west brom 3-1

Independent: Imperious Drogba lifts the Blues West Bromwich Albion 1 Chelsea 3 By Phil Shaw at the Hawthorns It was "sod's law", decreed the West Bromwich manager, Roy Hodgson, that Fernando Torres would break his scoring duck for Chelsea against the man who was his manager at Liverpool. The Spaniard remains goalless, denied by a marginal offside decision in his substitute's cameo, but Didier Drogba again underlined his worth with a goal and a masterclass in centre-forward play. For the first time since Carlo Ancelotti lavished £50m on his new striker in January, Drogba started without either Torres or Nicolas Anelka alongside him. After starting on the bench in the Champions' League tussle at Manchester United, he revelled in the opportunity. First he negated Peter Odemwingie's opener for Albion; then he provided the assist when Solomon Kalou put Chelsea in front; and he launched the move that effectively put the fallen Double winners of last spring out of sight before half-time. Chelsea's eighth win in 11 Premier League games, only one of which has been lost, took them to within a point of second-placed Arsenal. Asked whether they were still contenders to retain their title, Ancelotti's reply seemed to rule out any dramatic late surge while acknowledging that he may not be around come next August's big kick-off. "I know very well we were not good enough this season, but I hope we can finish well," said the Chelsea manager. "After that the club will make a decision." Ancelotti's future would not be being debated if Torres had mustered even the occasional goal. The World Cup winner has now gone 870 minutes without finding the net for club or country, though Ancelottiwas justified in saying he was "very unlucky" when an offside flag stifled his joy after he ran on to a pass by Florent Malouda and beat Scott Carson. Drogba, by contrast, was at his most imperious. Was it not an amazing decision to leave him out of the starting line-up at Old Trafford? "Maybe," said Ancelotti with a coy smile. "He played very well here. But that's in the past. We have to look forward." Albion are still theoretically threatened by relegation but look eminentlycapable of safety. Hodgson, somewhat bizarrely, said: "We've had a wonderful spell. Now we have to learn to lose. The Swedes have a saying that no tree grows to heaven and we've been reminded that we're a very ordinary birch in West Bromwich and not something out of Jack and the Beanstalk." Yet Albion were ahead before Chelsea settled, Youssouf Mulumbu initiating a bout of slick passing which took in James Morrison and Jerome Thomas before Odemwingie was sent clear. A splendidly composed 16-yard chip over Petr Cech brought the Nigerian his 12th goal of the season, an Albion record in the Premier League. If there was a hangover from their European exit, Chelsea would have thrown in the towel there and then. Instead, Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel asserted themselves in midfield while Ashley Cole marauded down the left flank. The increase in tempo found Albion chasing shadowsand before half-time Carson had been beaten three times. The visitors' first goal had unhappyechoes of the goalkeeper's last England outing, the calamity against Croatia that saw them miss Euro 2008. Cole fed Malouda, whose low cross was parried so weakly by Carson that Nicky Shorey was panicked into a sliding clearance. The ball ran to Drogba, who scored easily. Four minutes later, Drogba glided through a couple of challenges before hitting a right-footed shot that Carson again failed to deal with adequately. This time the ball squirted loose to Kalou, who angled his shot into the far corner. Drogba turned playmaker on the stroke of half-time, lofting a pass from 10 yards inside his own half to Malouda. The Frenchman spotted the supporting run by Frank Lampard, who confidently sidefooted home a first-time shot from just inside the 18-yard box. For Chelsea, it was a case of normal service resumed. For their expensive misfit, the wait goes on. Attendance: 25,163 Referee: Lee Probert Man of the match: Drogba Match rating: 7/10 ======================================= Observer: Chelsea bounce back with comfortable dismantling of West Bromwich West Brom 1 Odemwingie 17 Chelsea 3 Drogba 22, Kalou 26, Lampard 45 Joe Lovejoy at The Hawthorns

