ABRAHAM PASSES THE BURNLEY TEST
Tammy shows England class against brutal defence
AFTER blood began flowing from the nose of one No 9, the reviews came gushing in the direction of another.
If Tammy Abraham is the man to fill the Harry Kane-shaped hole at the heart of England’s frontline, one thing is certain, he won’t be given many examinations like this.
Few centre-back partnerships in Europe will test his grit like Ben Mee and James Tarkowski. But, on a day of rare home comforts for Chelsea, Abraham, 22, showed those spindly legs can stand tall in the heat of physical battle.
That will please Frank Lampard and Gareth Southgate. So, too, will a 13th Premier League goal of the season. The only snag? He really could — and should — have had more. ‘I’m delighted with him,’ said Lampard said. ‘I hope he is upset because he should have had two or three today. Tammy’s like that.’
In the end, it mattered little. Chelsea could enjoy themselves for the first time in a long time at Stamford Bridge. But only after doing some dirty work.
Just ask Chris Wood, who finished the game in different shirt and shorts after his claret-and-white was t i nged with maroon. The knockout blows came courtesy of Jorginho’s penalty and Abraham’s first-half header.
Callum Hudson-Odoi later added icing to the cake with his first Premier League goal.
‘It’s just what was needed in terms of performance and result,’ said Lampard. ‘It feels nice to smile in a game and enjoy what you’re watching. I’ve felt for the fans in some of the recent home games.’
After two straight Premier League home defeats, this win tightens their grip on fourth place and sends Burnley further into trouble at the other end of the table.
Despite having an early goal ruled out for offside, Sean Dyche had few complaints. He had no gripes with the penalty, nor with his side’s disallowed opener.
‘I have no question with the result, they were too strong for us overall,’ Dyche said. ‘ We have still got a pretty healthy points tally. It is about how quickly we get on track.’
How they need to. Burnley have now lost four on the bounce and seven of their last nine in the Premier League. Their last 30 games against the ‘ Big Six’ have now heralded only nine points from a possible 90.
Nevertheless, given Chelsea’s recent struggles on home soil, Burnley were always going to be a test of mettle. To their credit, the home side stood firm, Wood’s nose a bloody and early illustration of Chelsea’s resolve.
With four of Burnley medical staff trying to stem the flow, sympathy was in short supply from his manager. But Dyche’s mood was lifted when Mee rose to meet a free-kick, heading back across goal for Jeff Hendrick to nod home.
But the goal was chalked off for offside, a tight call ratified by the officials at Stockley Park.
Unfortunately for the visitors, there was no such let- off when Willian went down in the opposite penalty area minutes later. Matt Lowton caught the Chelsea winger with a clumsy sliding challenge but replays showed the defender had pulled his legs away and Willian appeared to have been looking for the contact.
There was nothing that convinced VAR Andrew Madley to overturn it, however, and nothing Nick Pope could do to deny the hopping, jumping Jorginho.
Burnley did respond. Another Mee header was cleared off the line
— by Ross Barkley — before Cesar Azpilicueta denied both Wood and Jack Cork in the ensuing scramble.
Those spurned opportunities were soon compounded by some horrific defending for Chelsea’s second. The excellent Reece James found space down the right and his cross was met by Abraham six yards out.
Dyche felt the forward had fouled Tarkowski but his header still went down the middle of Pope’s goal, only for the keeper and Mee to both let the ball bounce over the line.
In an ironic twist of fate, Wood was off the field when the goal went in — receiving further treatment and changing his shirt as his nose continued to stream. From there, Chelsea could finally relax and any hope of a Burnley turnaround was extinguished early in the second half when 19-year-old Hudson-Odoi made it three.
Az pi li cue ta’ s cross evaded Abraham and the ball instead bounced towards the back post, where Hudson-Odoi was free to turn home his maiden Premier League goal. A moment the winger will never forget, tempered only by the obligatory VAR check.
The officials needed to confirm whether Abraham had made contact with his attempted header. If he had, Hudson-Odoi was well offside. But replays were inconclusive, the goal stood. ‘
‘For Callum to score in the sixyard box is more exciting than him scoring from 30 yards without a doubt,’ said Lampard. ‘It means he is willing to get in there. It wasn’t the only time he did that. His performance was a statement of what he has to do. If he carries on like that we will have a real player.’
It was then a question of how many. Twice Abraham wasted good chances before Mason Mount was denied by Pope. Fortunately, for the first time in a while here, Chelsea could afford such slip-ups.