Derby County 0 - 2 Chelsea

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Saturday Nov 24 2007 05:15

Chelsea strolled to a comfortable victory, but at least Derby rediscovered some pride after the abject surrender in the previous home game against West Ham.

Two weeks ago, Derby were booed off by their own fans, but the only jeers that echoed around Pride Park this time were aimed at Chelsea's England players.

But the mindless booing did not distract the Londoners, who wrapped up the points with a goal in each half from Salomon Kalou and Shaun Wright-Phillips.

The only dark cloud for Chelsea arrived in the form of a deserved red card for substitute Michael Essien, who was sent on his way in stoppage time for a cynical elbow in the face of Scotland striker Kenny Miller.

By then, the game was well and truly up for the home side, but they will take some encouragement from a spirited second-half display that at times knocked Chelsea out of their measured groove.

That was certainly not the case in a one-sided opening 45 minutes in which John Obi Mikel ran the show.

Derby managed to keep Chelsea out until the 17th minute when a quick-fire exchange of passes released Kalou who coolly dispatched a low drive from 12 yards inside Stephen Bywater's left-hand post.

The Derby keeper kept his side in it by palming out a swerving shot from Wright-Phillips, but Kalou should have scored a second after a dreadful error from Claude Davis, but he blazed over the bar from five yards.

Derby finally forced Carlo Cudicini into action in the 52nd minute when Craig Fagan had a low shot blocked by the Italian, but the game was over in the 73rd minute when the visitors struck again.Andriy Shevchenko robbed Giles Barnes and broke forward and, after Frank Lampard had struck a post, Wright-Phillips hit the rebound into an empty net.

Derby should have scored in the 83rd minute, but substitute Steve Howard headed wide from six yards and the match appeared to be drifting towards the final whistle when Essien had a moment of madness that will rule him out for three matches.

