Chelsea 4-1 West Ham - Match preview

Chelsea emerged victorious against West Ham United in the London derby with goals from Alex, Florent Malouda, and a brace from Didier Drogba.



The home side struck first with a header from Alex, but a wonder strike from Scott Parker restored parity. But second-half goals from the Ivorian and the Frenchman ensured the Blues secured the victory that sent them back to the top of the Premier League.

The visitors' manager Gianfranco Zola decided to freshen up his attack by giving Mido, Araujo Ilan and Kieron Dyer a look in, while leaving Alessandro Diamanti, Guillermo Franco and Carlton Cole to warm the bench.

Meanwhile, Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti welcomed Yury Zhirkov on the bench following the Russian's return to fitness, while Michael Ballack made a return after serving a suspension. Also, goalkeeper Ross Turnbull was handed a league debut owing Petr Cech and Henrique Hilario being unavailable through injury.

Zola was given a warm welcome by the home fans for his contributions to the club during his playing days, just prior to the referee getting the game under way.

The match began with the home side showcasing their intent early on, with Florent Malouda slicing a shot wide of goal in the second minute. The pressure on the visitors began to mount when Jonathan Spector produced a clearance with Paulo Ferreira looking threatening. Within a matter of seconds, a shot from former Hammers midfielder Frank Lampard produced a block from Danny Gabbidon.

Ilan could have, should have, but crucially did not open the scoring, when the ball fell to him after some good play from Spector and Mido, as the Brazilian's shot went over the bar from eight yards.

Having breathed a sigh of relief, the hosts took the lead after 15 minutes of the game had been played. Malouda, who had been very lively until that point, sent in a cross that saw Alex head from six-yards. The marking on that occasion was questionable, as the Brazilian should have been dealt with as his French team-mate was sending in the cross that ultimately broke the deadlock.

Ancelotti's men were beginning to take the game by the scruff of the neck by dominating heavily after drawing first blood, and it appeared as though West Ham were in for a harsh lesson in football.

However, the travelers scored against the run of play, when Parker chested the ball down and struck it early to level the terms through a stunning effort from 25-yards out. Debutant 'keeper Turnbull was left with no chance in stopping the effort, as visiting fans were sent into dreamland following the strike.

Chelsea tried to get back into the lead after the game had been put back into a state of equilibrium, but their attacks did not reach fruition. On one occasion, Frank Lampard had a go from range, but Robert Green was up to the shot and made a one-handed save to keep his side in the game.

The second period began with the away side seeing more of the ball than they did prior to the break, but Malouda was still causing a fair amount of trouble down the left side.

The former Olympique Lyonnais winger was involved in an attack that ensured his side regained the lead, when a surge forward from skipper John Terry saw the ball passed to Malouda, whose cross was converted by Drogba, who headed in from close range.

Immediately after scoring, the Blues had a chance to pull away from their opponents, when Alex threatened to score his second of the game, but Green produced a superb low save to his right and ensured that the score line remained unchanged.

The former Milan boss brought on Joe Cole in place of Nicolas Anelka to add some more weight to his midfield, while the Hammers, bereft of ideas while going forward, made a double substitution by bringing on Carlton Cole and Junior Stanislas in place of Mido and Dyer respectively.

After 77 minutes of play, Malouda was well rewarded for his efforts when he found the back of the net with a low shot from the edge of the area.

Things got worse for the Hammers towards the end of the game, as Lampard took a strike from range that Green parried, only for Drogba to poke it home and heap more woe on a defense that had looked creaky all along.

As the man in charge brought the proceedings to a halt, the home side walked away with all three points to go back to the pinnacle of the Premier League.