West Bromwich Albion are much improved under Roy Hodgson but Manchester United they are not, and Chelsea put a grim week behind them with a win much more convincing than the scoreline would suggest. A repeat of the 6-0 drubbing they inflicted on Albion on the first day of the season would not have flattered them unduly, such was their overwhelming superiority on an afternoon when even Fernando Torres had the ball in the net – only to be flagged offside. Dropped after the midweek elimination from the Champions League, the Spaniard got on after 82 minutes, in place of Didier Drogba, but still had time to miscue horribly from close range. In mitigation, the offside decision that denied him his long-awaited first goal for Chelsea was borderline. Hodgson, who had hoisted Albion to 10th in the table in a seven-match unbeaten run, said beforehand that he feared Torres opening his account. Instead, Carlo Ancelotti reverted to the 4-3-3 formation his players prefer, omitting Torres and Nicolas Anelka and playing Drogba on his own through the middle. The big Ivorian responded with a herculean, man-of-the-match performance, scoring Chelsea's first goal and doing the spadework for the other two. The personification of power and incisiveness, his contribution was a reminder of how much he has been missed in his various enforced absences, after surgery and with a bout of malaria. It is not unreasonable to suggest that had he been fit and available more often Chelsea would not have fallen away so badly after their flying start to the season. As it is, they are only a single point behind second-placed Arsenal. It is almost certainly significant that Saturday's improvement came on a day when Drogba played as lone striker, without Torres or Anelka for company, for the first time since the £50m man's arrival. Ancelotti gave an embarrassed smile when he was asked if he was still kicking himself for playing Torres, to the exclusion of Drogba, in the decisive leg of the Champions League quarter-final against United. "Maybe, but this is in the past", he said. "He played very well, but I have already spoken about this, and we have to look forward." Eight points adrift of the league leaders, was the title still a realistic target? "I don't know, but we have a very clear aim – to win the next six games and see what the other teams can do." West Brom, brimming with confidence after successive wins against Liverpool and Sunderland, made the brighter start and after 17 minutes Jerome Thomas played in Peter Odemwingie, who beat Petr Cech to the ball before shooting into the untenanted goal. Chelsea could conceivably have wilted had Albion been able to retain their lead for any length of time, but a daft mistake by Nicky Shorey enabled them to equalise within four minutes. Florent Malouda's cross from the left had run past the far post when Shorey inexplicably knocked it straight to Drogba, who plundered his 11th goal in the Premier League this season, from 12 yards. It was the lift Chelsea needed and, passing the ball with increasing cohesion, they took complete control. They were in front after 26 minutes when Scott Carson, going low to his right, could only parry Drogba's drive from distance and Salomon Kalou dispatched the loose ball, left to right. It was 3-1 just before half-time, with Drogba inevitably involved. He dispossessed Odemwingie on halfway before knocking the ball beyond Steven Reid for Malouda to chase, then supply a cross that Lampard, 16 yards out, tucked low into Carson's right-hand corner. The margin could easily have been wider, Abdoulaye Méïté deflecting a shot from Kalou against his own crossbar before Torres, set up by Malouda, rounded Carson and had the ball in the net, only to be flagged offside. Given a second chance, from Malouda's free-kick, he miskicked horribly in front of goal. What had Hodgson made of his first defeat? In a Cantona moment, he said: "The Swedes have a saying that no tree grows to heaven, and we have been reminded that we are a very ordinary birch in the middle of West Bromwich and not something out of Jack and the Beanstalk." On a less esoteric note, he added: "We've had a wonderful spell, now we've got to learn how to lose. I don't think we can have any complaints. Chelsea were clearly the better side."

THE FANS' PLAYER RATINGS AND VERDICT GLYNIS WRIGHT, Baggies.com We're not too despondent – it's just a bit maddening that the three goals we conceded were sucker punches after taking the lead. We believe in Roy Hodgson and what he's trying to do. I could wring Scott Carson's neck sometimes. He was responsible for at least one goal, but, then again, he came up with a world-class save when he tipped the ball over the bar. He's too inconsistent.

