Blackpool 4-0

Independent:

Kalou serves perfect starter but Chelsea now face sterner tests
Chelsea 4 Blackpool 0
By Mark Fleming


The suggestion put to the Chelsea manager, Carlos Ancelotti, after this easy victory was that his team might be under-cooked ahead of next week's trip to Manchester City, a team that he has been tipping as potential title rivals all summer.
"Under-cooked? I don't understand under-cooked." Ancelotti replied, for although his English is improving, this phrase tested his vocabulary beyond its limits. For a man whose recent autobiography is packed with as many references to eating as to football, it was unfortunate that he should be tripped up by a culinary term.
After all, his team have provided nothing but the finest gourmet football so far this season, with 15 points from a possible 15 that gives them a four-point lead over Arsenal, with the added cushion of a 10-goal advantage in goal difference.
Yet there is no escaping the suspicion that as his free-flowing team have yet to face anything resembling a competitive game this season they remain an unknown quantity. Blackpool gave Chelsea a decent game; sadly for the visitors by then Chelsea were 4-0 up.
Chelsea took their foot off the gas – with half an eye on the forthcoming challenges they face against Manchester City next weekend, followed by the visit of Arsenal in a fortnight's time – but Ancelotti promised they will be up to the tasks ahead. Asked if his team had been handed an easy start to the season, the Italian replied: "It could be, it could be. But every game could be easy afterwards. If you don't play well, maybe it looks like a difficult game. We didn't play the top teams but we have played very well. Now it's important to have confidence in our football. We have to maintain this quality against the top teams like Manchester City. It's an important test not just for us, but also for them."
The question remains whether Chelsea are able to play their magnificent, high-tempo passing game against better teams than Blackpool. If they are, then heaven help the rest of the Premier League as this Chelsea team will take some stopping.
Florent Malouda, who scored twice in the first half to put Chelsea comfortably ahead, promised the champions will continue the style at City. He said: "People talk about Manchester City because they don't give us the credit for what we have done up to now. We know what we have done last season against the big teams. We can do it. It's not a problem for us."
Chelsea were without their two greatest stalwarts, John Terry and Frank Lampard. Rarely in the past decade have Chelsea been without both of their key players, Terry lost to a rib injury and Lampard still recovering from hernia surgery. Their absence was barely noticed however as the game was over before it had barely begun. Blackpool came with the intention of keeping things tight but went 1-0 down after 66 seconds when they failed to mark properly at a corner. Branislav Ivanovic flicked on Didier Drogba's corner at the near post and Salomon Kalou finished from a couple of yards.
Malouda added a second shortly afterwards, with a one-touch strike to meet Drogba's low cross from the right. The number-crunchers came up with the stat that this was Chelsea's 100th goal in all competitions in 2010.
Drogba, who is playing with a smile on his face these days after six seasons at Chelsea when his default mode has been a moaning scowl, scored the third with a shot that was deflected past Blackpool's goalkeeper Matthew Gilks after Ashley Cole had popped up on the left wing, much to the delight of Ancelotti who was on his feet applauding.
When Kalou crossed for Malouda to score emphatically for Chelsea's fourth in the 41st minute, a cricket score seemed on the cards. But Chelsea eased off and Blackpool came out fighting after the interval, and the visitors played so well in the second 45 minutes they were unfortunate not to score.
Marlon Harewood fired into the side-netting, sparking frenzied celebrations among the travelling Tangerine Army who thought it had gone in, and when DJ Campbell managed to beat Petr Cech from a tight angle, Ivanovic was on hand to clear off the line. At the other end, Chelsea continued to make chances but Drogba seemed more interested in setting up the goal for Malouda that would have given his mate a hat-trick, and they were squandered.
Blackpool manager Ian Holloway admitted responsibility for the defeat, saying he had got his tactics wrong. "I thought we could try to contain them, but after they scored in the second minute that went out the window," he said. "I put my hand up, my tactics didn't work. I looked at it beforehand and though 'Blow me down, we are in trouble'. But we looked better when we played the way we play in the second half, with four strikers."

