West Bromwich Albion 1-0

Independent:

Chelsea 1 West Bromwich Albion 0
Narrow win leaves Rafael Benitez tense... but not past tense

Steve Tongue

Historically, Chelsea teams have rarely made things easy and they did not do so for either their manager or a divided crowd here yesterday. Promising beginnings and a goal tapped in by Demba Ba suggested West Bromwich Albion might be swept aside, but failure to score a second one spawned impatience and put the spotlight and pressure back on Rafa Benitez later on.

Those supporters apparently craving a defeat to hasten his exit became torn between that and wanting Frank Lampard to acquire his 200th goal for the club, which would be only two behind Bobby Tambling's club record. Neither outcome materialised, just a vaguely satisfactory victory that carried the team into third place before Tottenham's derby against Arsenal this afternoon. Assuming Benitez is given more time – and no assumption carries any degree of certainty at this club – he must now negotiate two games with Steaua Bucharest, the clear leaders of the Romanian League, an FA Cup tie at Old Trafford next Sunday, and then the continuation of a favourable run of fixtures that should keep Chelsea in the running for a top four finish.
Defeats by Albion hastened the downfall of the two previous Chelsea managers, Roberto di Matteo and Andre Villas-Boas – the latter a year ago today. Those games were both at the Hawthorns where Chelsea have recently struggled, although Stamford Bridge has never been a successful hunting ground for yesterday's visitors, whose last League success here was as long ago as 1978. Another one would have been undeserved, for they could easily have been three goals behind at half-time before threatening only late in the game to capitalise on the increasing tension around the ground.
With their leading scorer Romelu Lukaku unable to play against his parent club, Shane Long was flying solo in attack and found that a demanding assignment against Branislav Ivanovic and David Luiz. In the end Petr Cech needed to make two saves all afternoon, both from direct free-kicks. "When you're only one goal behind you've always got a chance," said the West Bromwich manager Steve Clarke, a far more popular figure here than Benitez after 12 years as a player and eight as coach. His disappointment and complaint yesterday was: "We went to sleep at a set-play."
Benitez picked Oscar, Eden Hazard and Juan Mata, much as Di Matteo had often done, and their interchanging and interpassing in the first hour at least was often a delight. Half a dozen chances materialised before the interval and Albion would have been beyond salvation but for some good work by their goalkeeper Ben Foster, who has made himself available for England again and was being watched by his former West Bromwich manager Roy Hodgson. Early on he saved at close range as Ba crossed for Oscar; the Brazilian then set up Mata to volley wide before a goal arrived to settle the crowd and the team for a while.
Luiz had won a corner with a fierce free-kick that Foster just managed to turn round a post after a deflection. From the short corner between Lampard and Oscar to which Albion were slow to react, Oscar's deep cross was headed back by Luiz for Ba to tap in. Mata was just wide after more incisive passing, and after Oscar's volley from a corner – looking like another smart training ground move – was blocked, so were shots from Mata and Cesar Azpilicueta from a move involving all three of Chelsea's midfield musketeers.
Amid this domination, Albion's only threat was Steven Reid's 25‑yard free-kick in the sixth minute, turned over the bar by Cech. There was nothing else from the visitors until a similar effort by their own controversial figure, Peter Odemwingie, in that uncomfortable last 10 minutes. His shot was dipping under the bar until Cech turned it for another corner, from which he was almost beaten by a misplaced header from his own full back Azpilicueta.
What Chelsea had needed was a goal round the hour-mark to avoid any tension. It was promised; Lampard was denied his 200th goal because Mata was rightly given offside, and when Jonas Olsson bundled into Hazard no penalty was given, offering Benitez the chance for some theatrics.
So impatience spread and the chants with it, the most hostile of them countered by support for the team, though never the manager. Fernando Torres received an equally mixed reception, coming on for the last three minutes, by which time Oscar had missed two more chances to calm everyone down.

