norwich 4-1

Independent:

No tweets or trials as Chelsea make their point on the pitch
Chelsea 4 Norwich City 1: Roberto Di Matteo's impressive team set aside a turbulent week to extend their lead at the top

Nick Szczepanik

So, back to the football, with both Chelsea and Norwich City relieved to switch attention to the pitch after off-field matters had made the headlines during the week. Well, Chelsea were, coming back from a goal down to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to four points.

The fact that neither Ashley Cole nor John Terry was involved in anything controversial will disappoint the headline writers, but Roberto Di Matteo, the Chelsea manager, was happy that his team had not been distracted, recording their fifth successive winand their sixth in seven league matches.
"Results tell us that we are able to blank things out and focus entirely on our aim, which is to win football games," Di Matteo said. "It proves how professional the group is. We concentrate on our strengths and the team is in healthy form. We are creating lots of chances and scoring lots of goals.
"There hasn't been any special talk [to Terry or Cole]. I judge them on what I see on the training ground and when they are there they are fully focused."
Norwich are reported to be suing Paul Lambert, the former manager, but their supporters will be more concerned about the continuing downward drift of the team now managed by Chris Hughton.
Without a win this season and now second from bottom of the table, they found Chelsea's attacking midfield trio of Juan Mata, Oscar and Eden Hazard far too much to handle. Mata was in especially dominant form, playing a part in three of the four goals.
Chelsea's defence, though, was as unconvincing as the FA had found John Terry's to be during his hearing, allowing Norwich several clear chances.
Perhaps an early sign of their opponents' fallibility made Chelsea complacent as Fernando Torres slipped through the offside trap and ran clear only to allow Leon Barnett to recover.
Norwich took the lead after 11 minutes with Chelsea doing little more than spectate. Wesley Hoolahan made an unchecked run down the left, crossed beyond the far post where Barnett nodded the ball back to Grant Holt. The forward had peeled away to the edge of the penalty area and had all the space he needed to shoot low past Petr Cech before Terry could block.
But three minutes later Chelsea were level as Frank Lampard's diagonal pass found Mata in space on the right. The Spain midfielder backheeled the ball to Branislav Ivanovic, and when the full back's cross arced into the area, Torres timed his run to jump above Barnett and glance the ball past John Ruddy.
All was still not well in the Chelsea rearguard. Alexander Tettey was allowed a free header that he nodded sideways instead of into goal, and Bradley Johnson shot straight into Cech's arms when the ball was returned into the centre.
Yet it hardly mattered with their attacking players in such irresistible form. After 22 minutes they were ahead when Russell Martin blocked an attempted bicycle kick by Torres only for the ball to run to Lampard and the England midfielder sent a skidding volley past Ruddy from 18 yards.
A third nearly arrived in the 25th minute when Oscar's cross from the right found the head of Cole, but he nodded it wide, and Stamford Bridge was spared any possible rehearsed celebration, to relief, no doubt, in several quarters.
Six minutes later, Chelsea scored the goal of the match. Mata won the ball well inside his own half, ran 50 yards and caressed a perfectly weighted pass through the right side of the Norwich defence for Hazard to slip past Ruddy without breaking stride.
Having conceded five on two occasions this season, Norwich must have feared at least a repeat as Oscar was denied twice by Ruddy, and two appeals for penalties for tumbles by Hazard were turned down.
They seemed to have weathered the storm after that as Chelsea kept the ball and Norwich, for the most part, kept a respectful distance. But in the 76th minute Chelsea roused themselves for a final flourish, when Ivanovic reacted quickly to volley home after Mata had returned a cross from the left.
"I was more disappointed at half time than I was at the end," said Hughton. "After scoring the first goal, we needed to stay in the game for longer. As a team we're not defending well enough. We haven't started as well as we would have liked, and the season is going to test us. But against a top team we managed to be a bit of a threat."

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic (Azpilicueta, 78), David Luiz, Terry, Cole; Mikel (Romeu, 82), Lampard (Ramires, 67); Mata, Hazard, Oscar; Torres.

