RÖGTÖN LEFORDÍTOM! :-)

A superb Chelsea performance at Stamford Bridge saw the Blues win 3-0 against Liverpool with goals from Hasselbaink and Gudjohnsen and an own goal from Westerveld.

You could hardly imagine two more different performances than Thursday in Switzerland and today at the Bridge - such is the Chelsea way!

Despite Liverpool dominating possession they passed it to death in midfield and Chelsea were happy to let them do it and look far more dangerous on the break. If ever there was an example of a side over elaborating this was it as Liverpool went side to side and backwards but only managed to two shots on target in 90 minutes as Chelsea's defence comfortably handled anything they tried to do. Largely playing on the break Chelsea on the other hand looked far more likely to score, which they did 3 times.

The pattern of the game was set by two early goals in 90 seconds. Firstly a Zola corner after 9 minutes was swung in and despite a huge difference in size Wise put Westerveld under enough pressure that the Liverpool goalkeeper mistimed his punch sending the ball flying into the net. It was just the start Chelsea needed after recent troubles and it was to get even better. Lovely work by Zola and the excellent Gudjohnsen in his first start freed Hasselbaink just inside the box and the Dutchman does what he does best, firing home an unstoppable first time shot high into the net.

With Chelsea's defence looking back to it's best from last season it always looked comfortable from there on in. Chelsea were happy to let Liverpool have the ball and play in front of them, if they came near the box the excellent Leboeuf, Desailly and Melchiot snuffed out any sign of danger. The only Liverpool chance in the first half was a fine shot by Owen that the returning De Goey parried well.

The second half started and Liverpool nearly got a breakthrough with the ball falling to Barmby but his shot trickled across the goal and wide. Chelsea were largely playing on the break and special mention for Eidur Gudjohnsen on his first start for the Blues who looked to have formed an immediate partnership with Hasselbaink that was causing Liverpool all sorts of problems.

Wise and the excellent Gerrard were booked as the game really livened up early in the second half and the atmosphere was back to it's best too. Chelsea then sealed the victory when some slack defending allowed Gudjohnsen to run at the keeper, cooly round him and slot the ball home for a goal his performance merited.

With Albert Ferrer also making his first start of the season in an unfamiliar right midfield role, ahead of Melchiot at right back, and Babayaro on in the second half it was the game to welcome back old faces - and old performances! This was Chelsea's first Premiership win since the opening day of the season and was a much needed morale boosting performance and result. Claudio Ranieri's first two Premiership games have seen excellent performances against top quality opposition and hopefully the Blues can now build on that during the two week break for Internationals.

At the start of the day Chelsea lay in the bottom 3, this win coupled win Arsenal's defeat of Man Utd see's the Blues just 5 points off those two sides. When you consider that Chelsea have also played 6 of the top 7 in their first 8 games it also indicates that they have already got some of the season's toughest games out the way already. Has any team ever won the title after being in the bottom 3 at some stage? If Ranieri can get the Blues playing like this in the Premiership every week then the fading dream may once again become a distinct possibility.

Ranieri was delighted with the performance afterwards :"The first half hour was electric for me. That was a success I wanted and the players wanted. It was the spirit and mentality I wanted.

"We played very intelligently. I changed the system but it's not the system, it is the players who made the difference because of their mentality. I complimented the players for the way they played. I wanted to send the fans away proud and I'm happy that we did."

Houllier too had no complaints : "We got what we deserved because we gifted two goals. When you give away two presents like that you can't expect to beat Chelsea away from home."

"We knew the first goal was of vital importance because we knew Chelsea were short on confidence. That goal gave them a boost and they scored the second when we were probably in shock."
 
 

Westerveld 10 og, Hasselbaink 11, Gudjohnsen 71

Chelsea: de Goey, Leboeuf, Desailly, Hasselbaink (Flo 80), Wise, Le Saux, Melchiot, Ferrer (Babayaro 72), Gudjohnsen, Dalla Bona (Morris 76), Zola.
Subs not used: Cudicini, Aleksidze
Booked: Wise

Liverpool: Westerveld, Henchoz, Ziege, Babbel, Heskey, Owen, Hyypia, Hamann, Gerrard, Barmby (Fowler 67), Carragher (Heggem 67).
Subs not used: Murphy, Arphexad, Traore
Booked: Gerrard
 

Att: 34,966
Ref: D Gallagher (Banbury)