The fan's player ratings Carson 5; Reid 6, Olsson 6, Méïté 6, Shorey 6; Mulumbu 7, Scharner 6 (Jara 73 6); Brunt 5, Morrison 6 (Vela 73 6), Thomas 6 (Tchoyi 82 n/a); Odemwingie 7 DOM JAMES, Observer reader Really comfortable. It wasn't spectacular, but we dictated the tempo and the pattern of play: the gap in class was pretty obvious. Drogba and Mikel were superb: Mikel was a beast in the middle and Drogba was man of the match – he's clearly trying to make a point. But it was good to see Torres coming off the bench and nearly scoring. He'll get one soon. It was just a shame he wasn't given more time: 10 minutes isn't long to make an impact. The fan's player ratings Cech 7; Ivanovic 7 (Bosingwa 63) 7, David Luiz 8, Terry 7, Cole 8; Essien 7, Mikel 9, Lampard 8 (Benayoun 77 7); Kalou 7, Drogba 9 (Torres 82 7), Malouda 7 ========================================== Telegraph: West Bromwich Albion 1 Chelsea 3 By Sandy Macaskill, the Hawthorns Fernando Torres is misfiring, Carlo Ancelotti might be a dead man walking, but Didier Drogba is on fire. The striker scored his second goal in as many games, dismantled West Bromwich Albion and gave Carlo Ancelotti something to smile about. No wonder it left the Italian insisting Drogba still has a future at Chelsea. “Didier is a very important player for this club,” he said. “For the past and for the future.” This was Chelsea at their imperious best, driven on by Drogba at his dynamic best. The only negative was that Torres, who was left to stew on the sidelines until the final 10 minutes, remains a £50 million elephant in the stadium. The Spaniard’s wait for a goal continues. Disappointment stung Chelsea last week with defeat in the Champions League, but the season is not over yet, even if Ancelotti accepts the title is probably beyond reach. “Realistic? I don’t know,” he said. “But we have a very clear aim: to win the next six games. Then we wait and see what happens with the others.” That might well decide Ancelotti’s future, which will continue to be a matter of fevered debate. He sounded sceptical himself: “Practically, I have a contract, but I know very well that we were not good enough this season.” This 90 minutes was about Drogba. Hurt by his omission in favour of Torres against Manchester United in Europe, the Ivorian delivered a display of individual excellence for the collective good. The 33 year-old was everywhere, scoring Chelsea’s first, assisting Salomon Kalou to score the second and setting in train the third, scored by Frank Lampard, while generally making a nuisance of himself. No wonder his manager suggested that he regrets not playing Drogba from the start against United. “Maybe,” he said, with a weary smile. Though Drogba was super-charged, and Chelsea dominant, they were twice assisted by Scott Carson, whose ineptitude was rivalled only by Nicky Shorey. Between them they conjured performances reminiscent of West Brom’s darkest days, even after Peter Odemwingie had given them hope with as classy a finish you will see. This was always going to be a different proposition to Chelsea’s 6-0 destruction of West Brom on the first day of the season, especially when John Terry was caught off-balance, the defender letting Jerome Thomas’s slipped pass underneath his feet and allowing Odemwingie through to chip impudently over Petr Cech. That brought Ancelotti, dressed in his customary funeral black, to the technical area, looking every bit the man in need of a favour. West Brom were happy to oblige. Florent Malouda’s cross after 22 minutes bypassed Carson: a mistake but not a calamitous one, because Shorey was at the far post to tidy up. Option A was to put it out for a corner. Option B was to try to shield it out for a goal-kick. Shorey chose Option C: clip the ball back towards the penalty spot for Drogba to sweep into an open goal from eight yards. He could scarcely believe his luck. So much for West Brom’s composure. Chelsea scented blood. Drogba darted across the face of the area, Carson palmed his shot to Kalou, and the forward stuck his shot into the far corner. Abdoulaye Méïté was cautioned as the last trace of serenity left the home side. With a minute of the first half to play, Drogba cropped up in the left-back position and knocked the ball down the line. Kalou nonchalantly passed it back to Lampard, who had time to control and finish into the near corner. Surely it was time to introduce Torres. If you can’t score against Carson and Co on this form you might as well take early retirement. Drogba made way with eight minutes remaining and, finally, Torres found the net, only for it to be ruled offside. Ancelotti said he will be given an opportunity against Birmingham, their next