Norwich (4-4-1-1): Ruddy; Martin, Bassong (R Bennett, 77), Barnett, Garrido; E Bennett, Howson, Tettey, Johnson (Pilkington, 68); Hoolahan; Holt (Morison, 76).

Referee: Andrew Taylor.
Man of the match: Mata (Chelsea)
Match rating: 7/10

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Observer:

Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic seals emphatic win over Norwich City

Paul Doyle at Stamford Bridge

At least Chelsea are getting things right on the pitch. A week in which the fallout from the John Terry race case contaminated the club even further concluded with a gleaming victory against a Norwich City side that took the lead before being blown away. The European champions' style in other regards is questionable, but the increased panache with which they are playing is pleasing.
The Chelsea manager, Roberto Di Matteo, has spoken constantly since the start of the season of his determination to rotate his squad to preserve the team at full freshness for the arduous campaign ahead, but he clearly felt no need to shield two of his most senior players from the intense scrutiny that they are currently under as Terry and Ashley Cole were included from the start.
The publication on Friday of the FA disciplinary panel's justification for finding Terry guilty of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand – which included the suggestion that unreliable evidence from Cole helped cover up the offence – does not appear to have diminished the pair's standing at Stamford Bridge.
Terry, who will use the international break to mull over whether to appeal against the FA's finding, retained the captaincy, the large banner reading "JT CAPTAIN, LEADER, LEGEND" was displayed as prominently as ever and when each players' name was announced before kick-off, the scornful boos of Norwich fans were drowned out by worshipful cheers from the blue-clad faithful. The home crowd continued belting out hymns to the Chelsea duo throughout.
Chelsea's opponents, however, did not seem so eager to give them an easy ride. In the corresponding fixture last season, Grant Holt gave Terry the sort of bullying he has seldom endured and the striker started here as if intent on dishing out similar treatment.
The Norwich striker evaded Terry in the 11th minute to open the scoring with a fine goal, firing the ball into the net from 10 yards out after Leon Barnett had nodded a Wes Hoolahan cross into his path.
The slickness of that goal contrasted alarmingly with Norwich's chaotic defending. Within three minutes Chelsea were level. Juan Mata backheeled the ball to Branislav Ivanovic, who clipped it towards the six-yard box, where Fernando Torres was allowed to head it, unchallenged, into the net.
The Spaniard had squandered a clear chance in the second minute, his lack of confidence leading him to hesitate long enough for Sébastien Bassong to atone for sloppy marking and win back the ball, but the goal emboldened the Chelsea striker.
His extravagant overhead kick attempt was blocked by Bradley Johnson in the 22nd minute, but the ball broke to Frank Lampard, who dispatched it emphatically into the bottom right-hand corner from the edge of the box.
The tricky trio of Mata, Oscar and Eden Hazard now took charge, embroidering fluent moves with gorgeous touches. Norwich were frequently beguiled, even if they did still pose intermittent threats going forward, Alexander Tettey even spurning a great chance to plunder a second goal when he headed way off target after neat work down the right by Hoolahan and Russell Martin.
Mata created Chelsea's third, running 40 yards before slipping a perfectly timed pass to Hazard, who slotted past the Norwich keeper, John Ruddy, to make it 3-1. Cole, Mikel John Obi and Oscar all went close to aggravating the damage before Holt gave a reminder that Chelsea could not afford to switch off, heading just wide after a cross by Johnson. The striker repeated the warning in the second minute of the second half, leaping high above Terry to meet another Johnson cross and send another header inches past the post.
Norwich's persistent slackness in defence was captured by an incident in the 53rd minute, when Leon Barnett dawdled in his own box and then appeared to shunt Hazard to the ground as the Belgian darted in to claim the ball. But to the visible disbelief of one dug-out and the relief of the other, referee Anthony Taylor decided against awarding a penalty.
Ruddy had to dive at the feet of Mata in the 58th minute to prevent Chelsea from extending their lead after another cutting move by the hosts. The keeper did the same again in the 75th minute to thwart Torres.
Having established almost total control by now, Chelsea turned down the urgency of their approach. With victory apparently secured, enjoying themselves became the priority. As their intricacy quotient increased, they became less clinical. That surely spared Norwich a more severe beating. Ivanovic, however, did deliver another blow in the 77th minute, ramming a fierce shot into the net from 10 yards out after Mata had slightly fortuitously teed him up.
That was the third league goal of the season for a defender who, as much as anyone else, reflects the new flamboyance with which Chelsea strive to play. They now lead the Premier League by four points. "Our start shows we are able to blank things out that are surrounding us externally and focus on our target and job, which is to win matches," said Di Matteo. "It's proven how professional the group is."


