The Blue Flag Bursts the Bubbles

It has been the perfect Christmas for Chelsea with another twelve points out of twelve and I suppose the icing on the cake would be an Arsenal win at Highbury against Man Utd not that it will matter too much if the 'Nal can't acheive a simple wish. Well Arsenal have never done so before LOL.

Since the defeat at United way back in November, Chelsea have played nine and won nine, conceding three goals in the process.

The Special One made five changes to the team that beat Birmingham on Saturday. In came Geremi, Del Horno, Duff, Drogba and Makelele.

Michael Essien only lasted thirteen minutes after a tackle by Utd's Reo-Coker appeared to have caused damage to Essien's ankle ligaments. No doubt the headlines will be something along the lines of 'What goes around, comes around,' referencing to Essien's recent bad press after tackles against Haim, Hamman and the Lauren 'I need a new tooth.'

Chelsea took the lead on twenty-four minutes with a goal by Super Frank. From a Geremi throw in the ball bounced up over the duelling Drogba and Ferdinand. Benayoun inexplicably headed the ball back towards his own goal straight into the path of Lampard who scissor kicked a volley past the grasping Carroll.

Arjen Robben had two chances either side of Frank's goal to make the half-time chat more comfortable. Firstly he volleyed straight at Carroll from a Del Horno cross and weaved his way through a couple of challenges before shooting and forcing Carroll into a fine diving save down to his right.

As comfortable as Chelsea were, life in the second-half started dismally as within 21 seconds West Ham were level, with their only real chance of the game. John Terry trying to clear a long ball could only play the ball against Reo-Coker who played foward and slid in the dangerous Harewood. Harewood managed to poke the ball through Cech's legs. The ball looped up and looked as if it was going over the bar, Harewood didn't give up and pushed the ball over the line, right on the line.

On sixty minutes, JM brought on Crespo for Duff and within seconds Crespo had restored Chelsea's lead. From a West Ham mix-up Robben fed the ball through to Crespo who beat the offside trap, went round Carroll and powerfully stroked the ball high into Carroll's net. On Saturday Crespo had enough chances to score six - today he could have had a hat-trick in ten minutes. Firstly he curled a shot just wide of Carroll's far post and minutes later from a Drogba cross on the Chelsea right, Crespo blasted high and wide.

The goal of the game was scored by 'The Drog' who received a wonderful pass from Gudjohnsen on the Chelsea right, strolled into the West Ham area and drilled a fine low shot past the hapless Carroll. Drogba was a thorn in West Ham's side. He attacked, he defended and generally made a complete nuisance of himself.

Is Drogba finally proving to be worth the huge transfer fee?

Substitute Crespo was substituted himself during the final minutes with what looked to be a hamstring injury.

40 YEARS A BLUE!