Match facts

Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ferreira, Alex (Bruma 71), Ivanovic, Cole; Essien, Mikel (Benayoun 78), Ramires (Zhirkov 75); Kalou, Drogba, Malouda. Substitutes not used Turnbull (gk), Kakuta, Sturridge, Anelka.
Booked Drogba

Blackpool (4-3-2-1): Gilks; Eardley (Taylor-Fletcher h-t), Keinan, Evatt, Crainey; Vaughan, Baptiste, Adam; Grandin (Harewood 61), Varney (Ormerod, 61); Campbell. Substitutes not used Halstead (gk), Southern, Cathcart, Carney.

Booked Eardley, Vaughan
Man of the match Essien
Possession Chelsea 59% Blackpool 41%.
Shots on target Chelsea 15, Blackpool 4.
Referee M Clattenburg (Tyne & Wear). Att 41,761
Match rating 8/10.

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Guardian:

Didier Drogba shines as Chelsea maintain perfect start against Blackpool
Chelsea 4 Kalou 2, Malouda 12, Drogba 30, Malouda 41 Blackpool 0

Sachin Nakrani at Stamford Bridge


Another win and another rout but for Chelsea the hard work begins now. The team travel to Manchester City on Saturday having blitzed their way through an opening set of fixtures which proved as comfortable for them as had first appeared. This latest game was over as a contest by half-time but ahead of the visit to Eastlands, and the arrival of Arsenal here on 3 October, it will have done the hosts no harm to have endured some anxiety after the interval.
The champions, after all, could be forgiven for believing in their own invincibility having now won six consecutive matches, scoring 25 goals in the process. But Blackpool's admirable if not surprising decision to maintain an emphasis on attacking despite being 4-0 down after the first 45 minutes here reminded Chelsea of their vulnerability.
That was acknowledged by the manager, Carlo Ancelotti, after his side nearly conceded a goal on three occasions. The closest of those was a low drive from DJ Campbell on 49 minutes that had to be hacked off the line by Branislav Ivanovic. There then followed a volley from Luke Varney that had power but little direction before, on 61 minutes, the substitute Gary Taylor-Fletcher hit a curling shot which Petr Cech had to stretch fully to push over the bar. A much-satisfied crowd was suddenly fearing trouble ahead.
"Blackpool showed a good reaction after the first half and had good chances to score," said Ancelotti. "But this happened because we were not playing so well. We did not have fantastic play like in the first half. During that period it was a pleasure to watch my team play."
That was a sentiment shared by Florent Malouda, who spoke of his team-mates "enjoying" the manner in which they swept aside another set of opponents. For the Frenchman in particular it proved a stellar day as he scored the sixth and seventh goals of the season so far.
His first came on 12 minutes after Didier Drogba, outstanding here having been rested for the midweek win over MSK Zilina in the Champions League, held off the Blackpool right-back Stephen Crainey before sweeping a cross towards the back post where the 30-year-old was waiting to convert a side-footed shot. Malouda's second arrived four minutes before half-time, a drilled left-footed drive that came from Salomon Kalou's precise cut-back.
That made it 4-0 and destroyed any faint hopes Blackpool had of recreating the wins they had secured at Wigan Athletic and Newcastle United following their promotion to the Premier League. Even with the endeavour they showed after the interval, defeat was inevitable.
"Some people have take us for granted, but the champions didn't, their movement throughout was different to what I've seen before and they've got some fantastic players here," said Ian Holloway, the Blackpool manager. "We're light-years away from teams like Chelsea but my challenge is to get us closer to them and I'm glad to be part of it."
That challenge, Holloway insisted, will continue to be underlined by a policy of adventure. It had been fascinating before kick-off to wonder if he would stick with the 4-3-3 formation that has inspired those wins at the DW Stadium and St James's Park but also played a part in the 6-0 defeat to Arsenal in between. As it was, Blackpool began in a 4-3-2-1 system which encouraged Elliot Grandin and Varney to stay wide and support the lone striker Campbell as often as possible. Indeed it was Varney who had Blackpool's best effort of the first half, a long-range drive on 17 minutes that forced Cech to make a low save.
By then, however, Chelsea had established a strong lead with Kalou opening the scoring with a close-range shot after Ivanovic – who was playing at centre-back due to John Terry not recovering from the rib injury he picked up during last week's win at West Ham United – had flicked Drogba's corner into his path. The striker scored Chelsea's third on 30 minutes after collecting a pass from Ashley Cole, whose tormenting of the right-back Neal Eardley was such that the full-back had to be substituted for his own good at half-time.
The speed with which Chelsea pour forward, allied to the robustness shown by the likes of Michael Essien, suggests they would be in first place even if their opponents to date had been sterner. They will also travel to City with Frank Lampard restored to the team after Ancelotti confirmed the midfielder is training again following a groin injury.
The Italian recognised that game as a "test" but baulked at suggestions that his side has had it easy so far, as did Malouda. "People do not want to give us credit for what we have done so far," said the player. "But we know we can achieve great performances against big teams so we are looking forward to the [City] game."