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Telegraph:

Chelsea 4 Norwich City 1
By Gerry Cox

The chant came up after 35 minutes, starting in the Matthew Harding Stand, briefly ringing around Stamford Bridge.
“John Terry, Ashley Cole,” they sang, once more intertwining the two Chelsea team-mates who have enjoyed so much success at the club on the field – and caused so much disruption as well.
The siege mentality has again gripped the Bridge – the sense that the club or, at least, its fans will circle the wagons against the world. Champions of Europe and enemies of football?
Opinions have become so entrenched, so intransigent that it really did not matter what the Football Association’s independent commission said about Chelsea’s captain and the club’s best defender.
Chelsea, the club, are also stung. There is simmering anger at the criticisms in the report levelled at club secretary Dave Barnard whose recollections were condemned as “materially defective”. Given his 35 years’ service, that has hurt.

Chelsea are considering how best to challenge that criticism – not least because it has led to accusations that, corporately, the club is guilty but also that Barnard has been attacked. There is even talk of some kind of statement rebuking the FA.
Whatever they say they will, in the end, have to take it on the chin. They will have to also reflect on whether the control of their players is sufficient, whether the accusation – that has run throughout the Abramovich years – that they have been raised to dangerously elevated status, some claiming to have the owner’s ear, others to have holidayed on one of his yachts, remains true.
Terry (and now Fernando Torres) has symbolised this more than anyone – talking of his chats with “Roman” and how he has been consulted by the Russian billionaire while it appears Cole has also been allowed to do what he wants at times. After all, he is a man who shot an intern with an air rifle but was not made to apologise.
One of the reasons cited for sacking Carlo Ancelotti as manager was that he wasn’t enough of a disciplinarian; the players were blamed for the problems suffered by Andre Villas-Boas, who was urged to be tougher; his successor Roberto Di Matteo, we were told, would be hard with them also, although the evidence of that is debatable.
Instead Chelsea have quickened the process of rejuvenating the team; bringing in younger players, moving on the old guard. Terry’s influence is not what it was; Cole is unlikely to be offered a new contract. Things are changing.
There will have been a sense of trepidation that yesterday, in the wake of the Terry report and Cole’s Twitter rant, the supporters could have veered into dangerous territory with some of their chants. Would they go too far with the FA? With Anton Ferdinand? In truth, it was all low-key, perfectly behaved.
There was chorus of “he tweets what he wants” – a sign of the times? – and another backing of “Terry and Cole” but, more than that, the fans revelled in their status as supporting the club that won the Champions League last season. They also lauded Di Matteo who responded by tapping his chest.
At times, Chelsea have tried to defend the indefensible with Terry and Cole. On Saturday, in Norwich City, they faced a side whose defending was indefensible. Chelsea remain unconvincing themselves at the back – pushed and, at times, bullied by the bullish Grant Holt who opened the scoring – but going forward they are peerless even with the still-unconvincing Torres. Just how potent would they be with a more lethal striker?
Di Matteo discussed later what is a recurring theme at Chelsea – the ability to push aside distractions. “The results are telling us that we are able to blank things out and we can focus on what is our aim and target and job and that’s to win football games,” he said. “It’s proven how professional the group is and how well they respond to it.
“I speak to my players all the time and it’s not just because of these issues. There hasn’t been any special talks. I judge them on what I see on the training pitch and they are fully focused and professional.” Off the pitch? That can be different as Di Matteo confirmed that, rightly, Cole will be disciplined.
There was little to tax Chelsea yesterday – and it was interesting that Di Matteo felt the need to field such a strong line-up at home against a struggling side such as Norwich. There was no start for the likes of Victor Moses. Di Matteo, perhaps mindful of the engulfing controversy, did not want to take any chances.
Torres did not look like he wanted to take any chances either, blowing an early opportunity when clean through, demonstrating again that, frankly, his nerve has gone. Would they pay the price? With Terry hobbling after a collision, Holt took advantage. Wes Hoolihan’s cross was headed back by Leon Barnett and Holt met the ball crisply to strike a low, powerful shot past Petr Cech.
Chelsea didn’t hang around. Quickly Frank Lampard picked out the again wonderful Juan Mata who cleverly back-heeled to Branislav Ivanovic. He picked out Torres and, this time, he steered his header into the net. After Alex Tettey and Bradley Johnson wasted chances, Chelsea went ahead. This time the ball ping-ponged around the penalty area, with Torres’ overhead kick blocked. The rebound ran to Lampard whose fierce first-time shot was buried in the corner of the goal.
The third followed with Mata again at the heart of it – winning possession in his own half and running on before slipping a pass through to Eden Hazard who, in his stride, arced his right-foot shot around Ruddy. More would surely follow? Only one, Mata improvising to flick Oscar’s cross to Ivanovic and he struck a fulminating, powerful shot past a stunned Ruddy.