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Observer:

Demba Ba sees Chelsea to victory over West Bromwich Albion
Dominic Fifield at Stamford Bridge

A smattering of homemade cardboard placards were hoisted up in the stands here, with one banner, that looked as if it had even been professionally produced, draped from the top tier of the Shed End, to accompany the usual choruses of disdain directed at the dug-out. And yet, as Jonas Olsson skewed the visitors' final opportunity high and wide to prompt the final whistle, Rafael Benítez could actually reflect with relative satisfaction upon an afternoon that had felt destined to be fraught.
Chelsea had eased beyond West Bromwich Albion, a side who have made a habit of guillotining the London club's managers in recent times, and restored themselves to third in the league, if potentially for only 24 hours. All the points Benítez had made in his monologue at Middlesbrough in midweek, and reiterated again on the eve of this game, still stand. His team did look nervous in the latter stages when anxiety reared again in the stands, and there were periods when the crowd had seemed preoccupied in condemning his presence. But the home support always counter-balanced that abuse with hollered support for their team.
This, if anything, ended up as a relatively measured protest at his stewardship, with the locals ever conscious that the home players – some of whom have proved rather too fragile this term – need reminding of their backing. "The fans, today, were behind the team, the atmosphere was very positive," said Benítez. "The players played good football. Everybody was happy. I was really pleased with the fans getting behind the team, and the players played with more confidence. It was clear it was very positive." His point has been made, the message now demanding focus on the 10 league games that remain.
Privately he could not have been oblivious to the abuse that was flung his way. The bellowed command to "Stand up if you hate Rafa", or the reminders that "You're just an interim" flared whenever the game drifted. He was booed loudly when he picked up a ball that had dribbled over the touchline into his technical area and returned it to César Azpilicueta. Yet, even if he smarts at the indignity to which he is being subjected, the Spaniard might just grudgingly put up with those catcalls if his side impress. This was a third league win in seven matches, and was timely given that on Sunday the sides closest to his own collide at White Hart Lane. This weekend was an opportunity to make up some ground.
They could be grateful for West Brom's lack of ambition. If Chelsea had been vulnerable and there for the taking in the build-up, with John Terry again on the bench having featured in midweek, they could actually ease themselves into the fray as the visitors sat deep and rarely encroached themselves into enemy territory. This was an exercise in possession football for long periods, and it was only in the last 10 minutes that Steve Clarke's side really strived for a reward of their own. Peter Odemwingie, who came on just after the hour mark with the travelling support largely accepting of his involvement, forced Petr Cech to turn over a free-kick from distance. From the resultant corner, the goalkeeper reacted smartly to push away Azpilicueta's inadvertent flick. Yet those were still isolated ripostes amid Chelsea's composure on the ball. The scoreline hardly reflected the hosts' authority.
Their attacking trio of Juan Mata, Eden Hazard and, in particular, Oscar dazzled in spells, the young Brazilian's touch a delight with this display maintaining his own impressive recent form. He might have scored in the opening attack, Ben Foster pushing away a shot from point-blank range with the goalkeeper later well positioned to gather Oscar's close-range header and crunched volley. Roy Hodgson was watching here and will have been warmed by Foster's display, the 29-year-old now available again for England and surely in contention for the squad to confront San Marino and Montenegro, to be announced on Thursday week. His shot-stopping caught the eye all afternoon. "He's probably made Roy happy, even if he's given him a nice problem to deal with," said Clarke.
Even so, he was partly at fault for the contest's only goal. Frank Lampard and Oscar exchanged passes at a corner just before the half-hour mark, the Brazilian swinging over a centre to the far post that Foster misjudged with David Luiz nodding back into the six-yard box. Demba Ba side-footed into the unguarded net to register a first goal since mid-January and Chelsea had their lead.
Space proved elusive thereafter, Olsson and Liam Ridgewell blocking shots smartly and Foster redeeming himself with a succession of fine saves. Perhaps a second goal would have served as a distraction for the crowd. Instead, the meandering and one-sided nature of so much of the game invited attention to refocus on the manager patrolling his technical area, the chants invariably starting up in the lower tier of the Matthew Harding stand and drifting round to be echoed in the Shed End.
Had West Brom equalised then it might have degenerated into the poisonous frenzy that had been anticipated, but the polite applause that greeted the final whistle rather summed up an odd occasion. "It's a good win," said Benítez. "We've still got 10 league games to play, a long race, and we're in a good position. We still feel we can do well."
Did he have a message for the fans who will travel to Steaua Bucharest for Thursday's Europa League last-16 tie? "That I enjoyed today's game," he said. Given what might have ensued, to see him depart the stadium with a smile was remarkable.

