West Ham United vs. Chelsea, Premier League: Half-time report

Chelsea have been quite literally under siege for good periods of the first half, with West Ham putting in cross after cross after cross after cross, aiming for the big guy up top of course.  At one point, West Ham lead in that statistical category 13-to-1 (it's 14-4 at the half).

Fortunately, Chelsea have been equal to that challenge and, taking advantage of one moment when West Ham tried to get a bit fancier in their attack, countered swiftly, accurately, and to devastating effect.  Kante won the ball as he so often does, by the the left touchline, released Hazard who drove at goal, played a great one-two with Pedro, took the ball around Randolph, and slotted coolly into the back of the net.  One shot, one kill.

This is perhaps not exactly according to plan.  With Fabregas starting, we surely expected him to control the game, but he's had fewer touches than Gary Cahill.  But, 1-0 is 1-0 and it really should've been 2-0, except Costa whiffed on a shot and then both Moses and Pedro were denied on the rebounds.  Chelsea then made a mess of another glorious counter before the half-time whistle blew.  Just imagine if we were actually good at counterattacking, as we're often accused of being.

So, room for improvement and probably need an early second goal to settle things.  The aerial threat of West Ham is hard to completely discount.

COME ON, CHELSEA!