sunday papers west ham away 1-0

Sunday Times
Chelsea stay in the hunt
West Ham 0 Chelsea 1
Nick Townsend at Upton Park

SOME personnel you confine to camp at times like this. Others you call to arms, whatever the mission. Guus Hiddink had unhesitatingly placed Frank Lampard in the latter contingent. “Even if I had suggested to Frank that he would be rested today, he would have given me the look that said, ‘Boss, don’t do that’. He wanted to play”.
You could understand the Chelsea manager’s rationale – even at the conclusion of this of all weeks, and with the prospect of Tuesday’s hostile terrain of the Camp Nou three days away. Lampard, criticised on a London radio show on Friday over comments made by his estranged partner, phoned in himself and took the presenter to task. Coincidentally, it had also happened to be the first anniversary of the death of his mother, Pat.
Some, mindful that this was a return to his former club, where there exists residual hostility at his departure, may have been content to join those who were rested. In the circumstances, the tasteless abuse from followers of a club he left eight years ago won’t have unduly perturbed him. And at the conclusion, “Fat boy”, as they still refer to him here, thrust both arms high in a victory salute, in the direction of the occupants of the Bobby Moore stand, before striding to the tunnel, grinning ear to ear, and gaining a hug from West Ham manager and former Chelsea teammate, Gianfranco Zola.
“They haven’t forgiven him,” reflected Zola sadly. “To see him have a problem with the crowd makes me sorry.”
Lampard had responded with one of those typical performances, of diligence and vision, that made one question the wisdom of his peers not to shortlist him at least for the player of the year award. His display reached its peak 10 minutes after the break. He sent up a tantalising ball from near the byline. Robert Green flapped at it and just did enough to propel the ball towards Salomon Kalou, who netted easily.
As a rehearsal for Tuesday, Hiddink cannot have asked any more. The Dutchman had left Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack and Michael Essien on the bench. Ashley Cole’s enforced absence on Tuesday night had prompted Hiddink to deploy Jose Bosingwa, naturally a right-back, whose forte is attack rather defense, to prepare for the task ahead. It didn’t actually prove too much. As a sparring partner, even Luis Boa Morte’s fiercest advocates would place him some way short of Lionel Messi. He rarely troubled the Portugal defender as West Ham performed as though in awe of their fellow Londoners.
The additional benefit for Hiddink was that Petr Cech has swallowed a confidence restorative in the past week. Clean sheets in successive games was achieved with a fine penalty save from Mark Noble.
Chelsea began as though suffering from a certain ambivalence. However, one expected rather more from the Hammers. Zola, who has signed a new four-year contract with the club, said beforehand that he regarded yesterday’s confrontation with Hiddink as “a privilege”. It’s a bit like Sir Edmund Hilary being confronted by a climber delighted with himself for having successfully ascended a Brecon Beacon. One is a world adventurer of more than 25 years’ standing as a distinguished coach at club and national level. The other still consults his route map, harbouring a belief that the career in front of him will prove equally rewarding.
The Europa League will suffice for now, even though that eventuality would make it likely that the Hammers would enjoy a congested season. The Hyacinth Buckets of football may have given the old Uefa Cup a posh new title, but for the seventh-placed Premier League qualifying team it will still require 19 games to win the trophy. Such foreign adventures look good in a manager’s portfolio, but its effects on a club can be decidedly double-edged.
Here the Hammers did precious little to demonstrate that they will secure that place. Admittely, Cech denied Kieron Dyer, who was starting his first game since August 2007, in an opening half in which John Mikel Obi also cleared off the line from Diego Tristan, who immediately after the interval spurned another promising opening.
Chelsea had seen Florent Malouda and Nicolas Anelka go close before the break. But Lampard finally provided the breakthrough. If Green was partly culpable for that, at least he atoned with a fine block from Nicolas Anelka, as Chelsea looked to secure victory while Cole’s venomous drive was just over. The Blues could have lived to rue those missed chances when Kalou felled Herita Ilunga in the area with 20 minutes remaining. But it was the Chelsea goalkeeper who guessed correctly and made the decisive move. And, where his critics are concerned: Cech mate.
WEST HAM: Green 5, Neill 6, Tomkins 6, Upson 6, Ilunga 7, Boa Morte 5 (Nsereko 72min), Noble 7, Dyer 6 (Sears 61min), Stanislas 6, Tristan 6, Di Michele 5 (Kovac 61min)
CHELSEA: Cech 7, Mancienne 6 (Ballack 82min), Ivanovic 7, Terry 7, Bosingwa 6 (A Cole 58min, 6), Belletti 6, Mikel 6, Lampard 8, Kalou 6 (Essien 73min), Malouda 6, Anelka 7
Star man: Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
Yellow card: West Ham: Stanislas
Referee: M Dean
Attendance: 34,749

