Telegraph:
West Ham 1-2 Chelsea:
Hazard and Costa on target as scoreline conceals dominance of champions-elect
Jason Burt
At one stage Gary Cahill had the shirt ripped from his back but West Ham United never really got close to Chelsea last night as the Premier League leaders re-established their formidable 10-point lead in impressive, champions-elect fashion.
The Chelsea captain lost his jersey, accidentally shredded by the studs of Sofiane Feghouli as he lay on the turf, but the club’s supporters will soon believe they can put their shirts on their team winning this league. There is a relentless determination summed up by the intense demands of their manager Antonio Conte.
Even in the vast technical areas of this stadium Conte encroached – and had to be beckoned back by fourth official Mike Dean – as he insisted on more and more from his players.
At the end, he strode over towards the Chelsea fans, as they sang his name, and pumped both fists in concentrated celebration. He gave the air of a man who simply will not relent until the league is won.
Conte will not let up and neither will his players and, in particular, his on-field general N’Golo Kanté who produced another astonishing, high-powered performance. Des-pite playing on such a big pitch, the midfielder yet again matched the old football cliché of covering every blade of grass.
“He made 50 passes and five mistakes. He has to improve,” Conte said when invited to praise Kante. He could sense the surprise to his answer before adding: “I’m joking.”
Only half-joking, maybe, such are the standards he exacts – and it was telling that he rued the fact that his team did not manage a clean sheet. “We need to be more clinical,” he added. “And don’t concede a goal.”
No one could doubt West Ham’s effort in this London derby, either. But they simply could not lay a glove on Chelsea. The only bloody nose was, in fact, delivered to Andy Carroll who received a bash – and stitches – as he was beaten to the ball by Victor Moses and never managed to truly ruffle Chelsea’s defence where Cahill and David Luiz were again in firm control.
The attention now turns back to Manchester City who have the opportunity to reduce Chelsea’s lead to eight points when they play their game in hand against Stoke City tomorrow, but the challengers are beginning to run out of matches with the vain hope that West Ham might create a twist in this title race quickly fading here.
It is 10 unbeaten now for Chelsea as they embark on another impressive run and no team in the Premier League who have reached 66 points, as they have, after 27 games have not gone on to win the title. It has happened six times previously, twice by Chelsea. A third time seems highly likely.
And yet they started slowly. They tried to play themselves into this one, tried to weigh up West Ham who were determined to mix it with Carroll back in the team, after a month out with a groin injury, and Feghouli and Robert Snodgrass under orders to get the ball quickly into the Chelsea penalty area.
The problem for West Ham was that they could not get enough players forward and then, of course, when they did they were undone. Space and pace, West Ham manager Slaven Bilic later lamented, were always a danger against a team whose most potent weapon is their ability to counter-attack.
It was more maddening for Bilic, however, that the opening goal followed a mistake, a sloppy pass from Snodgrass that was snapped up by Kanté with an electric intervention and suddenly Chelsea were up and running with Eden Hazard and Pedro charging forward.
They combined with Pedro sliding a superb pass into the space that Hazard gobbled up and, as the West Ham defenders tried to smother him, he skipped infield, rounded goalkeeper Darren Randolph and slid his shot into the net.
It was a devastating strike and a devastating counter-attack which prompted an isolated, ugly reaction as one West Ham fan ventured over the hoardings to confront the celebrating players.
Unfazed, Chelsea broke again with Hazard sprinting clear down the left, crossing low with the ball skimming just behind Diego Costa and running through to Moses, whose shot was blocked by Aaron Cresswell and then rebounded to Pedro who drew a fine save from Randolph with a half-volley.
So it continued – and continued with another goal. It followed another rapid break by Hazard and a corner earned which was swung in by Cesc Fabregas, inadvertently glancing off the head of Pedro Obiang and falling for Costa to knee into the net from close range, while, soon after, Marcos Alonso prodded a shot narrowly wide.
Still Conte demanded more. Barked more. He knew that despite the dominance this could swing, still, and West Ham should have done that when Jose Fonte met
Snodgrass’s cross, only to miskick, with Feghouli’s follow-up slamming off Moses on the goal line.
Chelsea hit back with another counter that forced another smart save from Randolph, turning away Costa’s shot after a sharp turn but it was West Ham who claimed the goal, in injury time, as André Ayew charged forward, seizing on a rare César Azpilicueta mistake, with the ball breaking to Manuel Lanzini who hammered his half-volley beyond Thibaut Courtois.
But time ran out for West Ham. And it is running out for Chelsea’s title rivals.
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Guardian:
Chelsea restore 10-point lead at top of Premier League after win at West Ham
West Ham 1 - 2
Daniel Taylor
In theory, there is still time for Chelsea’s rivals to catch and overhaul them at the top of the Premier League. In reality, though, it is beginning to feel almost inconceivable. Chelsea just look too strong, too experienced and too streetwise. They passed their latest test with distinction and it would have to be something dramatic now to imagine any other scenario than another open-top bus parade along the King’s Road.