opponents. “I hope for him that he will score,” he said. “Everyone has confidence that he will score.” ==================================== Mail: West Brom 1 Chelsea 3: Drogba leads fightback to end Hodgson's unbeaten run By Mark Ryan Didier Drogba provided further proof of Carlo Ancelotti's catastrophic error in starting with Fernando Torres against Manchester United in the Champions League last Tuesday. The Italian manager not only hinted that he was still kicking himself for that mistake; he also insisted that 33-year-old Drogba still has a big future at Stamford Bridge. After the striker scored one and made two more, crestfallen Ancelotti could hardly be expected to say anything else. There is no certainty that the 51-year-old will even last until the end of the season or be in a position to perpetuate Drogba's Chelsea career next term, though the man from the Ivory Coast at least gave his boss some breathing space thanks to a comfortable victory. Ancelotti gave Torres a cameo role for the last eight minutes, one which saw the Spaniard round keeper Scott Carson and find the target at last. Perhaps inevitably, Torres was judged to be offside. He has now gone 701 minutes without a goal for Chelsea, though that painful statistic does not even include added time. The only surprise surrounding Torres was the incredible patience and support shown to him by the travelling Chelsea faithful, who continued to chant his name and shout encouragement even though his lack of passion and confidence effectively ended their European dream just a few days ago. If West Bromwich had shown half as much imagination on the field as their manager, Roy Hodgson, showed off it, then things might have been different despite Drogba's super show. In a moment to match the infamous Eric Cantona 'seagull soliloquy' Hodgson found an extraordinary way to portray his team's fallibility after an impressive run of late. He said: 'As the Swedish so rightly say, no tree grows to heaven. We are a mere birch tree in the middle of West Bromwich and no one will be doing any "Jack in the Beanstalks" here.' Albion should survive, and Peter Odenwingie netted his 12th of the season in the 17th minute, having been released by Jerome Thomas. The exquisite way in which he lifted his finish over Petr Cech was an object lesson in composure, and one that would not have been lost of Torres as he warmed the bench. 'Sacked in the morning,' the West Bromwich fans shouted mockingly in Ancelotti's direction. But Drogba refused to let his manager suffer further, when lessor characters might have sought revenge for previous exclusion with diminished commitment. Drogba took advantage in the 22nd minute after Carson's fingertips had failed to clear Florent Malouda's shot and defender Nicky Shorey had inexplicably turned the ball back into the visiting striker's path. No nonsense, just an emphatic finish, which he followed with another testing shot just four minutes later. Carson parried that effort so weakly that Salomon Kalou was able to bury his chance from an unlikely angle, and suddenly Chelsea were cruising. Their killer blow came courtesy of an extraordinary Drogba tackle inside his own half just before the break. He released Malouda down the left, whose cross gave Frank Lampard so much time that he was able to find the corner with ease. No wonder captain John Terry went straight to Drogba to offer his congratulations instead of rushing upfield to celebrate with the scorer. Albion boss Hodgson said: 'The determination, desire and athleticism we showed in the second half was missing for a large period of the first half. And to allow Chelsea to be two goals better by half-time meant we were staring down the barrel of the gun.' Albion were not much hungrier after the break, though Chris Brunt did come close to scoring with a couple of late efforts. By then, Drogba had sent an improvised, swerving punt onto the roof of the Albion net from 30 yards and conjured a wonderful, spontaneous cross with the outside of his boot, which should have seen either Lampard or Kalou take advantage. Ancelotti claimed afterwards: 'The club did not buy Torres so that Didier has to go. Drogba has been important for this club in the past and he will be very important in the future.' On the lack of time that he gave substitute Torres to redeem himself, Ancelotti added: 'A manager has to think about the team and not just one player.' What a pity then, from Chelsea's point of view, that the Italian was not prepared to use that logic earlier in the week when the side travelled to Old Trafford. Now he says he needs to win his last six Premier League matches before asking for a reprieve from club owner Roman Abramovich. Yet