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Telegraph:
Chelsea warm up for Champions League with an easy win at West Ham

As Frank Lampard swaggered off the pitch, the last to leave, milking the adulation of the Chelsea supporters it marked a canter ahead of Catalonia. Chelsea didn’t so much as defeat West Ham as stroll past them. By Jason Burt at Upton Park
As a precursor for Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final trip to Barcelona it was perfect. As, for Lampard, a contest to follow-on from his radio rant over the crude dissection of his private life it was a riposte that showed a defiant strength of character. The abuse bounced off him.
For Chelsea, there was even a fine penalty save by Petr Cech, to cap his rehabilitation and preserve the points although West Ham didn’t deserve a share. Lampard threw his shirt to a West Ham fan at the end. It was the closest anyone with claret and blue sympathies had come to getting hold off him all afternoon.
Guus Hiddink has guile to sort out Chelsea?s defensive problems“Big guys, big personalities want to play every game,” Chelsea’s interim manager Guus Hiddink declared. “He especially wanted to play here.”
It’s so quiet sang the Chelsea supporters. And it was. At a stadium, and in a fixture, that can be such a cauldron the pot barely bubbled beyond the predictable, tasteless baiting.
The only flashpoint came as Lampard and John Terry, who had suffered even more abuse that the former West Ham midfielder, because of the police caution for his mother following allegations of shop-lifting, ostentatiously celebrated Chelsea’s goal in front of the home supporters. A few plastic bottles were thrown on but they were as wayward as the West Ham players.
This was supposed to be a day of East End jubilation. Tilting for seventh place in the Premier League and celebrating the announcement of new four-year contracts for their management team of Gianfranco Zola and Steve Clarke.
“I have just signed a contract and I’m delighted to have signed it. We have a project here that we are taking forward,” Zola said afterwards, explaining the long delay before he attended his media conferences.
But West Ham, as they had feared, were also hit by the harsh reality that beyond their first-choice, strongest line-up they are scrabbling around. “I’m sorry for the supporters as probably they expected more,” Zola said. Not that this was a first-choice Chelsea. As promised Hiddink rang the changes.
“We have a very difficult, huge clash against the team I think is the best in the world,” he said while trying out, with limited success, Jose Bosingwa at left-back, with Ashley Cole suspended for the first leg, ahead of the Barca game. But they quickly took control.
Fresh legs added fresh impetus and soon West Ham were being stretched with Florent Malouda, in particular, prominent as Zola’s side were pegged back and the French winger dragged the first chance wide.
West Ham needed a foothold and almost got more than that when Diego Tristan looped a pass between Terry and Branislav Ivanovic for Kieron Dyer to run through. But with a clear sight of goal his shot lacked conviction and was easily saved by Cech. It looked like an effort from a man who, like Dyer, was making his first start since August 2007.
West Ham, improbably, gained another chance. A corner was won, Matthew Upson evaded John Terry to head goalwards, Tristan flicked out a boot and allowing John Obi Mikel to hack the ball off the line.
Finally there was a breakthrough. Again Lampard, inevitably, was involved, collecting Malouda’s pass, surging forward and then clipping a cross which evaded Robert Green’s fingertips and was poked into the net by Salomon Kalou.
West Ham struggled to rally and after Juliano Belletti released Anelka it was only a fine block by Green that prevented the score being added to before Ashley Cole, on for Boswinga, clipped a cross-shot against the top of the cross-bar.
The home side, drifting to defeat, needed a lifeline and appeared to have been thrown it when Kalou inexplicably pulled back Ilunga, as he ran on to Tristan’s back-heel, Mark Noble took the penalty but placed it too deliberately and Cech parried.

