Hazard takes the heat off Conte
Brilliant Belgian runs the show as Chelsea return to the top four
CHELSEA 3 WEST BROM 0
EDEN HAZARD eased the pressure on Chelsea boss Antonio Conte with two goals as they beat West Brom 3-0. Victor Moses also netted for the Blues as bottom club Albion lost loan signing Daniel Sturridge three minutes in with an apparent hamstring injury.
EDEN HAZARD collected the ball on the right corner of the West Bromwich penalty area. He turned, came inside, got it on his favoured left foot and hit a low near-post shot of such ferocity and precision that goalkeeper Ben Foster might as well have bought a ticket for all the influence he could have on it.
And right there is the Chelsea conundrum. How is the manager of such a sublimely talented team ever in trouble? How does a player as gifted as Hazard ever have an off month, or even, famously, an off season?
Chelsea did not exactly cruise last night but they were relatively comfortable compared to recent crises. The score did not flatter them, their goals were well taken, and if West Brom are by league position the worst team in the fixture schedule, they are also one fighting for their lives. They were the final league opponents of two Chelsea managers, Roberto Di Matteo and Andre Villas-Boas, and some thought a third might go had Chelsea lost last night.
It wasn’t in doubt. The fans serenaded Antonio Conte and the storm clouds have passed for now. By the end of the week, Chelsea should be in the FA Cup quarterfinals — Hull, at home on Friday, are the next opponents — and anticipating the Champions League visit of Barcelona. This victory returned them to the top four at the expense of Tottenham. Normal service has resumed, short-term at least.
They were a goal up at half-time and the second as good as sealed it. Salomon Rondon had just spurned a great opportunity after out-muscling Andreas Christensen, and West Brom were made to pay. Instead of drawing level, they went a dispiriting two goals down. Victor Moses surged into the box from the right and laid the ball to Cesc Fabregas, who attempted its return with an inventive backheel flick. Instead of its intended target, it took a ricochet off defender Craig Dawson but found Moses anyway. His shot left Foster no chance and West Brom rooted ever more securely to the bottom.
It was a strange atmosphere at Stamford Bridge: a little flat, a tad apprehensive. Not the sort of mood one would traditionally associate with the champions, or even a team in contention for a top-four place. Yet Chelsea’s form feeds trepidation and so it proved. Their players appeared as nervous and brittle as their fans, while West Brom, who have every reason to be fearful of slipping further behind at the bottom of the pack, started with confidence.
Six minutes had gone when Matt Phillips hit an excellent cross from the right, full of power and intent, requiring only a steer into the net from Rondon. What a catastrophic effect that would have had on fragile Chelsea egos, so early in the game. Instead, the giant striker placed his header well wide, a failing that said much for West Brom’s problems this season.
Just five minutes later, an even better opportunity. Moses made good ground to mop up a loose ball but his execution was careless and his header strayed into the path of West Brom substitute Jay Rodriguez. He was one on one with Thibaut Courtois but panicked and snatched at his shot from distance, putting a weak effort well wide. That West Brom had a substitute on so early was symptomatic of the of luck that seems to hamper relegation-threatened clubs. Daniel Sturridge was brought in from Liverpool last month to transform West Brom’s season. An England striker, he was the type of good break every club down the bottom would hope to get. But there is a reason he was surplus to Jurgen Klopp’s requirements at Liverpool, and it showed here.
Just three minutes in he challenged Cesar Azpilicueta for a loose ball on the right. He got a touch but tumbled over. It would be his only touch of the game. He went down, signalled to the bench and his night was done. He disappeared down the tunnel with a face the mixture of pure frustration and cold fury. If it is a longerterm knock the damage for West Brom is incalculable. They are running out of games now.
The Rodriguez chance seemed to spur Chelsea into action and they began to dominate as they should. It made a difference having a proper target man to aim
for in Oliver Giroud, and no doubt that was Azpilicueta’s intention when he whipped in a cross after 17 minutes. Giroud couldn’t get there but Davide Zappacosta could, stealing in at the back post but unable to beat Ben Foster in goal. He should have done better, and knew it.
If there was a criticism of Giroud at Arsenal — and let’s face it, there was — it was that he needed too many chances to score a goal.
Certainly, he should have got his first for Chelsea after 20 minutes when a low, square cross of great cunning from Hazard picked him out perfectly. He had time, his position was perfect, but he shot straight at Foster. Four minutes later, however, he made up for that.
It was Hazard’s goal, and Hazard’s lovely invention that undid West Brom, but Giroud did his bit. Hazard collected the ball outside the area, turned and charged towards goal, laying it off to Giroud, who returned the perfect wall pass. Hazard, momentum up, simply gauged the target area and let fly. Foster had no chance. Relief inside the stadium was palpable.
Chelsea could have added a second after 35 minutes when a Cesc Fabregas corner from the left was met by Christensen. His header found its way to Giroud, who attempted an overhead kick that was only just wide. And if his activity in the area did not entirely convince the locals, Giroud’s bravery surely did. Soon after, he took an accidental kick in the head — he was on the floor at the time, there was no malice — from Ahmed Hegazi. Plenty of claret, plenty of white bandages to keep it at bay.
That didn’t stop him from attempting a header from a Pedro cross soon after, or from soldiering on despite a rather more vindictive kicking from Jonny Evans shortly before half-time.
Kieran Gibbs soon followed Evans into the book for a nasty tackle on Moses. It isn’t just Manchester City players who are targeted, you know.
CHELSEA (3-4-3): Courtois 7; Azpilicueta 7, Christensen 6.5 (Cahill 74min, 6.5), Rudiger 7; Moses 6.5, Kante 7, Fabregas 7, Zappacosta 6.5; Pedro 7 (Willian 80), Giroud 7 (Morata 61, 6.5), HAZARD 9. Subs not used: Caballero, Ampadu, Emerson, Drinkwater. Scorers: Hazard 25, 71, Moses 63. Booked: None. Manager: Antonio Conte 7.5. WEST BROMWICH ALBION (3-5-2): Foster 5; Dawson 6, Hegazi 6.5, Evans 6.5; Phillips 6, Brunt 5 (Burke 46, 6), Barry 6.5 (Yacob 80), Krychowiak 5.5, Gibbs 6.5; Sturridge (Rodriguez 4, 6), Rondon 5. Subs not used: Myhill, Nyom, McClean, McAuley. Booked: Evans, Gibbs. Manager: Alan Pardew 5.5. Referee: Lee Mason 6. Attendance: 41,071.