Chelsea at West Ham: Goal By Goal

This is the first goal by goal recap in which the opposition has scored. Hopefully we'll start a new clean sheet streak against Blackpool next weekend.

1-0 Chelsea (+0.74 pt): In Chelsea's first attack of the game, Ramires picks up the ball in the left and surges forward, smashing past several defenders before he finds himself approaching the touchline. Ramires tries to centre the ball with both Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka lurking in the box, only for Lars Jacobsen to clear it away for a corner. Drogba takes right footed, sending an inswinger into the middle of the penalty box. Michael Essien starts his run from on top of the penalty spot, alongside John Terry, but he's forced to abandon his run as the cross is delivered slightly behind him. The defender isn't expecting Essien to suddenly stop, so he's not in a position to challenge for the ball. Essien leaps, arches his back, and sends a textbook header past Robert Green towards the left side of the goal. It's hit so hard that Carlton Cole is unable to clear it despite standing on the line in reasonably close proximity.

2-0 Chelsea (+0.64 pt): Luis Boa Morte fouls Didier Drogba about 35 yards from the goal. The Ivorian striker dusts himself off and lashes a shot on goal over the three-man wall. The ball is hit hard and dipping, but doesn't hit the ground before Rob Green gets to it. The former England international should catch it cleanly, but instead lets it bounce out of his hands. With Michael Essien and Salomon Kalou closing in, centre-back Matthew Upson is lucky to get to the loose ball first, but rather than send it safely clear for a corner or a throw in he tries a downfield clearance that he doesn't connect with properly at all. Kalou, whose head was turned in anticipation of a booming clearance, clearly doesn't know what's going on as the ball bounces off his right heel and kicks up into the air. Robert Green, by now back on his feet, can only flail, horrified, as the ball floats over his head and bounces on the goalline before rolling into the net. It was a horrific pair of errors from Green and Upson to give Chelsea an insurmountable lead.

3-0 Chelsea (+0.02 pt): Ramires and Jon Obi Mikel tap the ball around in the West Ham half, eventually drawing enough attention that Paulo Ferreira's run down the right goes unnoticed by the defence. For the second time in three games, Mikel plays an absolutely stunning ball, an inch-perfect pass that leads Ferreira right into crossing position. Ferreira hits it first time, playing the ball over the unmarked Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou, leaving Michael Essien to fight it out against Tal Ben Haim. Essien overpowered his ex-teammate without a problem, leaving Ben Haim on the floor as he nodded the ball into the net. Robert Green, as is his wont, is left flapping at shadows.

Figure 1: Ferreira crosses for Essien's second goal.

3-1 Chelsea (-0.01 pt): Branislav Ivanovic gives away a corner on the left. It's delivered over the six yard box, leaving Petr Cech scrambling out to collect the ball. However, he doesn't quite get to where he needs to be, and is forced into a half-hearted punch over Michael Essien's head. He fails to connect well and the ball floats to Scott Parker to the left of the "D" of the box. As it falls out of the sky, Parker shapes to shoot, and produces a stunning sidefooted volley that flies over Ashley Cole's head and drops into the net. It was a beautifully taken goal, but Cech should have done much better with the punch. After that, there was nothing anybody could do to stop the ball finding twine.