Match details

Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic (Azpilicueta 78), Terry, Luiz, Cole; Mata, Mikel (Romeu 83), Lampard (Ramires 67), Oscar, Hazard; Torres.
Subs not used: Turnbull, Moses, Cahill, Bertrand

Norwich: Ruddy; Martin, Bassong (R Bennett 78), Barnett, Garrido; E Bennett, Hoolahan, Howson, Tettey, Johnson (Pilkington 68); Holt (Morison 77)
Subs not used: Bunn, Turner, Snodgrass, Jackson.

Referee: A Taylor
Att: 41,784


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Mail:

Chelsea 4 Norwich 1: In trouble off the pitch, but on it life is perfect for Terry and Cole
By Rob Draper

If only matters were confined to the football, Chelsea would be experiencing a tranquil start to the season: champions of Europe, four points clear at the top and the crowd chanting: 'There's only one Di Matteo' in honour of the manager.
What could possibly taint this happy scenario? Of course, life is never that simple at Chelsea.

On Saturday John Terry, having been found guilty of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand by an FA disciplinary commission, was raucously cheered as he lingered in the centre circle at the end of the game and made his way towards the Matthew Harding Stand to reciprocate, before walking off to further adulation like some departing hero.
And Ashley Cole, whose value as a witness for his team-mate was also thrown into doubt by that commission, and who is being disciplined by his club for abusing the FA, was the beneficiary of numerous appreciative chants throughout the match.
Such is the nature of football support: unquestioning and unwavering in the face of any evidence.
Had either taken the good goalscoring chances they received, doubtless the response would have been rapturous.
As it was, this was an afternoon when their undoubted defensive qualities went largely untested.

'I judge them on what I see at the training ground and in the games, and when they are there they are fully focused and professional. And that's how I pick my team,' said Di Matteo, when asked whether he considered resting either.

'The results are telling us we are able to blank things out and can focus on our aim. It's proven how professional the group are.'
Indeed, Chelsea overcame the early shock of going a goal down to produce a dominant performance, aided, it should be said, by some awful defending.
The diminutive trio of Juan Mata, Oscar and Eden Hazard are improving week by week as the nexus of Chelsea's attacking play, with Mata dictating large portions of this game.
Unlike some previous Chelsea managers that spring to mind, Di Matteo does not relish the 'us against the world' mentality.

'That's not what we feel,' he said. 'We concentrate on our strengths and try to win games with players who have the football philosophy we're aiming at.'
For Norwich, still without a win in the Premier League this season, this was a depressing outing, the third time they have conceded four or more goals in six games.
'I was more angry and disappointed at half-time than I was at the end,' said manager Chris Hughton, grasping at positives.