Another team in Chelsea’s position might have wobbled in the circumstances – a London derby under the floodlights against an improving side – bearing in mind their two nearest challengers, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City, both won over the weekend. Nobody, however, should doubt the durability of the side Antonio Conte has put together. Their lead is back to 10 points and who can foresee a collapse when Eden Hazard is shimmering with this kind of menace and everyone around him is going about their business with such supreme confidence?
Chelsea now have 30 more points than at the corresponding stage last season and the only minor irritation for Conte was the stoppage-time goal from Manuel Lanzini that briefly gave West Ham hope of an improbable feat of escapology. For Chelsea, however, that was only a minor irritation. Hazard had opened the scoring with a classy breakaway strike and Diego Costa’s 18th goal of the season, early in the second half, left an air of inevitability over the rest of the evening. Chelsea threatened all night with their quick, high-quality counterattacking. They do it better than any other team in England and in those moments, with Hazard driving forward and Pedro adding his own stylish touches, it was thrilling to see.
José Mourinho likes to say his old team operate with defensive tactics but, in reality, there is much more to Chelsea than that. They sit back and then they spring forward. Costa’s goal came from a corner but Chelsea were at their most dangerous when they broke from their own half and it was risky of West Ham to leave themselves so vulnerable this way. Slaven Bilic’s side had nine men forward when Chelsea streaked clear to score the opening goal and that is bordering on reckless when their opponents are so devastating on the break.
Chelsea demonstrated in those moments that counterattacking football can be exhilarating. N’Golo Kanté, the master of the dirty work, had cut out Robert Snodgrass’s pass and in the following eight seconds the ball moved 75 yards, finishing in West Ham’s net. Hazard’s one-two with Pedro was weighted perfectly and in the course of three passes the home side had been split down the middle. It was a blur of speed and movement and, at the end of it, there was a wonderful touch of composure from Hazard to swerve round the goalkeeper, Darren Randolph, and slide his shot into the exposed goal.
That was far from the only occasion when the speed and directness of Hazard and Pedro threatened on the break. West Ham lost their shape too easily and there was a lesson here for every team that faces Chelsea. It is that when Conte’s side are defending, sometimes they are at their most dangerous.
On that front, West Ham could probably be forgiven for feeling emboldened about the way they began the match. Andy Carroll was left with a bloodied face, having clashed heads with Victor Moses, on the first occasion when one of his team-mates tried to pick him out in the penalty area. With the game goalless, a succession of crosses was aimed Carroll’s way, causing anxiety in the visitors’ penalty area.
Chelsea took their time to start playing like champions-in-waiting but they were always the more rounded side once they had the lead, scoring with their first attempt at goal, and might have doubled their lead before half-time after another breakaway finished with Costa narrowly missing Hazard’s cross, Moses firing in a shot that ricocheted off Aaron Cresswell and Pedro’s follow-up effort being turned away by Randolph.
West Ham had lost their early momentum and, five minutes into the second half, they conceded a second goal. This one came from Cesc Fàbregas’s corner and the inability of anyone in claret and blue to clear the danger inside the six-yard area. Pedro Obiang went up for the ball, in close proximity to Carroll, but succeeded only in flicking the ball behind him and Costa charged in to score off his thigh.
Maybe the complexion of the night would have changed had Moses not been handily positioned to turn away a goal-bound shot from Sofiane Feghouli just after the hour. Yet West Ham now had the dilemma of needing a way back into the contest while also knowing that if they pushed too many men forward it would be playing into Chelsea’s hands. Unfortunately for them, by the time Lanzini fired a low shot past Thibaut Courtois it was the second minute of stoppage time and the final whistle sounded before Bilic’s side could muster another chance.
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Mail:
West Ham 1-2 Chelsea: Eden Hazard and Diego Costa keep Premier League chasing pack at arm's length as they dampen Irons' derby desires
By Martin Samuel
There was something horribly prophetic about this victory. Tottenham and Manchester City had scrapped and sweated on Sunday to reel in the league leaders, then Chelsea went out and calmly restored the gap at the top to 10 points.
The scoreline gives this match a sense of tension that is not truly merited. It was not that West Ham were bad, more that Chelsea were comfortable and comfortably better. West Ham's goal after Andre Ayew fed Manuel Lanzini was scored in stoppage time and might have produced a grandstand finish, had most in the grandstand not already departed for the station.
They knew the game was won, probably from the 25th minute when Chelsea went ahead from the type of counter-attack that has become their calling card. It helps that they have N'Golo Kante, surely as much the Footballer of the Year in waiting as Chelsea are Champions-elect.