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Telegraph:

Chelsea 4 Blackpool 0

Chelsea moved four points clear at the top of the Premier League with a comfortable victory over Blackpool at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea destroyed Ian Holloway's side with four first-half goals - two from Florent Malouda and others from Salomon Kalou and Didier Drogba.
Blackpool improved in the second half and Branislav Ivanovic had to clear off the line from DJ Campbell while substitute Gary Taylor-Fletcher brought a fine save from Petr Cech.
It took just two minutes for Chelsea to take the lead when Drogba's corner was flicked on by Branislav Ivanovic and Kalou supplied the finish at the far post.
It was the Ivory Coast striker's fourth league goal of the season and Chelsea's 22nd in total so far this season.
Michael Essien almost made it two in the seventh minute but the midfielder's 20-yard shot was too high.
But Chelsea doubled their lead in the 12th minute when Kalou put Drogba clear of the Blackpool defence.
Instead of having a shot himself, Kalou's international team-mate chose to cross superbly for the unmarked Malouda to fire home his fifth goal of the season.
Branislav Ivanovic almost made it three seconds later but his header from a Malouda corner fell just wide of the upright.
Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech was forced into his first save of the game in the 16th minute when he tipped a shot from Alex Baptiste around the post.
Chelsea made it 3-0 on the half-hour when Ashley Cole fed Drogba and the Ivory Coast striker's shot on the turn was deflected past Matthew Gilks. It was Drogba's fifth of the season.
Chelsea were now in rampant form and only some poor decision-making from Cole prevented Blackpool from falling further behind.
The England left-back should have made it four to the home side seconds after Drogba's goal but his cross-shot went wide of the far post.
In the 38th minute another Chelsea attack almost brought yet another goal.
Paulo Ferreira headed the ball into space for Kalou to collect but his cross was smashed wide by Malouda.
Another simple Chelsea move sliced Blackpool open in the 41st minute to make it 4-0 to the champions.
Drogba's ball over the top to Kalou was inch-perfect and he crossed for Malouda to fire into the bottom corner.
Gilks then thwarted Drogba in the 44th minute as the Chelsea forward looked to make it five.
Blackpool almost reduced the arrears in the 49th minute when DJ Campbell rounded Petr Cech but Ivanovic cleared the ball off the goal-line.
Moments later Luke Varney squandered a chance for the visitors when he volleyed over from eight yards.
Chelsea had lost the initiative and a 20-yard shot from Varney was deflected just over the bar as the visitors, for once, enjoyed the upper hand.
On the hour, substitute Gary Taylor-Fletcher brought a fine save from Cech with a curling shot which was going in until the Czech Republic international tipped it over the bar.
Seconds later Holloway removed Elliott Grandin and Varney and replaced them with Brett Ormerod and Marlon Harewood.
But Chelsea squandered a chance to go five in front in the 63rd minute when Drogba put Kalou in the clear but a poor touch allowed Gilks to save his eventual shot
Moments later a cross from Drogba was met by Malouda but the France international's far-post volley was tipped over by Gilks.
In the 66th minute, Malouda spurned another hat-trick chance by firing wide of the left-hand upright.
Essien sent a rising shot over the crossbar 10 minutes from time and Drogba did the same four minutes from time.

