Chelsea 7 Stoke 0:THE TITLE RACE was suspended. This result had its ramifications, with Chelsea now enjoying a lead of eight over Manchester United in goal difference and putting themselves in front once more by a point, but there was no sense of grand issues at stake. If anything, this was a therapeutic afternoon for Carlo Ancelotti's squad and Salomon Kalou claimed a first hat-trick at the club. This, too, was Chelsea's biggest victory in top-flight league football.
The embarrassment of Stoke City was all-encompassing and Tony Pulis’s side did not even maintain its dignity in the most mundane of circumstances. When the utterly ineffectual Dave Kitson was substituted he left the field with a contemptuous gesture that implied he had been wronged. He should have thought himself blessed since most of his team-mates had to endure every second of the drubbing.
There was nothing unlucky about the devastation of the visitors, but there should be sympathy for their goalkeeper. Thomas Sorensen suffered an elbow injury as the second goal was scored and his participation for Denmark in the World Cup will be in doubt if there is more damage to the joint than a dislocation.
Temporary relief lay purely in his release from the unflagging menace of the opposition. Chelsea have 93 league goals to their credit, yet their leading forward, Didier Drogba, did not score here. The calibre of the line-up ought to improve a little more with the comeback of Ashley Cole from the broken ankle he sustained at Everton in February. Although he did not cut loose, these were perfect circumstances for him to settle back into the rhythm.
He would have been delighted to reacquaint himself with the mercilessness of his fellow players.
This was the sort of match where the scoring can taper off as boredom takes the edge off the side’s work. Chelsea had no truck with that sort of attitude and three of their goals arrived in the last 10 minutes, with the substitute Daniel Sturridge and then Florent Malouda striking particularly close to the full-time whistle.
Stoke were spared little. They might have sustained a drubbing come what may, but it was disturbing that injury forced the replacement of the captain, Abdoulaye Faye, in the ninth minute. There was nothing but advantages for Chelsea in this occasion. John Terry, for instance, served his suspension here.
The value of other figures was underlined in the win. This Chelsea squad is to be revamped next season, with an eye to establishing younger players, but there have already been more subtle changes in this campaign. Malouda is fast becoming the key to the team’s attacks because he now has the confidence to attempt the telling pass more often.
Even before playing a part in the opener, the Frenchman had released Drogba, only for the striker to lash an attempt off target. Chances, all the same, came regularly and Sorensen was soon making a splendid save from the Ivorian.
The Chelsea deluge began after 24 minutes. Malouda swept the ball to Drogba on the right and Kalou headed in the cross for the first of his goals. The next saw Drogba’s lay-off setting up Frank Lampard for a drive that Sorensen could not hold and Kalou bundled home the loose ball. The goalkeeper, hurt in the melee, was replaced by Asmir Begovic.
Stoke manager, Tony Pulis, had complained of favouritism towards Chelsea by referees, but he must have been devastated by a total lack of resilience in his squad and the officials can barely have caught his eye. A third goal was conceded as Frank Lampard converted a penalty in the 44th minute after Robert Huth had pulled down Kalou. His foul may have begun outside the area but Steve Bennett was right to play the advantage until the offence continued inside the box.
Lampard released Kalou after 68 minutes and the attacker, having smashed his first attempt against Begovic, turned in the rebound. There was a second goal for Lampard himself in the 81st minute when he converted a cross from the substitute Sam Hutchinson with a deft volley off the outside of his right foot. This rout has put Chelsea in a merry mood for the critical days ahead.
And there is intrigue to come: Chelsea are at Anfield next Sunday. That is one of the more taxing fixtures on the calendar, but the enthusiasm of the home crowd for a win that could assist Manchester United to the title is, to put it mildly, in question. If Chelsea took the desired results while performing with this zest, however, no one could doubt the legitimacy of their triumph.
Guardian service