There is no complacency here, no hint of losing sight of basic strengths as they enter the home straight. Chelsea batted West Ham aside with clinical counter-attacking football, killed the game off at the start of the second half and could have added a third on 67 minutes had Darren Randolph not produced the save of the night from a Costa shot on the turn.
For West Ham, it was another dispiriting evening in their new home. They worked hard, but were picked off, suffered an injury to captain Winston Reid which curtailed his game midway through the second half, and may hear more of an attempted pitch invasion by an oaf, who took exception to the Chelsea players' harmless celebration of their first goal.
Had stewards not acted considerably faster than West Ham's defence in closing him out, it could have been far worse.
Not that Chelsea were fazed. They kept West Ham at arm's length for much of the night once in front, although Moses was called upon to block a Sofiane Feghouli shot after 61 minutes, before Jose Fonte headed over.
Ultimately, whatever possession West Ham had did not amount to much in the way of chances, and while Slaven Bilic's team were skilfully handled, Chelsea's breakaways proved lethal. Every misplaced pass, every foiled attack was in danger of being severely punished. All good teams have potency on the counter but, under Antonio Conte, Chelsea have turned it into an art form.
Chelsea's manager arrived here knowing that, deployed carefully, he had a weapon that West Ham could not repel.
The last time Conte visited the London Stadium, he stayed no longer than 45 minutes. He had seen enough by half-time of a heavy defeat by Manchester City, suggesting he had no great fear of what he might face in future.
A below-strength Chelsea may have lost here in the EFL Cup this season, but here were the league leaders, the Premier League version — and a very different proposition. So it proved.
Conte showed his disdain by starting Cesc Fabregas ahead of Nemanja Matic in midfield — a tactic he rarely uses against a team he considers a threat — yet West Ham started brightly.
Chelsea at least knew they were in a match, not least when a tussle between Feghouli and Cahill left Chelsea's captain with a shirt torn up the back to the collar, like a hospital gown. For some reason, Cahill was made to leave the pitch to change attire. It is amazing what football has rules for these days, when a player can get his head stamped on, or smacked with an elbow, unnoticed.
Yet the problem, not just for West Ham but all of Chelsea's opponents for the remainder of this season, is that no amount of pressure can ward off the threat of the counter-attack. One mistake is all it takes and in the 25th minute one mistake arrived.
Robert Snodgrass, West Ham's best player up to that point, made a sloppy pass to Feghouli. It was cut out by — who else? — Kante, who fed Eden Hazard, swiftly and efficiently. He broke down the left, before slipping the ball inside to Pedro, who returned it with a lovely eye-of-the-needle pass.
Hazard collected it just outside the area, took Randolph out of the picture with a touch and passed the ball into an empty net. It was devastating to watch. Devastating to those Tottenham and Manchester City fans observing from sofas, fingers crossed for an upset, too.
After that, Chelsea assumed control with Cheikhou Kouyate lucky not to be booked for taking out Hazard from behind but, again, possession did not convert to chances. It was West Ham, in fact, who had the next decent strike — a one-two between Lanzini and Mark Noble that ended with the Argentine firing over.
A minute later, Chelsea should have made it 2-0, Hazard down the left again and crossing, only for Costa to miss his kick.
The ball fell to Moses at the far post and his shot was blocked by Aaron Cresswell, before Pedro forced an excellent save from Randolph.
Any optimism about a comeback was quickly erased after half-time. Not for the first time this season, a sluggish opening five minutes proved costly for West Ham.
Snodgrass gave the ball away again, resulting in another Chelsea counter-attack that led to a corner. Fabregas curled it in from the left, Pedro Obiang got his head to it, but only to flick the ball across goal, and Costa bundled it over the line with his knee.
It was not pretty, but Chelsea do not have to be. They just have to keep playing like this and, sometime in the spring, the title will be theirs.
West Ham (4-1-4-1): Randolph 6; Kouyate 5, Reid 6 (Byram 64, 5), Fonte 6, Cresswell 5.5: Obiang 5, Noble 5; Feghouli 5 (Ayew 64, 5), Lanzini 5, Snodgrass 5.5; Carroll 5
Unused subs: Adrian, Collins, Fernandes, Masuaku, Calleri
Goals: Lanzini 90+2
Manager: Slaven Bilic 6
Chelsea (3-4-3): Courtois 6; Azpilicueta 6, Luiz 6.5, Cahill 6; Moses 6 (Zouma 76), Kante 7, Fabregas 7, Alonso 6.5; Pedro 7 (Matic 65), Costa 6, Hazard 8 (Willian 75)
Unused subs: Begovic, Terry, Loftus-Cheek, Batshuayi
Bookings: Fabregas
Goals: Hazard 25, Costa 50
Manager: Antonio Conte 7
MOM: Eden Hazard
REF: Andre Marriner 6
Player ratings by Matt Barlow
===================================================
Independent:
Chelsea restore 10 point Premier League lead as Eden Hazard and Diego Costa see off West Ham
West Ham United 1 Chelsea 2: Manuel Lanzini got a late reply for the Hammers
Jack Pitt-Brooke
It does not matter how well Manchester City and Tottenham are playing, if Chelsea keep on like this there will be no title race. Antonio Conte’s side cruised to another win tonight, a 2-1 dispatching of West Ham United which showcased everything that is going to make them the Premier League champions of 2016-17.