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Mail:

Chelsea 4 Blackpool 0: Poor Blackpool couldn't afford a meal here, let alone compete

By Martin Samuel

If this had been a cricket match it would have been one of those investigated by the ICC for suspicious scoring patterns.Chelsea were four goals up before half-time, at which moment anything was possible, even double figures.The sole final score that nobody considered probable was 4-0. The prospect of Chelsea failing to add to their first-half total was unthinkable.
In the circumstances — and ruling out the potential for foul play — bookmakers must have cleaned up.
Hit a little, block a little, is supposed to be the formula for successful spot fixing in one-day cricket, and score plenty, score none at all, would certainly work equally well in football.
There is no question, however, of Chelsea deliberately failing to grind Blackpool into the dust, their surprising 45-minute drought being a combination of ennui, desperate defending, poor finishing and a revival that, incredibly, saw the opposition amass the best chances of the half.
Branislav Ivanovic cleared off the line and Petr Cech made several good saves, enabling the visiting supporters to add genial mockery to their appealing disposition by informing Chelsea that they were not as good as Arsenal (who beat Blackpool 6-0 at home).
‘You’ve only got four,’ they teased to the tune of Sloop John B and, ironic or not, there was the odd boo from the home support when Mark Clattenburg brought the game to a halt, Chelsea no further forward than they had been at the break.
Still, mustn’t grumble. Even an average Chelsea performance is a thing of beauty these days, and this was a completely average Chelsea performance, in that before the game they had scored 40 goals in 10 games and after it they had scored 44 in 11.
So easy has their procession through the Barclays Premier League fixture list been that the sole worry could be that they travel to Manchester City at the end of the week undercooked.
‘We can achieve great performances against very big teams,’ said Florent Malouda, once again exceptional in his wide forward role.
‘People are too concerned about the Manchester City game; they do not give us credit for what we have done before.’
Malouda did, however, add that Chelsea could be more focussed, while Didier Drogba blamed a lack of concentration for Chelsea’s journey backwards through the gears.
They will need to be sharper for longer in Manchester on Saturday, make no mistake about that.
Blackpool could not even afford a meal at Stamford Bridge, let alone attempt to compete with the many millions thrown at the team.
They asked Chelsea to cost portions of lasagne to be consumed on the return journey north, and the quote came back at £15 per head.
Too rich for Blackpool’s blood, apparently. The chairman had a pink fit when Newcastle asked them for a fiver each for lasagne earlier this month. Sandwiches it was, then.They would certainly have worked up an appetite, though. Even playing within themselves, Chelsea’s movement is exhausting and in the first half they were a big blue perpetual motion machine.
A cynic might argue the game was won within 72 seconds when Chelsea scored their first, but they maintained a stunning tempo for the 2,628 seconds that followed, too, and Blackpool were no match.
In addition to the goals, there was a solid penalty appeal from Ashley Cole against defender Dekel Keinan, several near misses and one save from goalkeeper Matthew Gilks that denied Drogba one of the greatest goals of his career.
He started it with a back-heel and one touch later took three defenders out of the game; still, it was not to be.
Blackpool have only themselves to blame for the day turning sour so quickly, however.
Chelsea won an early corner, Drogba whipped it in, Ivanovic flicked the ball on and Salomon Kalou finished comfortably at the far post.
Stage fright struck Ian Holloway’s men instantly, with unsurprising results. In the 12th minute, a fine pass from Michael Essien found Drogba on the right and Malouda hit a low shot from his cross for the second.
Cole, in brilliant form this season, then made the third after 30 minutes, his cross picking out Drogba, whose shot wrong-footed the helpless Gilks thanks to an unfortunate deflection.By now, Chelsea were playing for fun as several outrageous Drogba tricks indicated, but the fourth goal encapsulated the quality that truly makes them special: sublime skill married to a magnificent work ethic.
Cole had gone forward, so Drogba took his place at left back and from that position chased across into midfield to dispossess the slow-witted Elliot Grandin.
His forward pass from deep was the highlight of the day and was seized by Kalou, who found Malouda for a low shot across Gilks. Perfection.
Carlo Ancelotti, the Chelsea manager, said it was a pleasure to watch his team play in the first half, before acknowledging that greater challenges lie ahead.
He added that it was hard to maintain the intensity after the fourth goal went in; a frequent problem for him, but one that would delight other managers.
Holloway, for instance. ‘Some of the movement Chelsea showed was just different, my players had never seen anything like it,’ he said.
‘They are a credit to the club. Anyone who beats them must have a fantastic team.
'In some ways this was always going to happen. The fact is, we’ve got to get closer to these teams than we are now, because we’re light years away.’
Perhaps the moment that summed up that fact came in the 62nd minute when Blackpool captain Charlie Adam began to sprint with the ball down the left flank. Malouda kept him company, almost coasting.
On Adam went, lacking the speed to leave his man behind, or the flair to beat him with a cunning turn. Malouda maintained his pace, almost curiously by now, waiting for the denouement.
Adam reached the by-line, still resolutely one paced, shaped to cross, stubbed a foot in the turf and fell over. The ball rolled into touch. Everyone laughed, even the Blackpool contingent.
Well, what else was there to do?