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Telegraph:

Chelsea 1 West Bromwich Albion 0
By Jason Burt, Stamford Bridge

This was tame rather than toxic; there was no Bridge of bile for Rafael Benítez. The protests were there but not everywhere. They were frequent but they were not sustained. Even some of the banners appeared half-hearted: “Divided we fall: Rafa out”, “The Interim One” and “Rafa Benitez: we’re just not that 'In-Ter-Im’”. Quite.
There were chants, of course, for Jose Mourinho, some choice words aimed at Benítez – who was booed when he touched the ball to retrieve it for a throw-in – but the 'interim manager’ has had far rougher rides than this in recent times. And far rougher rides on this touchline. An imploration to “stand up if you hate Rafa” fell largely on deaf ears.
It helped that West Bromwich Albion were equally tame – until they scented that an improbable draw could be gained in the final quarter after Chelsea spurned a host of chances that their fine inter-play had earned. Oscar was tricky and bright but profligate; Juan Mata sublime; Eden Hazard dangerous as the talented triumvirate pulled the strings behind Demba Ba, who scored the only goal and provided a much-needed cutting edge.
Nothing short of victory could have been contemplated and it lifted Chelsea back into third place. A draw or, perish the thought, defeat and Benítez may well have not lasted the weekend. But then he did not expect to take charge of this game after his outburst aimed at the fans – and the club, despite his subsequent attempts to deny otherwise – following the FA Cup win away to Middlesbrough on Wednesday.
Benítez had expected to be sacked at the training ground on Thursday and while his future at the club remains highly fluid – would he be able to survive a bad performance away to Steaua Bucharest in the Europa League on Thursday or a heavy FA Cup defeat to Manchester United next Sunday? – the intention right now, as of last night (although it is probably worth an hourly check), is to keep him in place until his contract expires at the end of the season. Probably.
Roman Abramovich, the Chelsea owner, was not here but he will have been told about the performance and the lack of protests and having considered whether to pull the plug on Benítez, right now it appears the Russian billionaire will wait.
Maybe, most likely, it is simply the lack of a viable alternative for the rest of the season and there does not now appear to be much support to bring back Avram Grant, who has been under consideration and crossing his fingers.
Post-match and Benítez took the predictable but still curious approach of attempting to almost air-brush what he had said out of history.
Asked whether the Mourinho chants hurt – and there is no love lost between the pair – Benítez replied: “The main thing was they were behind the team. I was thinking about Demba Ba scoring the goal.”
Did Benítez regret what he said on Wednesday? “Where are we now?” he replied. “We are in a press conference after a game we’ve won with a lot of good football and confidence, let’s enjoy it.” And on it predictably went.
Of course, it helped his cause and his polite bullishness that Chelsea had won. Goodness knows what he could and would have said had that not been the case although there does also appear to be a gathering storm with John Terry once again confined to the sidelines despite being fully fit. That is one to watch.
The chanting started two minutes in but soon Chelsea were racking up chances: Oscar weakly steered Ba’s cross straight at Ben Foster, Mata volleyed across goal and Oscar headed straight at the West Brom goalkeeper before Ba struck. From a corner, Frank Lampard and Oscar exchanged passes and the latter crossed deeply for David Luiz to head back from the far post. Ba swept the ball home.
There was no reaction from Benítez but it brought home relief. There was a superb volley from Oscar, which was blocked, while Foster hacked away Ba’s improvised back-heel. Oscar then spurned another chance – this time his volley, from Ba’s header into his path, was well held by Foster as Hazard ran in. Soon after a low shot from Oscar was also held by Foster, who has declared his interest in returning to international football and will have impressed the watching England manager Roy Hodgson.
But then it was Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech who was being tested. “We stayed in the game until the last minute but we could not get the clear-cut chance,” lamented West Brom head coach Steve Clarke, who will have rued the absence of the ineligible loanee from Chelsea, Romelu Lukaku.
Having tipped over Steven Reid’s powerful first-half free-kick Cech was not called into action until he had to push over another free-kick, this time from substitute Peter Odemwingie. Then he did even better in beating the ball away from point-blank range after César Azpilicueta had inadvertently directed a corner at him. It would have been an own goal: and Chelsea have scored enough of those already of late. Did Benítez have a message for the fans? “I enjoyed today’s game,” he said.

