GIROUD HAS HEAD START
Olivier edges Blues closer to sealing a top-four slot
FRANK LAMPARD wanted noise from his team. He wanted shouting, he wanted volume from his timid whisperers.
What did he get as his team just about kept their grip on a top four place?
Well, the volume went up maybe from 5 to 6. Just about enough, but we are not talking thrash-metal levels here yet.
Chelsea are making heavy weather of this fight for the Champions League places. The nerves are there for all to see.
But thanks to the old, cool head of Olivier Giroud they came through it. Just.
With Manchester City’s European ban being overturned that contest for the Champions League places has got just that little bit tighter.
So the pressure was on Lampard’s men especially with games against Liverpool and Wolves to come.
Lampard, clearly annoyed by the defeat at Sheffield United, made five changes against an already relegated Norwich.
But with new signing Hakim Ziyech watching from the stands, Chelsea started slowly against a team who at least could play with freedom, knowing their fate was decided.
Jorginho lifted the ball through for Giroud, but the Frenchman shot straight at Tim Krul when he should have done better. Christian Pulisic, played in by Marcos Alonso, hit the side netting and when Cesar Azpilicueta cut the ball back, an unmarked Giroud wastefully blazed high and wide.
The chances were coming, as Antonio Rudiger’s cross was flicked on by Giroud. Pulisic span to shoot, but Krul superbly tipped over.
Then Kurt Zouma headed wide, but in first-half injury time they finally broke through as Pulisic crossed and Giroud nodded home his seventh goal of the season.
Relief all round – well, there would have been had there been anybody at Stamford Bridge.
Rudiger and Giroud both missed good chances, and Willian saw his shot deflected just over as Chelsea stepped things up after the break. The Canaries battled, but the plain truth is that Daniel Farke’s team are just not good enough at this level.
They did cause one or two edgy moments but Lampard’s team should have had their second when Azpilicueta drove over from the edge of the area.
Pulisic’s trickery was a constant problem but Chelsea’s
best weapon, as it has been virtually all season, was the nous of Willian.
The Brazilian is set to leave at the end of this campaign because Chelsea will not give him the two-year deal he wants.
If the Stamford Bridge hierarchy have any brains they will give the playmaker what he wants. Giroud headed over again as Chelsea pressed, Krul saved superbly from Pulisic and then pulled off an even better stop from Alonso – but that second goal would not come.
CHELSEA (4-3-3): Arrizabalaga 7; Azpilicueta 7, Rudiger 6, Zouma 7, Alonso 7 (James 79); LoftusCheek 6 (Barkley 66, 6), Jorginho 6, Kovacic 7; Willian 8, Giroud 7 (Abraham 86), Pulisic 7 (Hudson-Odoi 79).
Goal: Giroud 45.
NORWICH (4-1-4-1): Krul 7; Aarons 7, Godfrey 6, Klose 6, Lewis 6; Tettey 7 (Stiepermann 78); Hernandez 6 (Pukki 78), McLean 6, Rupp 6, Cantwell 6 (Beundia 71); Drmic 6 (Idah 78).