even that kind of winning run may not be enough now. =============================================== Mirror: West Brom 1-3 Chelsea: By Ralph Ellis The fans want Torres, the owner wants Torres, the manager may or may not want Torres. But there’s one man at Chelsea who wants the same centre ­forward the club have had for the last seven years. Funnily enough that’s Didier Drogba, who just happens to be the bloke who’s been centre ­forward for the last seven years. This was the first time since the £50million arrival of Fernando Torres that Drogba got his wish, starting on his own up front with neither the Spaniard nor Nicolas Anelka for company. And given the chance to make his point he took it in certain style — just as he’d done at Old Trafford when he’d been forced to spend the first half watching Chelsea crash out of the Champions League. He may be 33, he may be the man rumoured to be on his way out of Stamford Bridge in the summer. But he’s still the striker that Premier League defences least like to face and he proved it by leading a fightback that finished off Roy Hodgson’s ­unbeaten record as West Brom boss. He scored the equaliser – his 144th goal in a Chelsea shirt – and made the other two for a win that still leaves the champions eight points behind ­leaders Manchester United but at least keeping a faint hope alive. Even coach Carlo Ancelotti was close to admitting he was wrong to have axed Drogba in the week. “Are you still kicking yourself you didn’t start Didier, it seems an amazing decision?” he was asked. “Maybe,” he replied. “But this is the past, and to think about this… I gave my personal thoughts about this and now we have to look forward. “Didier can continue to play for a long time. The club bought Torres not to replace him but because he is a fantastic star. “Didier has been a very important player for the club in the past and he will be for the future too.” Just as well, as Torres – who finally got a go for the last 11 minutes when it was no longer a contest – is still having a nightmare. Chelsea’s travelling fans had been calling for the introduction of the Spaniard for far longer, and when he came on began singing: “He’s gonna score in a minute.” Instead, Torres was caught offside with his first touch, and then again for his second, although at least that time he did go round Scott Carson and put the ball in the net. It was a marginal decision, but ­underlined just how much the football fates have turned against him. It’s not as if his new team-mates are not trying everything for him. When Chelsea had a free-kick in injury time John Terry instructed Torres where to run, and told Florent ­Malouda exactly where to put the ball to find him. The move worked a treat – but almost inevitably the £50m man slipped as he tried to get his shot away and hopelessly mis-hit it. So it was down to Drogba to be the star of the show, and his 12th Premier League strike of the season couldn’t have come at a better time. Albion had started in style and their closely packed midfield ­troubled Chelsea. After 17 minutes Jerome Thomas sent Peter Odemwingie clear and the striker hoisted a perfect finish above Petr Cech. Sadly for West Brom, Carson had a howler and failed to hold Malouda’s low cross, and Nicky Shorey’s attempt to clear only pushed the ball into Drogba’s path for him to score. Then he palmed Drogba’s shot feebly sideways and Malouda followed up to put Chelsea in front. On half-time the contest was over, with Drogba and Malouda combining again, and Frank Lampard providing the finish. “We gave away cheap goals,” said Hodgson. “When you’ve had a good run you forget how bad losing feels.” ================================================== People: West Brom 1-3 Chelsea: Drogba restores Blues faith by Matt Butler, THEY may have left it late in the campaign but Chelsea have their mojo back – and it is all down to Didier Drogba. The Ivorian scored one and set up another as Chelsea gave their answer to those who claimed their season ended with defeat to Manchester United in the Champions League. Frank Lampard even netted his first club goal in six weeks as the Blues, who played with a swagger not seen in months, rose to one point behind second-placed Arsenal. Ancelotti was understandably ­elated – especially as the performance, as well as the result, may give him a stay of execution. But beneath the delight was the nagging thought that perhaps he should have started with Drogba rather then Fernando Torres at Old ­Trafford. Ancelotti said: “Should I have ­started with Drogba? Maybe, but this is in the past. I had my thoughts about this but it is in the past and we have to look forward. “Whether the title is realistic or not, I