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Mail:

Chelsea 1 West Brom 0: Benitez smiles on as Ba boosts Blues against back drop of boos and banners
By Patrick Collins

After the traumas of the past week, the mood of Rafa Benitez was difficult to predict last night. Some looked for remorse and regret, others anticipated dignified defiance.
But nobody was prepared for the sight of Chelsea's interim manager tap-dancing through a stream of leading questions with a wide smile and a twinkle in his eye.

'I am really pleased with the way the fans got behind the team … the players are confident, they're playing very good football … the game was fantastic … everybody was happy … I'm trying to enjoy today.'
The more pointed the question, the more bland was his answer. I doubt that he knows too much about cricket, yet he has perfected the patient art of playing the ball back to the bowler.
So assured was his performance that we could almost persuade ourselves that we had not heard the chants which blared out inside the first four minutes: 'F*** off, Benitez. We'll sing what we want.'

And the drone of 'Jo -say! Jo -say!' the Shed's homage to the poseur over the water.
And since we never heard those insults, then we could not have seen the placards, few in number but crude in tone: 'Not Wanted, Never Wanted, RAFA Out' and 'The Interim One', along with the cliché of the mock-up P45.
Clumsy efforts all, apparently created by the same, unsteady hand.
Benitez treated them all with the same mocking disdain.
He had said his piece up at Middlesbrough, now he wanted to move on; whatever the fans or the media might feel. And nothing would deflect him from his strategy.
In truth, Rafa was almost the only person at Stamford Bridge who appeared fully immersed in the match. Chelsea were rather better than adequate.
Some of their approach play was swiftly resourceful, while talents such as Oscar and Juan Mata offered more than their share of beguiling moments.
When they performed at pace, particularly in the first half, it was easy to see what a formidable side they may become.
Albion, by contrast, were disappointing; a level or so below their real capabilities.
Had Ben Foster not delivered a master class in goal - offering a host of new reasons why the England manager, Roy Hodgson, will take renewed notice - then the beating might have been quite severe.

He announced himself after four minutes, when he responded with dramatic urgency to Oscar's firm touch on a cross; setting out his intentions in spectacular fashion.
Two minutes later, Steve Reid struck a violent free-kick and saw it tipped aside by Petr Cech, more evidence that goals might be hard to come by.

In 16 minutes, the home crowd launched into their own selfconscious tribute to the departed Roberto Di Matteo.
Benitez appeared not to notice, which must have been infuriating.
Chelsea had taken a degree of command with their thoughtful inventions, and in 27 minutes Foster was required to make another fine save when a Luiz freekick was deflected.

From the corner, Frank Lampard and Oscar swapped passes, Oscar lifted an incisive ball to the far post, from where the ebullient Luiz headed it back and Demba Ba bundled it in.
Briefly, Benitez was forgotten as the crowd celebrated the important break.
But normal service was depressingly resumed when he fielded a loose ball and the jeers erupted with bovine predictability.