Match facts

Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech 7; Ferreira 6, Alex 6 (Bruma 71min, 6), Ivanovic 7, Cole 8; Essien 8, Mikel 7 (Benayoun 77), Ramires 7 (Zhirkov 74, 6); Malouda 8, Drogba 9, Kalou 7. Subs not used: Turnbull, Sturridge, Anelka, Kakuta. Booked: Drogba.
BLACKPOOL (4-1-4-1): Gilks 7; Eardley 4 (Taylor-Fletcher 46, 6), Keinan 5, Evatt 5, Crainey 5; Baptiste 5; Grandin 5 (Harewood 60, 5), Vaughan 6, Adam 5, Varney 5 (Ormerod 60, 6); Campbell 5. Subs not used: Halstead, Cathcart, Southern, Carney. Booked: Eardley, Vaughan.
Man of the match: Didier Drogba.
Referee: Mark Clattenburg.
Attendance: 41,761.


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Sun:

Chelsea 4 Blackpool 0
By ANDREW DILLON

IAN HOLLOWAY'S Premier League paupers took their playing strip home to wash themselves. In stark contrast, Chelsea can give their kit man the day off.
They did not even break sweat as yet another team was taken to the cleaners and the champions' menacing advance into the new season continued.
The Blues have hit 21 Premier League goals in five matches and conceded only one.
They are top of the table and already four points clear of Arsenal and Manchester United.
Chelsea are scoring for fun but it is not very enjoyable if you are on the receiving end.
The romantics hoping Blackpool could pull off a miracle quickly realised the Blues are more about routine and they simply refused to give in to sentiment in any way.
Far from stir the heart, mismatches like this serve only as a reminder that English football is anything but a level playing field.
Salomon Kalou, who scored the first goal of this rout, cost as much as Blackpool's entire £8million budget for the season.
Instead of dazzling the punters, some fans were wincing as early as half-time as Carlo Ancelotti's hot-shots threatened to run riot against a side whose players wash their own kit to save money.
Kalou set the tone by scoring after just 72 seconds - 27 seconds quicker than it took his team to set the ball rolling with the opener in last weekend's 3-1 win at West Ham.
Didier Drogba swung in a corner, Branislav Ivanovic flicked it on and Kalou was unmarked to net from six yards.
Just like one of Blackpool's famous rollercoasters on the Golden Mile, there was loads of anticipation and then it was all over inside two minutes.
There was no way back for Holloway's battlers, even though they had the popular vote yesterday in a battle against one of the richest clubs in the world for whom winning is simply business.
Chelsea have been given a relatively easy start to the campaign - West Brom, Wigan, Stoke, West Ham. And yesterday it was the Tangerines' turn to have the life squeezed out of them.
Things will get a bit stickier now, with a trip to Manchester City looming. That will be followed by Marseille, Arsenal and then Liverpool in early November. Drogba provided some swash as Blackpool buckled under the weight of Chelsea's onslaught. He set up goal No 2, scored No 3 and took on the role of general entertainer with tricks, flicks, power and pace. But then again, so he should at £25m - more than Blackpool FC is worth.
Barely 10 minutes after Kalou's opener, Drogba sprung the visitors' offside trap to latch on to a through ball from Michael Essien. He darted to the edge of the box and then cut the ball back for Florent Malouda to score at the far post.
Seasiders boss Holloway had urged his players not to cave in and be overawed by the opposition and the surroundings on their big day out to West London. The longer it went on, he gambled, the more confidence they could wring out of Chelsea. What he failed to understand is that no one tells Chelsea what to do, especially at home.
His gameplan lasted less than 90 seconds.
As well as his dazzle, Drogba showed his finishing is also top dollar.
After half an hour he scored the best goal of this exhibition. Ashley Cole drifted to the corner of the area, then slotted the ball back to Drogba on the edge of Blackpool's box. His turn and shot was spectacular, though deflected, and the ball zipped in off keeper Matt Gilks' right leg.
Malouda made it 4-0 four minutes before the break, when Drogba teed him up again.
Even when Blackpool did manage to beat Petr Cech, with a shot from DJ Campbell, Ivanovic was on hand to scoop it calmly off the line.