'After taking the lead, we needed to stay in the game longer. You know it's going to be tough coming here, you know they'll have the lion's share of the possession, but when you score so early you have to stay in the game longer.'
Norwich bring to mind the cliché about scoring too early. It was a well-worked goal, the excellent Wes Hoolahan crossing for Leon Barnett to head the ball back for Grant Holt inside the area.

The centre-forward caught the ball sweetly on the halfvolley and even though Petr Cech should have done better, the move deserved such a fine finale.
Nevertheless, there were a full 79 minutes to play and it always seemed unlikely that Norwich would hold out. Still, they might have hoped to last more than the three minutes it took for Mata to knock a ball back to Branislav Ivanovic, whose cross was glanced home by the head of Fernando Torres.
Equally, having conceded their advantage, Norwich could ill afford to miss another great opportunity when Hoolahan - who at times appeared to be playing Chelsea on his own -crossed for Alex Tettey, who stooped to head wide on 20 minutes.
Within two minutes Frank Lampard had punished that imprecision, after he met a deflected Torres overhead kick on the edge of the box with a fine half-volley into the left-hand corner, thereby equalling Bobby Tambling's top-flight record of 129 goals for Chelsea.
There were only 12 minutes to count before the third goal had been added, with Norwich in disarray, conceding from their own corner. Mata picked up the ball well in his own half, ran for 40 yards before releasing Eden Hazard with an exquisite pass, matched by the Belgian's run.
Hazard simply side-footed past John Ruddy and the game was as good as complete.
Hughton took some consolation from the fact that Norwich were better in the second half - though by then the result was never in doubt.
Even so, Ruddy had to be at his best to prevent further scoring, denying Oscar, Mata and Torres at different points.

And Chelsea might have had second-half penalties when Hazard was blocked by Barnett and went down under a challenge from Jonathan Howson.
Still, a fourth goal was always the more likely outcome and it came on 76 minutes.
Mata flicked a cross back to Ivanovic and the Serb volleyed home from close range to complete the rout. Happy days at Stamford Bridge: superficially, at least.


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Mirror:


Chelsea 4-1 Norwich City: Blues go four points clear after putting four past the Canaries
The visitors took a shock lead through Grant Holt, but were soon pegged back by a rampant home side

The message from SW6 was as loud as it was clear. Chelsea are in title-winning mode, no question.
More severe tests are yet to come. Indeed they are on the immediate horizon with a trip to White Hart Lane and a visit from Manchester United.
Both will provide more ­resistance than a Norwich team who are ­conceding goals at an ­alarming rate.
But after recovering from a shock lead, given to Norwich by Grant Holt, Chelsea ­recovered to blow the ­Canaries away with first-half goals from Fernando Torres, Frank ­Lampard and Eden Hazard – and a second-half strike from Branislav Ivanovic.
Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo said: “We controlled the game and we were always on the front foot.”
And he praised the powers of concentration of his players who put aside the controversy of the past week to produce an emphatic ­performance.
“I think the results are ­telling us that we are able to block things out and that we can focus on our target to win ­football matches,” he said.
“It shows how professional the players are. I had no doubts about playing Ashley Cole and John Terry after the last week. I judge them on what I see on the training ground.”
Di Matteo also revealed that there could be a doubt about Lampard for the England World Cup qualifiers against San Marino on Friday and in Poland next Tuesday.
“He felt a little bit of a ­problem behind his knee so we took him off as a ­precaution,” said Di Matteo. “He will be assessed in the morning.”
Di Matteo made it clear that as Chelsea push for glory on all fronts, he will make full use of the squad he has ­assembled. “We have options and we will use those options,” he said.
Norwich manager Chris Hughton acknowledged that he will need to tighten up his defence with his team still searching for their first win of the season.
“We are not defending well enough,” he said. “After taking the lead we needed to be in the game longer. I believe we can still stay up but we must stop conceding poor goals.”
Norwich have the worst goal difference of minus 12 in the Premier League. “We have to tighten up,” he admitted.
Despite the Canaries’ ­problems at the back, they took the lead in the 11th minute. Wes Hoolahan crossed from the left, Leon Barnett headed down and Holt fired home impressively.
For three minutes it was a dream for Norwich. Then came a 76-minute nightmare as Chelsea turned up the heat to leave Norwich gasping. Within three minutes they were level after Ivanovic crossed and Torres headed home.
Come the 22nd minute and Chelsea were ahead. Torres pressured Norwich into a hasty clearance, the ball fell to Lampard at the edge of the area and he drove into the net. There was even a rumour that Torres actually smiled ­following the goal as ­Chelsea looked to cement their place at the top of the league table.
But if there was a moment that highlighted Chelsea’s speed of thought and ­movement, it came just after the half hour with the third goal.
Juan Mata broke from inside his own half and accelerated ­towards the Norwich goal. He had only Hazard for company and the five Norwich ­defenders retreating in front of him looked favourites to snuff out the danger. One ­exquisite throughball baffled the quintet and Hazard’s finish was superbly accurate.
Chelsea, understandably, dropped down a gear in the second half.
But just to quash any ideas of a heroic ­comeback from the visitors, Ivanovic shot fiercely in the 76th minute after the impressive Mata had set him up.