Important blocks from Jonas Olsson and Liam Ridgewell prevented further misfortune for Albion, but the pattern had been set and already the match was Chelsea's to lose.
They might have had a penalty on the hour, when Olsson appeared to nudge Eden Hazard but the Chelsea man went down too readily and the claim was ignored.
The arrival of Peter Odemwingie - who is, in some curious fashion, a legend in West London - introduced more attacking possibilities for Albion. But his most hostile effort came in the form of a free-kick eight minutes from time, wonderfully saved by Cech.
All this time, Chelsea captain John Terry remained on the bench, utterly ignored by his manager.
He has apparently made his displeasure known a time or two, but Benitez remains impervious to his pressure.

Indeed, a cynic might suggest Rafa was making his point when he called Terry to warm up with three minutes remaining. And then decided against bringing him on.
Later, he was at pains to deny any disapproval of Terry, but his explanation lacked real conviction: 'Normally we have seven players on the bench. He was very much available, but you have to manage the team,' he smiled, like a man who did not expect to be believed.
Few and far between: West Brom had littel to shout about, though goalkeeper Ben Foster did try something special in the closing minutes, while Petr Cech was forced into one uncomfortable save in the first half

The chants he endured through to the end, but they too lacked conviction.
For, in the course of his brief tenure at Stamford Bridge, this was one of the better days that the Chelsea manager has known.
When it was over, one observer put it neatly into perspective: 'Interim, interim, they've all got it in fer 'im,' he remarked. It was an elegant line.
Had he heard it, Rafa Benitez would have smiled again.

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Mirror:
Chelsea 1-0 West Brom: Ba winner doesn't silence the boo boys on banner day at the Bridge
Matt Law

Rafa Benitez is determined not to go with a whimper.
As the Stamford Bridge faithful sang “Stand up if you hate Rafa”, Benitez rose from the home dugout.
He might be the interim and they might not be that into him, but Benitez seems intent on facing up to the hate mob for as long as he is still at Chelsea.
And a goal from Demba Ba at least ensured a chaotic week off the pitch ended with a second win on it.
It also meant Benitez did not become the third Chelsea boss in succession to be beaten by West Brom.
Andre Villas-Boas was sacked almost a year to the day after defeat at The Hawthorns and a 2-1 loss there proved to be Roberto Di Matteo’s final league game in charge.
It remains to be seen how long Benitez now lasts, but he is going to do things his way until the inevitable happens.
There was certainly no pandering to the fans in his team selection, as Benitez once again left captain John Terry on the bench.
The only thing Chelsea supporters probably agreed with Benitez over was his decision to also axe Fernando Torres and it paid dividends. Ba scored his first goal since January 16 and it was enough to help Chelsea climb back to third place in the Premier League – for 24 hours at least.
Despite the expected hostile reception for Benitez, Chelsea started brightly and squandered a wonderful fourth-minute chance.
Oscar pounced on a Ba cross from the right and Ben Foster produced a wonderful reflex save.
Goalkeeper Foster has made himself available for England again and was watched from the stands by Roy Hodgson and new FA director of elite development Dan Ashworth.
Brazilian Oscar was once again guilty of squandering a good opportunity when he headed straight at Foster from Juan Mata’s cross. And the former Manchester United keeper did brilliantly to keep out a David Luiz free-kick. But Chelsea managed to break the deadlock in the 28th minute with a goal that Foster could have prevented.
Oscar collected the ball from Frank Lampard and lofted a high cross over the head of Foster to the back post. Luiz headed the ball back across the six-yard box and Ba swept it into the net.
Chelsea were dominant in the first half and should have at least doubled their advantage. Mata fired wide and Oscar had a shot blocked by Jonas Olsson before Liam Ridgewell stopped Cesar Azpilicueta’s follow-up.
The Chelsea fans rotated anti-Benitez songs with pro-club chants and started singing for former boss Jose Mourinho in the second half.
West Brom’s travelling supporters at least proved they are willing to forgive and possibly forget, as they clapped Peter Odemwingie when he was sent on as a substitute.
Odemwingie, of course, had already familiarised himself with West London after driving to QPR in January, only to see a move to Chelsea’s neighbours fall through.
Before Odemwingie’s introduction, Chelsea had threatened to increase their lead and felt they should have been awarded a penalty on the hour.
Eden Hazard broke into the area and went down under Olsson’s challenge, but referee Kevin Friend ignored the home appeals and replays showed that he was correct.
Odemwingie, though, gave the Baggies a fresh impetus and the visitors almost snatched a draw with a free-kick that Petr Cech tipped over the bar.
From the resulting corner, Azpilicueta headed dangerously at his own goal but, again, Cech kept the ball out.
Unlike Benitez, former Chelsea defender and assistant manager Steve Clarke was cheered by the Blues fans.
“I’ve been back to Stamford Bridge numerous times and they’re always good to me,” said the Baggies boss.
“I’m always pleased they remember me. I was 12 years here as a player and eight as a coach.”