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Star:

CHELSEA CRUSH BLACKPOOL ON THE HUNT FOR PREMIER LEAGUE DOMINATION
By David Woods

CHELSEA 4 - BLACKPOOL 0


WATCHING tasty Chelsea peel apart the Tangerines suggested they could be the new Invincibles.
At this scoring rate, they are on course to top a century of league goals again – against Sunderland on February 1!
Of course, five games represents only just over an eighth of the season and we will find out plenty more about the Blues’ resolve in the next seven weeks, during which they face Manchester City – away on Saturday – Arsenal at home and trips to Aston Villa and Liverpool.
The Gunners, of course, have been the only team to go a season in the Premier League undefeated.
They will pose far more of a threat than Ian Holloway’s top-flight rookies, who produced a shocking first-half display as the Double winners scored through Salomon Kalou, Florent Malouda twice and Didier Drogba.
The good-hearted travelling fans had a dig in the goalless second half, chanting “You’re not as good as Arsenal” and “How sh*t must you be, you’ve only got four?”
However, with the Champions League underway it was not hard to imagine boss Carlo Ancelotti advising his men to take it easy after the break.
Five wins out of five, 21 goals scored and just one conceded and a four-point lead already – the Italian is hardly sweating.
And nor were his players as they strolled through this game.
Blackpool players wash their own kit, while Chelsea players could just give their own an airing!
With two wins and a draw out of their first four Premier League matches, you might have expected the Tangerines not to be overawed at Stamford Bridge.
But that is just what they were as Chelsea went ahead after just 72 seconds when Branislav Ivanovic flicked on Drogba’s corner and Kalou was left unmarked to sidefoot in a half-volley.
In the 12th minute Chelsea struck again. Drogba got in behind the visitors’ backline to run on to Kalou’s throughball. Outstripping Stephen Crainey, he unselfishly squared for Malouda to guide the ball home under Matt Gilks’ body from close range.
He was not so team spirited shortly after when, after being put in down the left by John Obi Mikel, he tried a flashy curler for the top corner which he fluffed completely.
In the 17th minute Petr Cech pulled off a superb save, diving full length to tip away Alex Baptiste’s long-range effort which was going just inside a post.
Drogba then produced a flick pass using one leg behind the other, which no doubt did little to endear him to his opponents.
Blackpool were lucky not to concede a spot-kick when the dithering Dekel Keinan barged over Ashley Cole after messing up a backpass to keeper Gilks.
Drogba got his goal in the 30th minute after Cole raced on to Michael Essien’s throughball and turned Neal Eardley in the box.
Prodding it to Drogba, the striker turned in a flash and drove past Gilks, though aided by a big deflection off Ian Evatt. Drogba then dropped into midfield to dispossess Elliot Grandin before sending Kalou clear with a marvellous pass with backspin.
Kalou picked out Malouda and the Frenchman drilled in at the fast post with his left foot from 12 yards in the 41st minute.
After the break Blackpool started with a new resolve, with Charlie Adam influential in midfield. In the 50th minute he put DJ Campbell through, but his shot was slowed down by Cech getting something on it and Ivanovic was able to clear off the line.
Then he produced a sublime pass with the outside of his left foot to set up Luke Varney for a volley, but he blasted wildly. At least Blackpool kept trying, with substitute Gary Taylor-Fletcher forcing Cech to tip over his curling drive.
Kalou’s poor first touch from a Drogba ball allowed Gilks to dash out and deny him a second goal.
Chances continued to be fashioned at either end as substitute Marlon Harewood drove into the sidenetting. Then Keinan denied Cole a goal, blocking his shot after yet more great work from Drogba.
In the end the Blues settled for four – with Malouda’s double taking him joint top of the goal charts with Dimitar Berbatov.
Berbatov and Manchester United, of course, will have a big say in whether Malouda and Co. can go the season unbeaten.

