FA PREMIERSHIP/Chelsea...5 West Ham...1: A scoreless 44 minutes that erupted into six goals and a first sending-off in West Ham colours for Paolo di Canio said much about the ephemeral nature of these clubs' seasons.
The label of inconsistency, used by the kindly to describe the not good enough, hangs from Chelsea and their city rivals like tired decorations.
The one apparently not quite strong enough to sustain a title challenge, the other too gifted, surely, to be dragged down by the ankles into the mire below. For Chelsea, of course, given the much greater depth of their squad, this bland charge is more damning.
At the start yesterday, one sensed both sides wished to slip into something more comfortable, such as next Saturday's FA Cup fourth round, in which they will meet again here. For these are, essentially, cup sides.
Chelsea had the more satisfactory rehearsal. West Ham must hope it will be all right next time around.
Di Canio's red card came in the 70th minute when he appeared to stamp on Jody Morris. These days, though, like some flickering hologram, the Italian seems only partly there anyway; a virtual-reality striker caught between two clubs.
"Now I'm banned for three matches Manchester United will not buy me for £1," he quipped afterwards.
West Ham can hardly claim his dismissal was a turning point because they were 3-0 down at the time.
Chelsea, in sixth place, are now only three points behind Liverpool. Too often the Premiership's draw specialists have been unable to polish off sides. West Ham, though, must have felt thoroughly burnished.
The scoreline replicated Chelsea's Yuletide destruction of Bolton and was a reminder that, when fit and firing, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Eidur Gudjohnsen are the most potent of combinations.
West Ham will be particularly concerned that they have now conceded 32 away goals. Their glum manager, Glenn Roeder, said: "What disappoints me most of all is that this contrasts with the best defensive home record in the Premiership. We've conceded just seven at Upton Park.
"We're not a physically big side, and other teams know that. But that record would indicate that we are mentally as well as physically frail."
When asked what he had said to his players, he replied: "It is not repeatable. Some strong words were said. Our passing was sloppy and we gave Gudjohnsen too much room."
Roeder reserved judgment on Di Canio, but criticised the challenge from the substitute, Jody Morris, who, he said, "came in late and fast from behind. It was a dangerous tackle. I thought the referee was very quick to get out his red card."
West Ham appeared to give Hasselbaink and Gudjohnsen the freedom of the city and it was a surprise that Chelsea did not score until first-half stoppage-time.
David James magnificently tipped over Hasselbaink's 21st-minute free-kick, and 15 minutes later Gianfranco Zola over-ran the ball when one-to -ne with the goalkeeper.
Hasselbaink broke the deadlock with a low drive after Gudjohnsen's shot had rebounded. Gudjohnsen made it 2-0 five minutes into the second half, sent clear by John Terry after Tomas Repka had played him on-side.
Hasselbaink rode two tackles to make it 3-0 on the hour before Gudjohnsen, set up by Michael Forssell, and then Forssell himself completed the scoring in the last three minutes. In between, Jermain Defoe replied. But Roeder still looked very cross.
CHELSEA: Cudicini, Desailly, Terry, Gallas, Melchiot, Stanic, Lampard, Petit (Morris 62), Zola (Zenden 74), Hasselbaink (Forssell 79), Gudjohnsen. Subs Not Used: de Goey, Keenan. Booked: Stanic, Zola, Morris. Goals: Hasselbaink 45, Gudjohnsen 51, Hasselbaink 60, Gudjohnsen 87, Forssell 90.
WEST HAM: James, Repka, Winterburn, Dailly, Schemmel, Cole, Carrick, Hutchison, Sinclair (Courtois 64), Kanoute (Defoe 79), Di Canio. Subs Not Used: Andersson, Foxe, Kitson. Sent Off: Di Canio (70). Booked: Sinclair. Goals: Defoe 88.
Ref: A D'Urso (Billericay).