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Sun:
Chelsea 1 West Brom 0

RAF JUSTICE ... Benitez picked up three points but had to endure more chants from the Chelsea faithful

By ROB BEASLEY

HATE Rafa. Love Chelsea. Boo Benitez. Back the Blues.

It was that sort of schizophrenic atmosphere at the Bridge of Troubled Waiters.

OK, it was not the venomous, bear pit that many had predicted.

But the Blues fans were still united in proclaiming their passion for their club loud and clear. And their disdain for the Interim One at every other opportunity.

Yes, there was more cheering than jeering. But there was no mistaking the intensity of feeling against the beleaguered Blues boss — dubbed a ‘fat Spanish waiter’.

“Divided we fall #Rafaout” read one banner. Another said “We’re just not inter im” — a dig at his midweek rant about his job title.

But the protests were understated rather than over the top. When the home side’s temporary manager walked out, he almost went unnoticed by supporters too busy chanting for Chelsea than bothering about the man they call ‘Beneathus’. In stark contrast, there was a huge cheer from all sides for West Brom boss Steve Clarke, 12 years a Chelsea player and Jose Mourinho’s right-hand man in the glory days.

Of course, the Special One’s name was sung — more than once — and there was no doubt who the fans want to replace the unwanted one in the summer.
But, for now, they are stuck with Benitez. And they cannot stand him.

“You’re not wanted here. . . Rafa Benitez, you’re not wanted here!” they cried.

“Stand up if you hate Rafa!” was next — and plenty did.

“You know what you are, you what you are. . . interim manager, you know what you are!”

Then a chorus of “We don’t care about Rafa, he don’t care about us!” And whenever reviled Rafa even moved he was on the receiving end.

The first time he walked out into the technical area the boos came in an instant. Once, when he tried — and failed — to catch the ball on the touchline, there were more jeers.

In the second half, when he did actually gather the ball, the fans even cut short their favourite “Jose Mourinho” song to boo him.

But to say it was a sustained targeting would be wrong. The anti-Benitez blasts were sandwiched between bellowed support for the team.

And the mood was further complicated as Chelsea actually started really well — despite Benitez’s claims that the dissent was affecting his players. As early as the fourth minute Demba Ba’s cross picked out Oscar in the box but his drilled, left-foot shot was beaten out by Ben Foster. The equally impressive Juan Mata then blazed a left-foot volley just past a post.

But it was not all one-way traffic as Petr Cech was forced to touch over a thunderous long-range free-kick from Steven Reid.

Oscar really should have scored with a close-range header after 16 minutes but was again denied by Foster.

That was the spark for a rendition of “One Di Matteo” in homage to Chelsea’s former interim manager — the one who won the Champions League and FA Cup with that job title and did not moan once!
Ba then fired a left-foot shot at Foster, who was being kept busy without being truly tested.

But the Albion keeper — watched by England boss Roy Hodgson after making a U-turn on his decision to quit Three Lions duty — was alert enough to make a fine reaction save as David Luiz’s deflected free-kick headed for the top corner.