don’t know, but we have a very clear aim – to win the next six games and try to do our best. “We showed good character. It was not easy coming here showing good character and good personality when we conceded a goal. We maintained very good composure.” Boss Ancelotti had claimed ahead of this match it would “not be a ­problem” if he got the bullet from owner Roman Abramovich. But his team selection said something different – it was a blast from the recent past, when the Blues used to slam six goals past their opponents. Torres had to make do with a place on the bench as Ancelotti fielded a side with only two differences – David Luiz and Salomon Kalou – from the 6-0 mauling handed to West Brom on the opening day of the season. And Drogba was on his own up front for the first time since Torres’ £50million arrival – which in itself spoke volumes. Ancelotti added: “Didier played very well and we played very well as a team. He has a body that I think he can continue for a long time. He has to continue to train well and be ­professional. “But for a player over 30 it is very important to keep control of his body and do everything to ­maintain his fitness.” For all of Chelsea’s dominance for much of the match, they started as if they had a train to catch – and paid for it on 17 minutes. Jerome Thomas’ ball to Peter Odemwingie left John Terry bamboozled and the unmarked Baggies striker chipped over Petr Cech. But Chelsea were level just four minutes later thanks to Nicky Shorey’s blunder, as he played Florent Malouda’s cross back across the face of goal when he should have booted it towards the touchline. Drogba pounced on the loose ball to slot home his 13th of the season. And within three minutes, Chelsea were ahead, as Scott Carson dived to stop Drogba’s shot – which looked off-target – and Kalou pounced on the rebound. Frank Lampard could have nabbed the Blues’ third on 34 minutes but Carson saved his 20-yard free-kick superbly. But a minute before half time the England midfielder got his goal as Malouda crossed from the left for Lampard to sidefoot home. Malouda and Kalou went close but the visitors could ­afford to enjoy the ­sunshine for much of the second half. Torres did come on for the last 11 minutes – and a minute after his introduction we were treated to a slice of history, as he put the ball in the back of the net. Too bad the linesman flagged for offside. West Brom manager Roy Hodgson admitted his side were sloppy – but came to terms with his first defeat as Albion boss by way of a Scandinavian proverb. He said: “We have had a wonderful spell, now we have to learn how to lose. The Swedes have a saying: ‘No tree grows to heaven’. “We have played Arsenal and Liverpool here so we shouldn’t be sitting back and thinking it doesn’t matter because it was Chelsea. We have to look at what went wrong and make certain we get back on track.” ============================================ Star: WEST BROM 1 CHELSEA 3: DIDIER DROGBA’S NOT READY FOR THE CHELSEA SCRAPHEAP YET By Harry Pratt

Didier Drogba delivered a sharp reminder to Roman Abramovich here: Sell me at your peril. Before yesterday the Ivory Coast hitman was the bookies’ 7-2 favourite to be the first of Chelsea’s misfiring forwards on his way. But after this stunning individual display, which cut the gap between the Blues and leaders Manchester United to eight points, Red Rom might reconsider. Carlo Ancelotti clearly feels Drogba, now 33, still has plenty to offer, saying: “We did not buy Fernando Torres to replace Drogba. We bought him because he is a fantastic striker. “So it doesn’t mean because of Torres that Didier has to go. He was very good in the past and will be important in the future. “He had problems with malaria but he has come back well. I don’t know how long he has left at this level but he has the body to continue if he does the right things. “Torres was unlucky not to score. Maybe he’ll score next game. He will be involved.” The £50million flop Torres was left kicking his heels on the bench for 81 minutes as Drogba took centre stage and reminded ­everybody what an awesome striker he is. Yes, he may sulk. Yes, he may dive and roll around in prima-donna fashion but there is no doubting when he’s really up for it, there are few better target-men in football. Having got Chelsea’s first, Drogba created two more before the break. It made a ­mockery of Ancelotti’s decision last week to pick Torres ahead of Drogba for the Champions League defeat to Manchester United. That Euro exit effectively ended the Blues’ season and left the coach’s job hanging by the ­merest of threads. If only his players had ­produced performances like this one over the past five months, he would have