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Express:

CHELSEA V BLACKPOOL: FLORENT MALOUDA IS JOINING THE FEAST
By Tony Banks Chelsea 4, Blackpool 0


FLORENT Malouda was the last player Jose Mourinho bought in his controversial spell in charge at Chelsea. But it is Carlo Ancelotti who is reaping the benefits of his skills.
Fifteen goals last season proved crucial to Chelsea’s winning of the Double under Ancelotti. Two more yesterday took France winger Malouda’s tally for this season to six, and illustrated once more the gulf between the haves and have nots in the Premier League.
Chelsea’s second goal at Stamford Bridge yesterday, slotted in expertly from six yards after Didier Drogba’s low cross, was their 100th in all competitions in this calendar year. Fittingly, it was scored by Malouda with typical aplomb.
He rifled in a second later in a game that in all honesty was over inside one minute 12 seconds, when Chelsea took the lead.
Five league games, five wins; 21 goals scored, one conceded; West Brom, Wigan, Stoke, West Ham and now Blackpool seen off. The critics carp it is an easy start, and battle really commences at Manchester City next Saturday. Easy?
“Maybe,” said Ancelotti. “But every game is easy afterwards. If you don’t play well, then they are difficult.
“We have played very well and want to keep this going. We know that City will be more difficult but we can play this way against the top sides.”
Malouda was more defensive. “Everyone talks about Manchester City, but they do not give us credit for what we have done so far,” he said. “We know we can achieve great performances against the big teams so we are looking forward to it.”
It is difficult to argue against that, especially given Chelsea’s performances against the ‘big four’ last year, when they won every game. They did, however, lose home and away to erratic City – so no comparisons with Arsenal’s Invincibles just yet.
Games like this, though, are becoming almost routine at Stamford Bridge these days. When Salomon Kalou volleyed in Branislav Ivanovic’s flick from Drogba’s corner, Blackpool boss Ian Holloway had barely got to the dugout.
Ancelotti sticks to his word and rotates his players but Malouda is more or less a constant. His finishing is lethal, his speed of foot and thought just as deadly. The wayward performances of his first year in England are long gone.
It was no surprise to see him rattling in Drogba’s low cross in the 12th minute. On the half-hour Ashley Cole once again destroyed Blackpool’s right flank and crossed for Drogba to score. Then, four minutes before the break, Kalou got away on the right and squared the ball for Malouda to complete the job.
Holloway said: “Some of the football they played made hairs I didn’t know I still had on the back of my neck stand on end. They were phenomenal.
“Some teams in this league have taken us for granted a bit but Chelsea didn’t. I have never seen some of that movement before from them.
“There is no doubt, though, that in this game the rich are getting richer, the best are getting better. The rest of us are just hanging on to their coat-tails. But we did draw the second half.”
Blackpool did – and might even have pulled a goal back had not Petr Cech made a superb stop from Gary Taylor-Fletcher’s curler.
Chelsea, though, could have had seven or eight, but understandably their feet were off the gas.
It is not all sweetness and beauty though. Statistics released at the weekend noted Chelsea are the heaviest team in the Premier League and the second tallest. Blackpool found that out as they were all too frequently outpaced, outmuscled and outjumped.
Malouda is of average height and average build. But so important to Chelsea.

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