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Independent:
Inspirational Lampard has the last word
West Ham United 0 Chelsea 1: England midfielder is savagely abused by the home crowd but sets up Chelsea's winner and gets an apology from Zola
By Mark Fleming at Upton Park

Frank Lampard expresses himself well on the radio, but nothing like as eloquently as he does on the football pitch. Lampard's emotional outburst on a little-known radio chat-show concerning his split with his partner had left eyebrows raised at his state of mind ahead of Chelsea's journey to Barcelona for the Champions' League semi-final first leg.
But any thoughts that he might not be fully focused on Chelsea's priorities were dispelled in eye-catching fashion at the ground he used to call home. Lampard was given the predictable vitriolic abuse by the Upton Park crowd, who cannot forgive him for crossing London in 2001. His response was a mature display of precision and control. The only times he gave his emotions away were after he set up the game's only goal for Salomon Kalou and at the final whistle. Lampard was the last player to leave the pitch after enjoying the victory with the travelling Chelsea fans, and first to greet him in the tunnel was West Ham's manager, Gianfranco Zola, his former Chelsea team-mate.
Lampard was outstanding as he ran the show in the first half, without a Chelsea goal to show for his efforts. Ten minutes into the second half he put that right. Florent Malouda pierced the West Ham rearguard to release Lampard down the left flank. The midfielder took a moment before crossing to Kalou, who scored from close range.
Chelsea's captain, John Terry, who had also been subjected to unpleasant chants from the home fans about his mother's recent arrest for shop-lifting, ran over to join Lampard to celebrate before the massed Hammers fans in the Bobby Moore Stand, incurring a warning from referee Mike Dean.
Chelsea's manager, Guus Hiddink, said: "I rested players but I never thought of resting Frank. He would have accepted it but would have looked at me to say, 'Boss, don't do that'. He got some abuse but he is used to it."
Shortly after the goal, Chelsea conceded a penalty when Kalou tugged Herita Ilunga's shirt. West Ham could hardly credit their good fortune, but Petr Cech produced a save of world class to keep out Mark Noble's spot- kick. There was little wrong with the shot, which was hit hard and heading for the bottom corner, but Cech was up to the task. Hiddink immediately replaced Kalou with Michael Essien and gave the young Ivorian a lecture on the sidelines. Jose Bosingwa appeared to pass his personal test, in the side at left-back in place of Ashley Cole, who is suspended for the Barcelona game. He coped well, apart from a couple of hairy moments, and was replaced by Cole after 59 minutes. However, dealing with Luis Boa Morte is one thing, attempting to shackle Lionel Messi something else.
West Ham, urged on by the energetic Noble, had their chances despite chasing the ball for most of the game. Kieron Dyer, making his first start since a double fracture of his leg in August 2007, had a chance to mark his comeback with a goal after 20 minutes. Diego Tristan turned Terry and supplied the perfect diagonal pass to Dyer. But Cech, back at his best after a wobbly spell, was just too imposing and Dyer's shot was saved. Tristan almost scored just before half-time; Matthew Upson jumped high to win the ball from Noble's corner and Tristan flicked out a boot, but John Obi Mikel was on the Chelsea line to clear.
Chelsea's dominance was total after the break, and following Kalou's goal they had two chances to put the result beyond doubt. Juliano Belletti put Nicolas Anelka through on goal, but his shot was saved by West Ham's goalkeeper, Robert Green. Moments later Cole clipped the top of the bar, after a crisp exchange with Malouda.
Hiddink said: "We dominated but we made some errors in concentration. It is always hard to prepare for a game like this when you have such a big game as Barcelona coming up."
After the final whistle, Zola signed a four-year contract extension worth £1.6 million a year. "I have four more years after this one, so you are going to get fed up with me," he said. Zola also apologised for the abuse directed by fans at Lampard. "Frank has always been a good professional and a good boy. It's sad to see he has a problem with this crowd. It makes me sorry."
Attendance: 34,749
Referee: Mike Dean
Man of the match: Lampard
Match rating: 6/10
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Observer:
Petr Cech saves Chelsea's blushes at Upton Park
West Ham United 0 Chelsea 1 Kalou 55
Amy Lawrence at Upton Park