had no such worries. Sure it came against West Brom, who they hammered for six on the opening day of the campaign – but it was still an impressive response to such a turbulent few days. The Baggies saw their ­early superiority justly rewarded in the 17th minute. As has been the case so ­often during their surge away from trouble, Nigerian Peter Odemwingie was the hero. Five goals in 11 became six in 12 when, ­having been sent clear by Jerome Thomas, he coolly chipped the advancing Petr Cech. But just as the Baggies seemed in control, their frailties reappeared and Chelsea hit back three times before the break. Firstly, Scott Carson and Nicky Shorey failed to deal with a Florent Malouda cross and in doing so allowed Drogba to grab his 13th strike of the season. Straight after, a Drogba shot had Carson fumbling again and Salomon Kalou tucked in the rebound. If that wasn’t bad enough their situation nosedived on the stroke of half-time. Drogba’s ball found Malouda who picked out Frank Lampard, who was never going to miss from eight yards. As the second half petered out, Torres was thrown on to see if he could net for the first time in 12 games. He did after 83 minutes – only to be ruled offside! Ancelotti added: “We have a clear aim – to win our next six games. Is the title still ­realistic? That I can’t answer.” Hodgson, whose side are six points clear of the drop zone, said: “Didier Drogba’s ­reputation as one of the world’s best strikers is ­confirmed every week. But stopping him does not mean you stop Chelsea. They have so many world-class players. “We conceded goals that we have managed to cut out in recent games.” ================================================== Express: WEST BROM 1 CHELSEA 3: FERNANDO IS NO MATCH FOR THE TOP DROG By Richard Jolly AS Roman Abramovich’s axe looms ahead of the latest and bloodiest clearout at Stamford Bridge, Carlo Ancelotti may be Chelsea’s version of a dead man walking. But Didier Drogba is something very different. He is the dead man talking. The one fighting back. As an ungrateful owner prepares to shove him towards the exit, this was no coded message. It was an eloquent plea to be retained, an emphatic reminder of his many qualities. It was too much for West Bromwich Albion. And it was proof that he remains a better bet than his £50million replacement, Fernando Torres. That he is still top Drog at Stamford Bridge. With a goal and an assist, he accomplished far more in four first-half minutes than Torres has in his entire Chelsea career. Playing with a point to prove, he even cleared off the line to deny Jonas Olsson a goal. A decision that may have cost Chelsea their place in the Champions League and the Italian his job saw Drogba left on the bench at Manchester United on Tuesday. This time Drogba started and starred. With power and panache, intelligence and excellence, he ran riot as Chelsea were rampant. “Didier played very well, as did the team,” said Ancelotti. Torment on the touchline for Torres, who had to sit and watch. Torment on the pitch for the Albion defence, who still haven’t kept a clean sheet since August. Trouble for Abramovich, who has to decide whether to bin a striker with 144 Chelsea goals in favour of one who is still 144 behind him. Torres’ cameo took his Chelsea career to 701 minutes. And no goals. Drogba began a spirited fightback, thumping in from eight yards after doubly disastrous defending by Albion. First Scott Carson missed Florent Malouda’s low cross; then, in his attempt to clear, Nicky Shorey diverted the ball back to Drogba. He made no mistake. Then Drogba drove forward and drilled in a low shot. Carson parried it into the path of Salomon Kalou, who finished adeptly. Two goals, two blunders from the West Brom keeper. At least he was faultless for the third. Drogba was involved again. From deep in his own half, he released Malouda. The Frenchman squared the ball for Lampard, who placed his shot past Carson. Later Kalou hit the bar, aided by a deflection off Abdoulaye Meite as Chelsea threatened a fourth. Yet Albion had struck first. Peter Odemwingie, £48.5m cheaper than Torres, is also more prolific. He chipped Petr Cech classily after fine build-up from Youssouf Mulumbu, James Morrison and Jerome Thomas. MAN of the MATCH: DIDIER DROGBA – Back to his fearsome best. Chelsea’s battering ram also showed a deft touch. Albion simply couldn’t halt him. MATCH FACTS Ref: L Probert Att: 25,163 WEST BROM: Carson; Reid, Meite, Olsson, Shorey; Scharner (Jara 72nd), Mulumbu; Brunt, Morrison (Vela 72nd), Thomas (Tchoyi 82nd); Odemwingie. CHELSEA: Cech; Ivanovic (Bosingwa 63rd), Luiz, Terry, Cole; Essien, Mikel, Lampard (Benayoun 77th); Kalou, Drogba (Torres 82nd), Malouda.