Chelsea 3 Burnley 0: match report

29 August 2009 14:52
Chelsea staged a rhapsody in blue as the expansive game that Roman Abramovich has coveted for five years finally arrived at the expense of poor, bewildered Burnley. Carlo Ancelotti's much-vaunted diamond formation proved a precious thing indeed as Nicolas Anelka, Michael Ballack and Ashley Cole weighed in with the goals that extended the Italian's flawless league record to four games. A return of 12 points in Ancelotti's first month in charge but it is the way in which they have been earned that is more significant. Chelsea outpaced and outwitted Burnley in a peerless seven-minute either side of half-time that would have had even Manchester United and Arsenal's style councils all of a flutter. Although Chelsea rapidly found their stride, Burnley were more than ready to counter-attack. After Anelka had spurned a clear sight of goal, his touch letting him down with only goalkeeper Brian Jensen to beat, Martin Paterson had one of the gift of the first half courtesy of a rare lapse from John Terry. Tyrone Mears had the beating of Frank Lampard and raced into the penalty area but, rather than shooting, elected to square the ball to Paterson, who put his shot wide when it looked to far easier to put Burnley ahead. Even the Chelsea fans seemed incredulous but Owen Coyle, the Burnley manager, continued to offer more of his loud encouragement. It was ultimately to no avail, as Coyle's side found themselves pinned back by waves of blue. The breakthrough was surprisingly long in coming but Anelka, seconds before half-time, achieved it, surging into the penalty area to convert Drogba's inch-perfect cross with a lunging finish. Chelsea were ruthless in pressing home their advantage, Ballack pouncing for the second in the 47th minute as Anelka espied the overlapping Lampard, whose ball was perfectly judged for the German to angle a diving header beyond Jensen. If that was a smooth move, it paled into ordinariness compared to Chelsea's third. The build-up was effortless in its simplicity as Cole ran on to a return ball from Lampard, executing a superb volley past Jensen from a tight angle. Michael Essien was the engine for all Chelsea's surges and almost secured a goal for himself when his shot in the 66th minute forced Jensen to leap low to his left and tip the ball around the post.

Source: Telegraph