Frank can Chil out now COLE HOLE FINALLY FILLED AS BEN LEADS PALACE COUP
CHELSEA have been trying to replace Ashley Cole for six years.
Whether their latest left-back acquisition, Ben Chilwell will ever match the worldclass heights – defensively – of former England ace Cole remains to be seen.
After all, Cole is widely regarded as the greatest full-back produced on these shores in the modern era.
However, on this evidence, the Blues’
£50million signing from Leicester City will offer a whole lot more in attack.
Chilwell marked his Premier League debut for Frank Lampard’s men in brilliant fashion as he scored the crucial 50th-minute opener and created the killer second for Kurt Zouma soon after.
When Jorginho completed the rout of Crystal Palace with two late penalties, the smile was firmly back on manager Lampard’s face.
Four points from the previous three games – and a midweek Carabao Cup exit to Tottenham – had cranked up the heat on the big-spending Stamford Bridge boss.
More dropped points here would have badly dented his title hopes. Unthinkable at such an early stage and with more than
£200m blown on new faces. Instead, this second league win put Chelsea fourth – temporarily at least – rendering talk of crisis redundant ahead of the international break.
No wonder Lampard was both happy and relieved afterwards as he sung the praises of game-changer Chilwell.
The Blues chief said: “Ben was fantastic today – and produced everything that has made me admire him for so long.
“He has the ability to get high up the pitch and create – without being reckless. He has great ability on the ball and is a great lad.”
Chilwell (below) was thrilled to play such a significant part in getting his new club’s season back on track.
He said: “It was a brilliant team effort and I’m really happy with my performance.
“Like all the new players who’ve come here, I believe this club can win things. It’s very exciting.”
Lampard made six changes from the previous Saturday’s 3-3 draw away to West Brom when Chelsea conceded all three in a disastrous 45 minutes.
It meant a Premier League debut for new £22m keeper Edouard Mendy and a first home start for Brazilian central defender Thiago Silva.
And twice Silva made interceptions just when the visitors threatened to grab an early breakthrough.
First he stopped Ebe Eze’s 18th-minute pass destined to send Wilfried Zaha clear.
Then he did blocked Joel Ward’s cross from reaching the same Palace man as he prepared to pull the trigger.
That apart, Chelsea controlled the game before half-time without seriously troubling Palace keeper Vicente Guaita.
German hitman Timo Werner had the best chance to do that but his first-time 19th-minute effort lacked direction. If Chelsea had been more energy than end product, that changed five minutes after the interval.
A miscued clearance from Mamadou Sakho caused panic among the Palace defence and when Callum Hudson-Odoi’s cross was headed across goal, there was Chilwell to fire in an unstoppable left-foot angled drive.
And 16 minutes later, the Three Lions ace produced a beautiful cross for Zouma to head in his second of the season.
Palace had no answer to stop the Blues’ – other than by illegal means.
Tammy Abraham was tripped by Tyrick Mitchell for the first penalty – calmly netted by Jorginho in the 78th minute. And the Italian midfielder stepped up for his second spot-kick four minutes later after Sakho had fouled Kai Havertz. Disappointed Palace boss Roy Hodgson said: “All defeats are difficult to take and when it’s 4-0, it’s even harder.
“We gifted some goals by individual errors – three of the four are down to errors you would hope defenders don’t make.”
CHELSEA: Mendy 7; Azpilicueta 7, Silva 7, Zouma 7, Chilwell
8; Jorginho 7, Kante 7 (Kovacic 82nd), Hudson-Odoi 7 (Pulisic
82nd), Havertz 6, Werner 6; Abraham 7
CRYSTAL PALACE: Guaita 5; Ward 5, Kouyate 5, Sakho 4; Mitchell 5, Townsend 7, McCarthy 6 (Milivojevic (67th) 6) McArthur 6 (Riedewald (71st) 6); Eze 6, Ayew 6, Zaha 5 STAR MAN: Ben Chilwell
REF: M Oliver
Chelsea’s next game: Southampton, Oct 17 (h) Palace’s next game: Brighton, Oct 17 (h)