Live Commentary

  • 90
    Chelsea collectall three points today but will now be without Essien for three games following his red card in the closing stages.
  • 90
    Essien is sent off for an obvious elbow late on against Miller an he must learn to control himself.
  • 90
    Lampard comes off to booes from the home support and praise from the travelling Chelsea support to be replaced by Claudio Pizarro.
  • 88
    Fagan comes off for Robert Earnshaw.
  • 87
    Derby bring on Benny Feilhaber late on here for the Oakley who appears to have picked up an injury.
  • 85
    Jones sends in a great ball from the right off a free-kick and Howard should score with his header but instead he sends it well wide of goal.
  • 84
    Lampard tries to play an unselfish pass across goal for Shevchenko but he should have shot and Derby bring the ball away.
  • 83
    Derby fans are already leaving the stadium but to be fair defeat was always on the cards this evening.
  • 82
    Essien has a chace to shoot from 30 yards and the substitute fires in a trademark shot from distance which lifts high over the bar.
  • 80
    Cole picks up the first booking after smashing the ball into the hoardings.
  • 78
    Derby bring on Steven Howard who replaces Barnes.
  • 76
    Sidwell comes off for MIchael Essien in the first change of the game.
  • 75
    Derby go down the other end and rounds Cudicini but as he tries to shoot, Ben Haim gets back to clear the ball for a corner.
  • 74
    The match has begun to slow down once more and the early spark from both sides has faded; Claude Makelele looks as though may be coming on.
  • 73
    Lampard breaks into the box and fires a shot on goal which hits the post but as the ball comes back out WRIGHT-PHILIPS gets lucky and slots the ball home from six yards out.
  • 72
    Shevchenko goes down and stays down as Chelsea bring on the physio but after a spell of treatment the striker is deemed fit to return to the pitch.
  • 70
    Oakley drifts a ball long into the box from a free-kick and Cudicini does well to get a finger to the ball ad tip the ball over the bar.
  • 67
    Miller appears to be onside as he breaks through on goal but the flag is raised as the Scottish striker lofts the ball over Cudicini and into the back of the net, a real let-off for the Blues.
  • 66
    The West Londoner's are having to work hard to win the ball in this second period and perhaps a change will be made soon by Avram Grant.
  • 63
    Chelsea are struggling to really string a number of balls together and this could be the undoing of the visiting side.
  • 61
    Shevchenko finds Kalou on the edge of the box after a mistake from Jones but the striker has the ball taken away from him.
  • 59
    Confusion inside the Derb box almost leaves Shevchenko with a tap in at the far post but Bywater recovers to dive onto the ball.
  • 58
    Miller dummies the ball into the path of Oakley who brings the ball forward before wasting possession with a poor ball towards Barnes.
  • 56
    The ball finds its way to the feet of Wright-Philips and the winger slots the ball on for the run of Shevchenko but the Ukranian is beaten to the ball by Davis.
  • 55
    Ben Haim takes too much time on the ball inside the box and struggles to work the ball out wide to Wright-Philips.
  • 54
    Derby are starting to make more of a fist of this match early on here and Chelsea my just have to go for it.
  • 53
    The ball is sent through to Fagan who is clean in on goal but sends his shot straight into the arms of Carlo Cudicini.
  • 51
    The corner is sent in by Lampard but straight into the arms of Bywater who clutches the ball to his chest.
  • 50
    Lampard comes very close to the second, firing in a shot from the free-kick which Bywater has to scramble across to claw the ball away.
  • 49
    Cole races forward and is shoved to the ground by Fagan and Chelsea have a chance from the edge of the penalty area.
  • 48
    The Ram's come close through Matty Oakley who worked his way out right and then fired a driven shot across the face of goal and just wide of the far post.
  • 47
    Neither manager has made a change to their side at the start of this second half.
  • 45
    The second half gets underway through Chelsea and are we going to see a more enthusiastic performance from the visitors in this second half?
  • 45
    The half is brought to a close and it will be interesting to see if Chelsea go for a second at the beginning of the second half and whether or not Derby will make any changes.
  • 45
    The fourth official indicates that there will be a minimum of one minute added on at the end of the half.
  • 45
    Shevchenko appears to have taken the ball out of play down on the left side but play is waived on much to the discruntlement of the home support.
  • 45
    The match has become rather dull after Kalou's goal and although Chelsea are in charge the are not really going for another goal.
  • 45
    Kalou sprints forward and knocks the ball forward for Shevchenko who can't get onto the ball and it runs out of play for a Ram's goal kick.
  • 44
    Claude Davis heads straight into the path of Kalou who somehow smashes the ball over the bar from six yards out.
  • 42
    Miller loses possession after a brilliant tackle from Belletti but the Brazilian passes straight to a Derby man.
  • 41
    Tal Ben-Haim spreads the ball out to Belletti who works it back to the Isreal International as Chelsea continue to dominate.
  • 39
    Lampard runs across to take the corner kick as the booes rain down on him, such is the extent to which he has been singled out as a scapegoat for England's poor performances.
  • 38
    John Terry lumps the ball forward for Lampard who heads the ball into the path of Wright-Philips who fires in a low hefty shot which cannons out for a corner.
  • 37
    Winger Wright-Philips makes a hash of a back-heel and Derby clear but only as far as a Chelsea man and the home side are struggling to get into this game.
  • 35
    Wright-Philips races down the right hand side and works his way into the box after working his way past Leacock and lets off a stunning driven shot which is beaten away by Bywater who saw it late.
  • 34
    Chelsea are strolling around with the ball and look as if they can score at will here, surely Derby can't capitulate again can they?
  • 32
    Jones shimmy's and lets off a shot straight into the legs of Juliano Belletti but the ball ricochets back out to McEveley the shot is sent high into the night's sky.
  • 30
    Derby begin to get into this match as Fagan holds up the ball and wins a throw-in.
  • 29
    Lampard tries to find Kalou in the box with a low cross but his bll is too close to Bywater who comes out to collect.
  • 27
    Barnes tries to make his way past Cole but the left-back holds his ground and clears the danger.
  • 26
    Kalou gets possession from Shevchenko's ball but as he turns the ball escapes from his feet and rolls off to Claude Davis who clears.
  • 24
    Lampard plays a back-heel into the path of Ashley Cole who has come in for Wayne Bridge who doesn't even make the bench today.
  • 22
    Giles Barnes receives the ball from the midfield and has a great chance from 16 yards but his shot is scuffed and Chelsea regain possession.
  • 21
    The visitors have silenced the home support to an extent here and it is now the West Londoner's who are making all the noise.
  • 19
    John Obi Mikel links up with Shevchenko who finds Lampard out wide but the midfielder fails to find a man with his pass and has started poorly in truth in these opening exchanges.
  • 18
    Frank Lampard lines up a shot from 30 yards but sends his driven effort high over the bar.
  • 17
    Chelsea work the ball forward with ease from the back and Steve Sidwell slots a through-ball into the path of Kalou and the Ivorian finishes with a-plom to give Chelsea the lead.
  • 16
    Jay McEveley finds David Jones with a long ball down the wing and then he plays the ball towards Kenny Miller but the Scot misplaces his pass and Chelsea win the ball back.
  • 14
    The match is yet to fire into life here but the tempo is high and atmosphere is still deafening.
  • 12
    Chelsea have been the better side in the early stages but as a ball into the box from Shaun Wright-Philips lands for Andriy Shevchenko, Dean Leacock gets a full head onto the ball to clear.
  • 10
    Echoes of 'where were you on Wednesday night' ring round the stadium, England's failure to qualify for the European Championships the focus of chanting from the home support.
  • 8
    Salomon Kalou races forward and flashes the ball across goal but Stephen Bywater gets a hand to the ball and away from danger.
  • 7
    The atmosphere inside Pride Park is electric as the visiting fans look to give as good as they get for their under-fire players out on the pitch.
  • 5
    Chelsea are struggling to get themselves into this match as Derby work hard to make an impression early on.
  • 4
    Chelsea's IEngliand nterational players are being booed by the Derby support early on.
  • 2
    Derby win an early corner but Craig Fagan's corner is poor and drifts over the bar.
  • 0
    This evening's referee will be Andre Marriner who has handed out 17 yellows and one red card in just five matches this season.
  • 0
    Chelsea's injury woes continue with Petr Cech, Paulo Ferreira, Ricardo Carvalho and Michael Ballack definately out but Ashley Cole and John Terry could return.
  • 0
    Defenders Claude Davis and Dean Leacock return after injury and striker Kenny Miller has also returned to fitness for Derby today.
  • 0
    The match is underway at Pride Park and Chelsea, unbeaten since defeat against Manchester United on Sept 23rd look for a victory and a place in the top three.
  • 0
    Chelsea XI: Cudicini, Belletti, Terry, Ben-Haim, Ashley Cole, Obi, Lampard, Sidwell, Wright-Phillips, Shevchenko, Kalou.
  • 0
    Derby XI: Bywater, Griffin, Davis, Moore, Leacock, McEveley, Fagan, Oakley, Jones, Miller, Barnes.

Statistics

Derby County
Shots on target 4
Shots off target 5
Shots off bar/post 0
Fouls 8
Offsides 1
Corners 3

Chelsea
Shots on target 5
Shots off target 3
Shots off bar/post 1
Fouls 6
Offsides 1
Corners 2

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