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Sun:

Chelsea 4 Norwich 1

By ROB BEASLEY

AFTER all the ugliness and acrimony of recent days, we were finally treated to something beautiful.

A club mired and marred by the actions of two of its biggest stars responding in the best possible fashion.

With a breathtaking display of open, attacking football to wash away the foul taste of racism and rancour, of tweets and t**ts.

For the champions of Europe put on a display worthy of the title — a swashbuckling demonstration of why they are also Premier League leaders.

A team which is fast becoming the envy of all the others.

And they did it after going a goal behind to a Norwich team who did their utmost to heap more trouble on the Londoners.

Visiting skipper Grant Holt hammered home a first-time shot on 11 minutes to send the Canaries supporters into song.

The reaction, though, was swift and sweet.

Fernando Torres glanced in a flying header to superbly convert a fine cross from the right by Branislav Ivanovic.

It was the Spaniard’s fifth goal of the season so far and fourth in the league — that is something he did not achieve until April 29 last season.
And then, fittingly, the man who has long been the acceptable face of Chelsea, Frank Lampard, took centre stage.

An attempted overhead kick from Torres was blocked but rebounded to the Blues midfielder, who was lurking on the edge of the box.

And Norwich keeper John Ruddy was left powerless as Lamps found the back of the net with a trademark 20-yard right-footer.

It was his 129th Premier League goal for Chelsea, making him the Blues’ joint-highest scorer in the top flight alongside 1960s hero Bobby Tambling.
But, for once, Lampard was surpassed in the man-of-the- match stakes thanks to the brilliance of Juan Mata.

Two Champions League goals in midweek were followed by two assists at the Bridge.

The first was one of the most exciting and extravagant assists of the season so far.

Mata romped free from deep in his own half on a one-man counter-attack.

In fact he was so quick out of the blocks that he even had to slow down and wait for his team-mates to catch up.

When they did, he paused then rolled an inch-perfect pass between and beyond the Norwich backline for the advancing Eden Hazard to meet with perfection.

And the £32million Belgium star did the rest, curling a low right-foot shot beyond Ruddy for 3-1 on the half hour.

A romp was on the cards.

Oscar’s clever dribble and shot was well saved by Ruddy but the Blues should have added to the score soon after the break.
Hazard was sent flying in the area by the leg and backside of Leon Barnett for the clearest penalty this century.

But referee Anthony Taylor had obviously heard so much about Chelsea’s ‘divers’ recently that he ignored the incident completely.

A glaring mistake but the Blues have only themselves to blame after their recent simulations.

Shame for Lampard, though, who could have gone clear of Tambling’s mark had Roberto Di Matteo’s men been handed the spot-kick.

Oscar sent in a rasping 20-yarder, Mata was denied by Ruddy and Hazard had another penalty claim shunned.

To be fair to him it did look like a push in the back but it was nowhere near as clear-cut as his first claim.

 Torres should have increased Chelsea’s lead with 15 minutes to go as the chances came and went without troubling the scoreboard.

