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The wait for Chelsea to come to life as an exhilarating strike force continues. Her first win in seven attempts over a top-half team this season was due more to bravery than inspiration, despite two late Tammy Abraham goals giving the scoreboard a misleading appearance, masking the fact that West Ham had forced to play the game. on your terms for long periods.
Ultimately, the stamina was enough to move Chelsea to fifth place, but not to remove concerns about their lack of pace in the final third. With Thiago Silva imperious behind, Frank Lampard’s side dealt with some awkward moments as they edged out Tottenham on goal difference. They battled for a clean sheet and it was positive for Lampard to see his forwards produce some quality moments despite not playing well, which left West Ham lamenting over some powder spikes and a slow start.
“It was what we needed after two losses,” Lampard said. “Our defensive game was great. He wasn’t sure it was a beautiful game. I thought the guys handled it well. “
It was Silva who set the tone for Chelsea early on, attacking Sebastien Haller every time the ball reached the West Ham striker. The center-back’s aggression summed up Chelsea’s positive mentality, allowing them to squeeze the play.
Haller seemed a bit surprised to find a great defender who didn’t give him time to settle down. On the touchline, David Moyes yelled at the Frenchman. Angelo Ogbonna, the West Ham center-back, appeared to guide Haller through the game, telling him when to run and where to move. It didn’t feel like an ideal way to build and, with West Ham struggling to maintain possession, Chelsea’s increased intensity paid off as Silva broke the deadlock after 10 minutes, taking advantage of a poor mark to face Mason Mount’s corner. with a powerful header.
Silva celebrated with a guttural roar. Under pressure after insipid losses to Everton and Wolves, Chelsea welcomed the advance with enthusiasm. For a time they were all over West Ham. Christian Pulisic threatened lively dribbling and a second goal could have come as Mount’s low center crossed the goal.
“We need a bit of strength here,” Declan Rice yelled, no doubt furious at having taken a detour against his childhood club. The West Ham midfielder, who remains a target for Chelsea, knew his teammates were off pace. That hasn’t been the path for West Ham this season. Clumsy and physical, they had ways of hurting Chelsea. They even thought they had an early advantage when Rice scored from a tight angle after being released by a quick free throw. An offside flag shortened the celebrations.
Eager to take a solid approach, Moyes dropped the skilled but unreliable Saïd Benrahma for Mark Noble. With numbers in the midfield, West Ham began to threaten, driven by Rice. Jarrod Bowen ran to Emerson Palmieri, introduced on the left back after Ben Chilwell suffered an ankle injury, and Aaron Cresswell fired wide. Kurt Zouma cleared a shot from above from Haller, while Bowen had a goal disallowed for a questionable foul on Silva.
There was always the feeling that Chelsea had an extra team. After 43 minutes they fought back brilliantly, Pulisic a motion blur. However, when the winger released Timo Werner, the German’s lack of confidence betrayed him. Goalless since the beginning of November, Werner shot Lukasz Fabianski straight.
Werner looked up at the sky and wondered when his luck would change. He has recently missed many opportunities and a cross, cut atop Matthew Harding’s grandstand in the race, summed up his efforts for much of the night. Fortunately for Chelsea, West Ham’s front line did not ooze threat either. Early in the second half, a Cresswell crossover begged to be taken home. Haller, standing tall, looked wide.
West Ham kept pushing, becoming a nuisance, winning a series of corners. Tomas Soucek was gaining headers in midfield and Bowen was still looking for starts from the right. Forced back, with Jorginho unable to dictate the flow after starting in place of Kai Havertz in midfield, Chelsea needed to clear the air hazard.
Half chances came and went. Cesar Azpilicueta blocked when Pablo Fornals looked sure to call. Introduced by Fornals, Benrahma found space in the area and saw a deflected shot wide. However, West Ham was underbite without the wounded Michail Antonio, and finally the gulf in the class counted it. “We’ve done good things, but not enough in either box,” Moyes said afterward.
Werner was rewarded for refusing to drop his head, which helped seal the points when his cross shot found Abraham, who slid over Fabianski. Moments later, Abraham shot again from close range, taking Chelsea to safety. Lampard hopes there is more to come.