However, the breakthrough was only seconds away as Frank Lampard’s 28th-minute corner fell to Oscar. He crossed to the far post where Luiz nodded it back across for Ba to convert his 17th of the season, his fourth for Chelsea.

The Bridge celebrated but not Benitez. He sat there emotionless, scribbling a few notes.

Chelsea were good value for their half-time lead but were nowhere near as fluent after the interval.

Lampard did have the ball in the net early on for what would have been his 200th Chelsea goal, but provider Mata was offside.

Ba was then crowded out as he tried to backheel a second. And on the hour, Hazard screamed for a penalty when he was bundled over by West Brom skipper Jonas Olsson. But referee Kevin Friend was right to ignore him.

Foster saved well from a rasping right-footer by Oscar, who then dribbled through to see a low shot pushed beyond the far post with 10 minutes to go.

West Brom decided to go for it, although Isaiah Brown — looking to become the Premier League’s youngest player at 16 years and 54 days — was left on the bench.

Cech had to arch back to turn over sub Peter Odemwingie’s fierce free-kick. He then beat out a point-blank header from home defender Cesar Azpilicueta.

The keeper smothered another Odemwingie effort at his near post before surviving one last, desperate attempt from the visitors as Foster went up for a corner.

And he almost got on the end of it in a huge goalmouth scramble that Chelsea were happy to clear and the fans happy to cheer.

They were still cheering at the final whistle as Benitez headed smartly down the tunnel after a result that means he has won half of his league matches in charge.

And Rafa, that is still nothing to cheer about.

Chelsea: Cech, Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Luiz, Cole, Ramires, Lampard, Hazard (Moses 80), Mata (Mikel 90), Oscar, Ba (Torres 87) Subs Not Used: Turnbull, Cahill, Terry, Bertrand.
Booked: Hazard.
Goals: Ba 28.
West Brom: Foster, Reid, Olsson, McAuley, Ridgewell, Yacob (Rosenberg 82), Mulumbu, Morrison, Dorrans (Thomas 71), Fortune (Odemwingie 62), Long. Subs Not Used: Myhill, Jones, Tamas, Isaiah Brown.
Booked: McAuley, Odemwingie.
Att: 41,548
Ref: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire).

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Express:

Chelsea 1 - West Brom 0: Demba Ba bails out Benitez
WHILE Rafa Benitez ran another gauntlet of hate his Chelsea players moved back into the top three. But only just – and possibly for a mere 24 hours.

By: Colin Mafham

Demba Ba's goal was the difference

The beleaguered ‘interim’ boss lives to fight another day at least, but his Stamford Bridge baiters don’t look like giving up.
They made that patently clear yesterday.
How his players keep their minds on the job in this sort of climate, goodness only knows. But they managed it OK in the end, thanks to a first half goal from Demba Ba that was probably worth less than they deserved overall.
Chelsea basically ran the show, but in the face of some dogged resistance from Ben Foster – whose form in goal for the Baggies has suggested he may be ready to end his self-imposed England exile – they had to hang on grimly at the end for three precious points.
Given the hateful circumstances it was quite civilised to start with. Just one clever fans’ sign proclaiming “We’re Just Not Interhim” (get it?) for Benitez to ponder over.
In fact, the face of Steve Clarke told more as he returned to the scene of his former glories with an expression that indicated that, despite a warm reception from his old fans, it wasn’t a particularly happy one – for more reasons than the obvious one.
But both of them looked on the black side on 16 minutes when that applause and chants of “there’s only one Di Matteo” continued for at least 60 seconds.
And later came cries for Jose Mourinho.
Spiteful, hurtful, call it what you like, but it hardly inspired the Chelsea players to loftier heights. Let alone the interim manager!
But at least the Chelsea clouds had a silver lining just before the half hour – for Benitez at any rate.
Rafa Benitez was pleased with what he saw