Hazard sent him free but just as he had done in the fourth minute of the first half, he failed to take advantage of a clear opening in the manner a £50m striker should.

His wastefulness was amplified just a minute later when defender Ivanovic showed him exactly how to finish, the right-back smashing a Mata backheel into the back of the net.

That put Mata on seven assists in all competitions this term as he scooped the man-of-the-match award for the second game running.

But the point about Chelsea these days is that there is more than one threat to nullify.

Stopping Mata would be a start but it will not stop this free-flowing Chelsea.

There are Hazard and Oscar to worry about, Torres to shackle and, as always, Lampard to keep in check.

But even if you manage that, Ivanovic or David Luiz will still be lurking to try to win the day.

That is why Chelsea are having their best start since the title-winning season of 2005-06, with six wins out of seven.

Add to that 15 goals and just four conceded and you get the feeling Chelsea are still a mean team but with a licence to thrill at last.

No wonder the fans were singing Di Matteo’s name.

The Italian has given them something to sing and dance about and, even more importantly, put everyone’s focus back on football at last.


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Express:

CHELSEA 4 - NORWICH 1: PURE GENIUS, ROB
By Jim Holden

THE demand for Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo was simple at the start of the season: Win the league and win it in style.
On this evidence there is every chance that the young Chelsea boss will follow his backs-to-the-wall capture of the Champions League last season with a major trophy triumph to please the purists.
Another victory that was wonderfully easy on the eye put Di Matteo’s Blues four points clear at the top of the table and looking supreme challengers blessed with panache as well as power.
It was four goals yesterday, but it might have been many more. And they have played much better already this season.
The balance of the side has shifted to youthful dynamism, and that can only be to their benefit amid off-the-field troubles surrounding veteran defenders John Terry and Ashley Cole.
Perhaps the only sign of those woes yesterday was a surprisingly shaky start by the back four.
Norwich ran at the Chelsea rearguard with clever angles and energetic purpose, and were rewarded with the opening goal after 11 minutes.

It was his 129th Premier League goal, putting him equal as Chelsea’s top scorer in the top flight with 1960s legend Bobby Tambling
Wes Hoolahan crossed from the left, the ball was deftly headed down by Leon Barnett and striker Grant Holt steered home an excellent low shot from 15 yards.
Terry flung himself at the ball, but was far too late arriving, and was left flat on his back as the net bulged.
For Chris Hughton’s Canaries, down in the relegation places, this was a false dawn.
Chelsea were stung into a swift reply, Fernando Torres heading home a cross by Branislav Ivanovic for an equaliser three minutes later. Torres had already wasted one golden chance and he remains an erratic enigma.
Torres was involved once more as Chelsea took the lead midway through the first half. When he tried an overhead kick, the ball was deflected into the path of Frank Lampard, who drilled home a coolly taken goal.
It was his 129th Premier League goal, putting him equal as Chelsea’s top scorer in the top flight with 1960s legend Bobby Tambling.
Lampard has been relegated to a holding midfielder these days behind the twinkle-toed trio of Juan Mata, Eden Hazard and Oscar. But he remains ultra-reliable even with so many miles on the clock.
And just after the half-hour Chelsea were 3-1 up with a thrilling goal that began with a powerful headed clearance by Terry.
Within moments Mata was sprinting forward on the counter-attack and his clinical pass put Hazard free in the penalty area and his calm sidefooted ‘pass’ into the goal was precise and inevitable.
The scoreline hardly flattered the home side, but neither were they at their most fluent, Hazard often more elusive to his team-mates than the opposition.
Holt was a continuing threat for Norwich, twice coming close with headers as he foxed Terry with his sharp movement in the box. He may not be international standard, but there is old-fashioned quality to admire in this chirpy Canary.
As the match wore on so the control of Chelsea became more pronounced. Oscar forced a fine stop from John Ruddy, who then excelled himself with another save at the feet of Mata.
Ruddy will not oust Joe Hart from the England team, but he produced another classy save to keep out a shot from Torres as he ran clear on goal.
It was only a matter of time before Chelsea scored again --- and it was defender Branislav Ivanovic who obliged with a ferocious volley that burst through the hands of Ruddy with quarter of an hour remaining.
By the finish Chelsea had four Spaniards and three Brazilians on the field. No wonder they are beginning to become a side eager to dazzle and entertain.

