4) Chelsea Fc 2 - 1 Charlton Athletic

9TH September 2006 After a first-half of near total dominance, Chelsea were made to work hard after the break for a narrow London derby win. Ashley Cole came off the bench to make his debut. In the most eagerly-awaited piece of team news of the week, Jose Mourinho opted to retain in-form Wayne Bridge in his starting eleven instead of the newly arrived left-back, but he did give home debuts to Michael Ballack and Khalid Boulahrouz, the latter retained at right-back. There was also a place in the side for Shaun Wright-Phillips. Just seconds before the kick-off there was a supportive song from the Matthew Harding End for Bridge as he begins the same battle for a place that he has fought for England in recent years. Returning former hero Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was also given a verse. It was not the last time the Dutchman would provoke a reaction. It was he who equalised Didier Drogba's first-half opener, to put Charlton on course for a repeat of their draw at the Bridge last season. But Chelsea scored again within two minutes and were even afforded the luxury of missed penalty on the way to a ninth consecutive home Premiership victory. Bridge was involved early on. Sending a searching cross over, he found Shevchenko who almost knocked the ball into the path of Lampard, Charlton clearing behind. Five minutes had passed and from the corner that followed Chelsea took an early lead. Lampard's outswinger was met by the head of a diving Ballack. Hughes cleared but Drogba, sharp to the chance, instinctively shot and found a narrow gap between post and defenders. It was the Ivorian's third goal of the season and he almost had a fourth with just 12 minutes on the clock. Wright-Phillips skinned Traore down the right, his low cross a little behind Shevchenko but Drogba, onto a clearance planted his shot carefully and with power. Carson pulled off a very good save. Ballack was the next to try his luck as the game continued in a purely one way direction, arrowing a 25 yard effort three or four yards over. Charlton were struggling to make any sort of impact and their case wasn't aided when they lost midfielder Andy Reid with injury before the half-hour was up. Dennis Rommedahl was the replacement and would give Chelsea problems as the game progressed. Before the Dane could enter the action though, Lampard had gone close with a low effort from the edge of the box after another raid down the flank from Bridge. On 30 minutes Charlton did manufacture a chance, Rommedahl crossing to a wellpositioned Darren Bent who headed wide.

If that was a good chance spurned, Drogba missed an equally promising one immediately after. His one-on-one finishing let him down as he snatched a shot wide when played in by Lampard. On 35 minutes the Stamford Bridge crowd were treated to the traditional Carvalho break forward. Carrying the ball himself, he exchanged passes with Wright-Phillips before hitting his shot over. There was an asymmetry to Chelsea's play. Wright-Phillips in midfield in a 4-1-3-2 shape was providing the width down the right, Bridge was performing the task down the left, getting forward frequently from full-back. Either way, both were seeing plenty of the ball although the next chance came from the centre of the park. Ballack skilfully stepped away from Ambrose and curled the ball round his marker and at goal from distance. The shot lacked just enough swing to hit the target with Carson at full-stretch. Bridge soon found Shevchenko who headed straight at the Charlton keeper with a lot of open goal to aim at. Ballack was booked before half-time for tugging back an opponent, Faye having been cautioned for Charlton shortly before. The main debate at the break was how Chelsea weren't further in front than the single goal lead. The second-half started equally as brightly for Chelsea as much of the first-half had been, Ballack again trying his luck from distance. It made it all the more of a shock when Charlton scored an equaliser. Rommedahl held off the attention of Essien down the inside-right channel and when the ball was slipped inside, Carvalho slid in and committed himself to the interception. He missed, allowing Hasselbaink sight of the target. That was fatal! Chelsea's tenth highest scorer of all-time had finally scored against a former club. He didn't celebrate. In fact his body language was close to an apology. After a brief moment while they took in what had occurred, large sections of the Chelsea support rose to calmly applaud their former favourite. Chelsea had 35 minutes left to regain the lead. Mourinho waited five minutes before introducing Kalou for a fading Wright-Phillips and Ashley Cole for Bridge. Within 90 seconds the Blues were back a goal ahead again and it was redemption time for Carvalho after his previous mistake. Rising high and thumping Lampard's corner on target, the ball skimmed off the head of Charlton man Faye on its way in. Mourinho's men were back in front but they weren't back in control. Reminiscent of the defeat at Middlesbrough, possession was proving tough to retain.

There was a nervous moment on 72 minutes when Darren Bent put the ball into the Chelsea net but referee Wiley had spotted the use of an arm as Charlton's England striker brought the ball under control. The goal was ruled out. A patient build-up involving Ballack and Drogba ended with Kalou shooting at Carson. Drogba then blasted over as the game approached the final ten minutes. On 82 minutes came the chance to put the game totally safe. Kalou attacked into the area but with possession escaping the substitute, El Karkouri applied the lightest of challenges as the ball ran out. A penalty was given. Had Lampard scored from the spot then the referee could have been given an assist. It has to be said the decision was shocker. Charlton manager Iain Dowie certainly told the fourth official so! As it was, Lampard struck his kick hard enough, but neither high enough nor wide enough and Carson saved. It was wasted opportunity Chelsea fortunately would not come to regret. Chelsea (4-1-3-2) Cech; Boulahrouz, Carvalho, Terry (c), Bridge (A Cole 61); Essien; Wright-Phillips (Kalou 61), Ballack, Lampard; Drogba, Shevchenko (Mikel 85). Scorers Drogba (5), Carvalho (62). Booked Ballack, Carvalho. Charlton (4-4-2) Carson; Young (c), El Karkouri, Diawara (M Bent 63), Traore (Kishishev 49); Ambrose, Hughes, Faye, Reid (Rommedahl 28); Hasselbaink, Bent. Scorer Hasselbaink (53). Booked Faye.