As much as this meant to the two East London boys in Chelsea's team — and didn't the inhabitants of the Bobby Moore Stand test the eardrums of Frank Lampard and John Terry with some pitiless serenades — the man whose heart was most warmed by this routine win was Petr Cech.
The Czech goalkeeper, so twitchy of late, gave his confidence a boost with a classy penalty save. It was an action equally significant to the touch of the goalscorer, Salomon Kalou, and helped to give Chelsea the perfect warm-up for the Champions League semi-final. Not overly strenuous, a few rested bodies, and one happy goalkeeper. What more could Guus Hiddink have wanted?
His team was picked with bigger fish in mind. A particularly makeshift defence was built with Barcelona in mind. No Alex, no protection from Michael Essien until a late substitute's job, and — most tellingly of all — José Bosingwa had an hour stationed at left-back to gain some much-needed practice before he covers for the suspended Ashley Cole in the Camp Nou on Tuesday night.
"With all due respect it is different to play West Ham than Lionel Messi," confessed Hiddink. "It is a huge task but Bosingwa is confident. If he can neutralise Messi it would be perfect." Indeed.Here they could largely control uncharacteristically flat opponents. West Ham were not at their sparkiest, and relinquished pole position for next season's Europa League.
Gianfranco Zola apologised to the supporters, who he reckoned "expected more", but claimed not to be too disappointed personally. After the game he signed a four-year contract extension. "I am delighted," he enthused. "I am very thankful to the club, which has been looking after me. We have a project here that we are taking forward, and we will try everything to make it happen."
West Ham did muster a couple of chances in the first half, without being clinical enough to disturb Chelsea. When Diego Tristán split Chelsea's defence with a peach of a pass, Kieron Dyer, his first start for the best part of two seasons, clipped his shot straight at Cech.
Just before half time West Ham won a corner, and made a point of crowding around Cech. Matthew Upson won the ball and nodded to Tristán, but his dink was featherlight, and easily cleared by John Obi Mikel. Glimpses of goal aside, West Ham looked a bit inhibited by Chelsea, and allowed the visitors plenty of possession. Florent Malouda, Frank Lampard and Nicolas Anelka all peppered in first-half shots. All fell wide.
Not so after the break, as nine minutes into the second half West Ham were punished for untidy defending when Lampard hooked a cross over the goalmouth for an unmarked Kalou to tap in. Dyer responded with an angled drive on the break, which Cech tipped away.
Chelsea were ominous though. They looked comfortable, yet ready to pounce if an invitation presented itself. Anelka was blocked by Green, and substitute Cole skimmed the crossbar.
Typically of West Ham's afternoon, they couldn't bite at the carrot that came their way 20 minutes from the end. Referee Mike Dean pointed eagerly to the penalty spot when Kalou tugged back Herita Ilunga. Mark Noble struck his spot-kick firmly towards the corner, but Cech sprawled to his left to claw away superbly. This was by no means a penalty miss. It was a points-winning, point-making save, and Cech's roaring celebration suggests he knew it.
Hiddink was pleased. "We don't deny he had some difficult times before. When a goalie makes decisive actions it is good for him. But it wasn't just this game — he showed some good saves against Everton as well." Hiddink is adamant there is one way to avoid an onslaught at Barcelona. "What we must not do is drop back and wait until the storm is coming. If we can, we must try to harm them as well."
All the experienced hands, well rested and full of beans, will be at the pump.
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Mail:

West Ham 0 Chelsea 1: Kalou goal gifts Hiddink's side three points as Hammers left to rue penalty miss PATRICK COLLINS