MAN of the MATCH: JUAN MATA – the classiest of the three young musketeers who are transforming the Chelsea style under the shrewd guidance of Roberto DI Matteo.

CHELSEA: Cech; Ivanovic (Azpilicueta 78), Luiz, Terry, Cole; Mikel (Romeu 82), Lampard (Ramires 67), Mata, Oscar, Hazard; Torres.
NORWICH: Ruddy; R Martin, Barnett, Bassong (R Bennett 78), Garrido; E Bennett, Howson, Hoolahan, Johnson (Pilkington 68), Tettey; Holt (Morison 77).

Ref: A Taylor
Att: 41,784


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Star:

CHELSEA 4 - NORWICH 1: CHRIS HUGHTON’S CLUELESS CANARIES GET STUFFED AT STAMFORD BRIDGE

By Paul Brown

THE saints outweighed the sinners at the Garden of Eden yesterday.
That’s what they call Stamford Bridge these days since Eden ­Hazard joined Chelsea, who stretched their lead at the top to four points with this romp.
John Terry, Ashley Cole and club secretary Dave Barnard may have been painted in an extremely bad light this week as the fall-out from the Blues skipper’s race row with Anton Ferdinand continued.
But at least Chelsea’s reputation on the pitch was helped by goals from Hazard, Fernando Torres, Frank Lampard and Branislav Ivanovic which left woeful ­ Norwich seeing stars.
Roberto Di Matteo hailed his side afterwards – and insisted he would not be banning Twitter on the back of the Cole controversy.
The Canaries had actually led through Grant Holt’s second of the season but by the end they had been destroyed for the second week running after that 5-2 home defeat to Liverpool.
Even in victory there was ­controversy for Chelsea, though, when Hazard was twice accused of diving after failing to win a penalty from either Leon Barnett or ­Jonathan Howson.
Things are never simple here, are they?
It was no real shock to see both of Chelsea’s bad boys in the ­starting line-up, despite their week of woe. Come on, you didn’t really expect anything else did you?
The Blues were desperate to get the focus back on football after – but the storm surrounding Cole’s controversial tweet on Friday did not stop him going back on Twitter ­yesterday.
Club officials were on red alert again before kick-off when he took to the ­social network just hours after being forced to apologise for branding the FA a “bunch of t***s” on the site.
And luckily for ­Chelsea he ­managed not to insult ­anyone this time, saying merely: “Game time! Can’t wait to get back to what I love ­doing, playing ­football.”
Cole and Terry – who was ­effectively branded a liar by the ­independent panel looking into the race row – can seemingly do no wrong in the eyes of Blues fans.
Some of them were spotted ­wearing “Terry is innocent” ­T-shirts ­yesterday, while both men received warm applause before the match when their names were read out.
The home fans were even singing: “Ashley Cole – he tweets when he wants!” as Lampard split the ­offside trap to send Torres clean through early on.
But Torres passed up a golden ­opportunity to shoot, cutting inside instead and watching the chance disappear.
And within minutes Norwich were in front. Wes Hoolahan swung in a cross, Barnett headed it back and an unmarked Holt smashed home his volley into the bottom corner.
The Canaries were in front for barely three minutes. Juan Mata’s cute backheel found Ivanovic and Torres arrived late in the box to head the equaliser.
When Torres tried an acrobatic overhead kick that was blocked by Russell Martin, the ball fell kindly for Lampard who smashed through a crowd of bodies into the bottom corner.
It was 3-1 before half-time when Mata was allowed to run half the length of the field before slipping in Hazard, who slotted home into the far corner with his first touch.
Torres wasted a one-on-one in the second half but Chelsea were well on top by then and stretched their lead through Ivanovic.
He volleyed home past a despairing John Ruddy.
By then Norwich were begging to be put out of their misery and it looks like being a long hard ­season for Chris Hughton and Co.