Chelsea basically ran the show, but in the face of some dogged resistance from Ben Foster
The Spaniard’s lone signing, Demba Ba, got the opening goal. But you have to take your hat off to David Luiz, who was the key figure in the build up before he headed Oscar’s centre into the path of the Senagalese striker.
Clarke, who served under Mourinho and Avram Grant as assistant manager, must have been reasonably happy as well with Albion goalkeeper Foster, who marked his public willingness to return to the international fold with a couple of super early saves from Oscar and Luiz.
Mind you, Frank Lampard beat him twice within the first five minutes of the second half. Fortunately for the Baggies both efforts were ruled offside.
It gave you a good idea of the way things were going to go, though. And that Benitez wasn’t the only potential target!
The Baggies contingent offered only a polite greeting when Peter Odemwingie came on as a 61st minute substitute, although it looks as if they might have forgiven for trying to push through that deadline day move to QPR.
But then the Harding Stand brigade started up again up with chants of “f*** o** Benitez, we’ll sing what we want.” Only they know what they thought that would achieve.
In the meantime, Foster continued to do enough to catch the eye of Roy Hodgson with another crucial save from Lampard.
But for him the scoreline might have been rather different.
As a sudden late assault from West Brom put the fear of God in Chelsea for a nervous last five minutes and Blues goalkeeper Petr Cech had more work to do than he had in the previous 85 minutes put together.


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Star:

CHELSEA 1 - WEST BROM 0: BENITEZ LIVES TO FIGHT ANOTHER DAY AS DEMBA STRIKES
By Tony Stenson

NOW Rafa Benitez must wait to see if the West Brom curse is lifted.
The last two Chelsea bosses have been fired after losing to the Baggies.
At least the man who hates to be called interim manager can boast a win.
Chelsea fans know what they want. Him out.
They spewed anger yesterday with ‘f***off Benitez, we know what we want’ banners ensuring he lived to regret the timing of his outburst at the club’s board and supporters in midweek.
But when they also chanted ‘stand up if you hate Rafa’ a majority replied with ‘Chelsea, Chelsea’.
These are truly crazy times at a club that lives off crazy days.
Andre Villas-Boas was first to go after a game with Albion, followed by Roberto Di Matteo, despite winning the FA Cup and Champions League.
Benitez must wait to discover if a goal from Demba Ba has bucked the trend and delayed his execution.
But in all honesty, his rallying cry in the wake of his rant failed to generate a positive reaction from his team and Chelsea’s disgruntled supporters.
He left out his favourite Fernando Torres and was rewarded by Ba opening the scoring, although the Spanish striker replaced him later. There were few positives after that.
Albion attacked well without a decent striker while Chelsea went through the gears without finding overdrive.
Their best efforts were usually blocked by Ben Foster, the keeper who once turned his back on England but now says he wants a recall. On this showing he could get it.
For Chelsea, Oscar was good, while Juan Mata showed why he should be a leading candidate for player of the year.
Otherwise it was a slog against a side managed by another former Chelsea favourite, Steve Clarke.
Foster made a superb save in the fourth minute from Oscar from a Ramires cross and brilliantly kept out a free-kick by David Luiz in the 28th minute.
But Foster could only palm the effort for the corner that led to the winner.
Frank Lampard picked out Luiz who headed the ball on for Ba to slot home from six yards.
Benitez knows that he is a dead man walking but said: “I am am still smiling.
“We were in control for 75 minutes, their keeper was man of the match.”
He left out John Terry again and added: “We have seven players on the bench and John was one.
“The team is doing well, I will keep working very hard.
“I was really pleased with the performance on the pitch.
“I have a contract until the end of the season, that’s the end of it.
“Do I regret saying what I said? Let’s just enjoy the win.
“The fans today were behind the team, very positive, the atmosphere was really good.
“Today everybody was happy, the players were playing good football.
“We got three points to get us into a good position in the table.”
Clarke, who got a great reception from the home crowd, said: “We thought we’d prepared well enough to get a positive result but we went to sleep on a set-play.
“I appreciated the applause for me. Chelsea fans are always good to me when I come back here.”