West Ham 1 Chelsea 1: Blues get in a spot of bother as Carlo Ancelotti rues missed chance

21 December 2009 01:05
For the second successive weekend Chelsea drew a game they might have expected to win beforehand . . . and still they moved a point further ahead of Manchester United.[LNB]Their hosts, West Ham, like Portsmouth 24 hours earlier, earned a result against a member of the collective formerly known as the Big Four to prove that the beating heart of the Barclays Premier League has become joyfully erratic.[LNB]Had there been any justice, Gianfranco Zola's side would not merely have avoided slipping to the foot of the table ahead of their Boxing Day confrontation with Pompey but earned a victory to replenish in an instant the reserves of confidence which have been eroded.[LNB]Referee Mike Dean gifted Chelsea a path back into the match when he wrongly judged a Matthew Upson tackle on Daniel Sturridge to be a foul and then compounded the folly by making Frank Lampard take the penalty three times because of encroachment by  Chelsea players.[LNB] Centre of attention: Referee Mike Dean makes Chelsea take their penalty for a third time after encroachment into the penalty box[LNB] [LNB] [LNB][LNB]Relief: Chelsea's Frank Lampard celebrates after finally having his penalty allowed[LNB]There was no discernible difference between the first two spot kicks and the third. [LNB]West Ham manager Zola said: 'The referee saw the tackle right, so it's disappointing that he took the linesman's view. He was closer and better positioned so should have stayed with his original decision.'[LNB]Then again, the portents of gloom would have descended upon the Boleyn Ground had Alessandro Diamanti's earlier penalty for the home side proved decisive. The last time West Ham beat Chelsea, in 2003, the score was 1-0 and the goalscorer an Italian, Paolo Di Canio . . . and West Ham were relegated.[LNB]If they are to stay up this season, the effervescent Scott Parker will play a pivotal role. He chested a Branislav Ivanovic header off his line midway through the first half, yet it is as the visionary force in midfield where his true worth lies.[LNB]Caught out: Ashley Cole concedes a penalty with his mis-timed tackle on West Ham's Jack Collison (right)[LNB][LNB]Sitting deep and able to spin away from tacklers, his passes pierced the Chelsea rearguard with regularity, while his calmness in front of the back four relieved the pressure. In defence, Upson was magnificent, even if his cause was helped by the absence of Nicolas Anelka. Given the sketchiness of their contributions, it was surprising that Florent Malouda and Salomon Kalou lasted until half-time.[LNB]Just when it appeared the half would end goalless, the industrious Guillermo Franco slid the ball into the path of Jack Collison, a midfielder who ran beyond the striker for once. Ashley Cole dived in and Diamanti sent Petr Cech the wrong way with a smooth spot kick.[LNB]Didier Drogba produced the one true moment of imagination after 50 minutes, chasing a bouncing ball away from goal and swivelling to strike a volley of such power and dipping precision that it looped over the stranded Robert Green and shaved the far post.[LNB] [LNB] Spot on: Alessandro Diamanti converts West Ham's penalty to open the scoring at Upton Park[LNB][LNB]In the final 15 minutes, Joe Cole ought to have put Chelsea in front instead of flapping at his shot, referee Dean should have given West Ham a second penalty for a clear foul by Ricardo Carvalho on Franco at a corner and Franco's point-blank header was somehow kept out by Cech.[LNB]Ancelotti said: 'We didn't play a good match and we are not at our best, but it's not so bad because we are four points clear.'[LNB] GRAHAM POLL: The Official Line[LNB]It was a game of penalties. West Ham were awarded the first after a clear foul by Ashley Cole and then Chelsea took three of their own. [LNB]And it could have been more. [LNB]Chelsea appealed for a handball and definitely should have had one when Robert Green fouled Salomon Kalou.[LNB]But two wrongs made a right when assistant Simon Beck incorrectly told referee Mike Dean to award a penalty against Matthew Upson. [LNB]Dean correctly made Frank Lampard take the penalty three times after encroachment from both sides the fact that there were more defenders than attackers in the area is irrelevant. [LNB]It's a pity all match officials don't ensure penalties comply with the law.[LNB][LNB][LNB] West Ham United 1 Chelsea 1 - As it happenedChelsea back captain Terry for 'helping to fix training ground visit for £10,000'West Ham owners Straumur going cheap as Gold and Sullivan prepare bidCHELSEA FC

Source: Daily_Mail