The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread?

But the 4-0 scoreline tells you that Betis were not the formidable force that Jose REALLY expected that they would be, or was it that Chelsea were that GOOD, and in particular a certain Mr Michael Essien who has been pilloried from post to post that he is anything worth the money that Chelsea paid Lyon for his services during the Summer.

It seems that on last night's performance, perhaps Michael Essien IS the best thing since sliced bread. Essien turned in a performance of power, pace, vision, craft and all without a mis-timed tackle. He was the force behind Chelsea's stroll against Betis and enabled Super Frank to have a rest. Frank notching up another successive appearance was still allowed to have a hand in two of Chelsea's goals.

Joaquin on the other hand, showed touches of class and crossing ability that had the rumour-mongers gathering a pace that Chelsea would be club to sign and secure his services. Some of his early crosses last night, did cause confusion in the Chelsea defence and may have, if the second ball had bounced kindly, rewarded Betis a little more than nothing. What Chelsea fans and management may not of been appreciative of Joaquin's efforts was his blatant second-half dive against his Spanish team-mate Del Horno. A dive that was rightly rewarded with a yellow card waved into the face of Joaquin by the Norwegian referee.

Chelsea were just full of class. Endeavour, an extremely strong work ethic and an on the pitch team bond (stronger than No More Nails) and after a shaky start Chelsea were 2-0 up from goals courtesy of Didier Drogba and Carvalho. Enter Essien and Lampard. Drogba's first was attributed to Essien's play in midfield. He chose to lay the ball to Drogba who beat the goalkeeper with a right foot shot, the ball taking a deflection of a Betis defender.

Lampard's contribution was placing a free-kick ball right under the Betis goalkeeper's crossbar where he duly dropped it for Carvalho to pounce.

Chelsea's third came on fifty-nine minutes when Joe Cole received the ball and turned a sublime curling shot to the bottom right of the keeper's net, but the best goal was saved to last.

Super Frank sent a 40 yard cross ball out to Wright-Phillips on the Chelsea right. Wright-Phillips bombed a cross in on the half-volley straight onto the waiting head of unmarked Hernan Crespo, who before the cross was made, stepped back behind and lost his marker.

Congratulations to Lassana Diarra who made his debut last night and has already been marked as the natural successor to Claude Makelele when Claude finally decides to hang up his boots.

Diarra got fifteen minutes AND replaced Makelele and to be honest no one would have missed him or known, Chelsea were that tight.

40 YEARS A BLUE