
The Chelsea barrage continued, with Lampard heading wide when well placed, and a slick move by the home side eventually found Anelka in the clear but his shot was well blocked by Paul Robinson.
Blackburn in turn struggled to create anything for their lone front man Jason Roberts. But it was his break and then neat hold-up of the ball which allowed Pederson to have Rovers' first shot at goal.
Chelsea ended the first half as they would start the second when both Drogba and John Terry were kept out by two impressive saves by Robinson.
This brief reprieve wouldn't last however as Chelsea rammed home their advantage in the second half. Just after the resumption of play Drogba used his renowned strength to break clear down Blackburn's left and square the ball to the oncoming Lampard who finished coolly.
With the team now high on confidence Essien strode forward to crash a long range shot past Robinson for a goal which rewarded his overall performance.
Five minutes later Drogba once again created panic in the Blackburn penalty area before he was felled by Ryan Nelson for a penalty for Chelsea. Lampard made no mistake sending Robinson the wrong way.
A corner during Chelsea's next attack, taken by Michael Ballack, found the head of the rampant Drogba to complete the rout and mean that Blackburn conceded four goals in 18 minutes in the second half.
The result meant that Blackburn have failed to gather a point from ten successive away games whilst Chelsea go top of the Premier League ahead of a Manchester United's visit to Anfield on Sunday.