As Chelsea celebrated a bland and bloodless victory, Frank Lampard raised his arms to the Bobby Moore Stand.
The West Ham fans rewarded their old boy with a screech of abuse. Lampard shrugged and trotted away.
In the course of a dreary afternoon, he had made all the points he needed to make.
For Lampard had dominated much of this uninspiring game without ever touching the form which has distinguished his season.
So mundane was Chelsea's performance that Guus Hiddink felt obliged to insist that his team had been taking things seriously. Nobody believed him.
Chelsea had played with much of their attention on Tuesday's European semi-final with Barcelona.
They prized a clean bill of health above league points which now seem almost irrelevant.
And yet, even in their distracted mood, they came through with something to spare.
West Ham were miserably disappointing. Indeed, Gianfranco Zola appeared a touch embarrassed when he announced he had signed a four-year contract, which will keep him at Upton Park until 2013. He praised his players for their season's efforts, apologised to his supporters for an indifferent day and said that he 'fancied Chelsea very much' against Barcelona.
But he knows that a massive chasm separates the first four or five clubs from the rest of the Premier League, and this match simply reinforced that reality.
The first half was mediocre beyond tolerance. Chelsea were listless and predictable; West Ham incoherent, careless, unfocused. And yet they created the two chances which should have carried them clear.
On 21 minutes, Diego Tristan played Kieron Dyer clear, Petr Cech spread himself hopefully in the Chelsea goal and Dyer struck the keeper with a vapid shot.
Two minutes from the interval, Mark Noble's corner dropped at the feet of Tristan two yards out. He prodded feebly at the chance and John Mikel Obi knocked it gratefully off the line.
In truth, Noble's full-hearted contribution was one of West Ham's few consolations. He covered vast tracts of ground, used the ball simply and, after 26 minutes, flung himself successfully to block Lampard's drive.
But Lampard was patiently exerting his influence, despite the jeers which attended his every movement. It has been this way ever since he had the temerity to leave West Ham some eight years ago.
Abusing Lampard has become something of a West Ham tradition, like singing 'Bubbles'. But it is nothing like so appealing. As Zola remarked: 'To see that Frank has a problem with this club makes me sorry.'
We must hope that his hint is taken. John Terry was another who incurred Upton Park's displeasure, for no special reason. Terry is not a man who often inspires sympathy, but this chanting was unacceptably ugly.
And so the afternoon passed, slowly and soporifically, with whimsical interest centred on Jose Bosingwa preparing to face Lionel Messi by marking Luis Boa Morte. With all respect to the West Ham player, it was rather like preparing to face the young Mike Tyson by going six rounds with Melvyn Bragg.
But Chelsea raised their pace after the interval and within nine minutes they were rewarded.
It was a simple goal, with Lampard infiltrating down the left and chipping a cross in full stride. Robert Green's grope was insufficient and Salomon Kalou scored with ease.Lampard threw a dismissive glance at the home crowd. Somebody flung a West Ham scarf at him. The jeers rang out once more. But Chelsea had the lead and looked likely to hold it. Yet West Ham continued to create little and live in hope. Came the 70th minute, and their hopes were on the brink of fulfilment. Herita Ilunga made a hopeful run into the box, where he was witlessly tripped by Kalou. The penalty award was a formality, the execution a mess. Noble, who had missed his previous penalty for West Ham, struck this one nervously to Cech's left, and the keeper plunged to a confident save.
Upton Park fell strangely silent and Hiddink sent on some of his bigger guns for a spot of light exercise: Michael Essien, Michael Ballack. West Ham could not disturb them.Chelsea were home. Now they could raise their eyes above this corner of East London and start to think of Barcelona.
Hiddink confessed that it would be 'very difficult against the best team in Europe, or in the world.'
He said that his team 'should not drop back and wait for Barcelona to come at us. We must set out to do them some harm as well.'
He thought Lampard would have an important part to play. Lampard had been the last to leave the pitch.
He paused to embrace Zola, then tugged off his shirt and threw it to a fan. Another supporter disputed ownership and a policeman intervened.
The officer tossed a coin to end the standoff.
Lampard was long gone, leaving behind the curious cameo. A pity. He might have found it rather more diverting than the rest of the afternoon.
WEST HAM (4-4-2): Green; Neil, Tomkins, Upson, Ilunga; Boa Morte (Savio 72min), Dyer (Sears 61), Noble, Stanislas; Di Michele (Kovac 61), Tristan. Subs (not used): Lastuvka, Lopez, Spector, Payne. Booked: Stanislas.CHELSEA (4-3-2-1): Cech; Mancienne (Ballack 83), Ivanovic, Terry, Bosingwa (A Cole 58); Belletti, Mikel, Lampard; Kalou (Essien 73), Malouda; Anelka. Subs (not used): Hilario, Di Santo, Drogba, Stoch.Referee: M Dean (Wirral).