This was not quite a complete performance, it was tainted by conceding a consolation goal to Manuel Lanzini with the last action of the match. That made the score 2-1 but that is no reflection on the balance of play in a game that Chelsea dominated and controlled. Much like most of their away wins this year, Chelsea always had this game exactly where they wanted it.
Before conceding to Lanzini in stoppage time, Chelsea had disdainfully held off West Ham’s powerful but predictable attacking pressure. With Andy Carroll up front, West Ham just slung crosses into the box at him all evening. Against other opponents it might have worked and there was a theory going into this game that if Chelsea had a weakness, it was in the air. But Gary Cahill and David Luiz won every header and at no point did West Ham look like they were going to break through.
Back in October West Ham overpowered Chelsea here in the League Cup, producing one of the few memorable nights this new stadium has seen so far. That was a different Chelsea team, one still finding its feet, and here the difference in class between the two sides meant that this never got off the ground as a contest.
West Ham often had more possession and territory than Chelsea but since when did that ever bother Antonio Conte? This was a perfect display of counter-attacking efficiency and cutting edge. Chelsea scored their first with a brilliant one-touch break half-way through the first half. They added their second from a set-piece five minutes after half-time and that was the end of the game.
Even though Lanzini scored in added time, that does not detract from the fact that the second half was an exercise in control. Chelsea and Conte both know about seeing out titles even if this is the first time they have done it in each other’s company. There was never any doubt about the destination of the three points.
Those points move Chelsea 10 points clear of Spurs and 11 points ahead of City, who do have an extra game to play. But City and Spurs could win every remaining match this season and still not bother the engravers. This Chelsea team is a machine and looks very capable of hitting the 92-point target Conte has set for them. That would make them the second-best team in Premier League history, behind Jose Mourinho’s first Chelsea side, and that does not feel like excessive praise.
Chelsea spent the first 20 minutes defending crosses but once it was clear they could do that they were under no real pressure. They did not get into the game but that did not matter. This is a deadly counter-attacking team and it only took one break for them to take the lead. West Ham sent too many men forward for a free-kick and when it came back to Mark Noble he lazily passed straight to N’Golo Kante instead of Robert Snodgrass.
Chelsea exploded up the pitch: Kante found Hazard, breaking through the middle. He passed to Pedro, who first-timed the ball back into Hazard’s path. His first touch wrong-footed Darren Randolph, then he slotted the ball into the net. London Stadium stewards were then called into action as a home supporter jumped the advertising hoarding to confront Hazard, but he was stopped before he could make his way to the Chelsea players and later arrested.
They nearly scored with their second attack too, another Hazard break. His pass was just behind Diego Costa, and it took Aaron Cresswell to block from Moses and Randolph to save from Pedro before the danger was cleared.
West Ham needed to improve after the break but in reality they gifted Chelsea a second goal, with a sloppiness that characterised the difference between the two teams. West Ham have a habit of making unforced errors that would make a serious team blush and it cost them again here.
First they gave away a corner which Cesc Fabregas clipped into the box. Pedro Obiang touched the ball on at the near post and it flew across goal to Costa, inexplicably unmarked, drifting away from Winston Reid.. He just had to cushion the ball into the goal off his thigh before Reid and Robert Snodgrass, on the line, realised what was happening.
That lead was enough for Conte and he went into lock-down mode, switching to a 5-3-2 system and bringing on Nemanja Matic, Kurt Zouma and Willian. They nearly closed out the win in classic Mourinho-era fashion until, in the 92nd minute, Lanzini skipped into the box and beat Thibaut Courtois with a low shot. His goal desperately flattered West Ham and while it may have spoiled Courtois’ night, it will not spoil Chelsea’s season.
West Ham (4-2-3-1) Randolph; Kouyate, Fonte, Reid (Byram, 64), Cresswell; Noble (Fernandes, 77), Obiang; Feghouli (Ayew, 64), Lanzini, Snodgrass; Carroll
Chelsea (3-4-3) Courtois; Azpilicueta, Luiz, Cahill; Moses (Zouma, 76), Kante, Fabregas, Alonso; Pedro (Matic, 64), Diego Costa, Hazard (Willian, 85)
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