SOCCER/Chelsea 4 Bolton W 0:THE COMPETITION may change, the advertising hoardings spinning to proclaim Champions League or Premier League or League Cup, but Chelsea's swashbuckling home form remains a constant.
A 10th consecutive win here, achieved gracefully and impressively last night, has propelled Carlo Ancelotti’s team into the quarter-finals. This side feels untouchable in these environs.
This was a breeze as a much-changed line-up secured a comfortable success against opponents who had rested only four players from their league win at the weekend.
If Chelsea’s attacking caught the eye – they have scored 13 goals in a week – then the fact they remain stingy at the other end should not be ignored. Ivan Klasnic struck a post late on, but it is now 13 hours and two minutes since they conceded here, back on the opening day against Hull.
This had been an opportunity for Chelsea’s fringe players to make their mark and for first-teamers shorn of games in recent times to sharpen their skills ahead of a critical stage in the season.
The Londoners collide with Manchester United, Arsenal and Manchester City over the next five weeks in the Premier League, fixtures that will test the depth of their squad and shape their title challenge.
The hosts had established a comfortable advantage by the interval, with their only real concern the loss of their number two goalkeeper, Henrique Hilario, to a head injury.
The Portuguese hit the turf while saving Matthew Taylor’s close-range attempt, and though there were six minutes between injury and substitution – in which time Wanderers failed to test his reaction – Hilario departed with his head still swimming.
Bolton had been rendered dizzy more by Chelsea’s dazzling approach play. Joe Cole had unfurled his usual range of tricks and flicks, his team-mates a blur of blue movement all around.
The initial wave of attacks, sparked after 11 seconds with Cole’s shot from distance, blew itself out, but Bolton yielded to the second flurry. Paulo Ferreira was granted too much time to flight over his cross from the left and Salomon Kalou nodded in his third goal in a week.
Hilario was injured in the subsequent riposte, but Bolton’s threat was sporadic whereas Chelsea purred with menace and duly gleaned further reward.
Florent Malouda’s exchange of passes with Kalou culminated in the winger flicking a header which rebounded back off a panicked Zat Knight and, from point-blank range, the France international slammed in a second.
Ali Al Habsi did well to deny Kalou as Chelsea set about emulating their five-goal mauling of Blackburn on Saturday.
That was the Ivorian’s last contribution, as Michael Essien adopted the role at the base of midfield at half-time, but the pizazz was still largely all Chelsea’s.
There is a real swagger to this team at present. They were irresistible here though Daniel Sturridge, on his full debut looked rather anxious in contrast to his calm and collected team-mates. The striker twice dragged shots wide of the far post when he should have scored.
The youngster needed a goal to make him feel as if he belonged in this company. His departure for Didier Drogba just after the hour was a reminder of how onerous a task it will prove to break into this team. Once he had gone, Deco – gathering Cole’s cross which had been flicked on inadvertently by Drogba – fizzed a third into the far corner, and Bolton, half-chances to Taylor and Mark Davies aside, had been washed away.
Drogba’s own reward, nodding in Cole’s cross with a minute to play, merely confirmed this as Chelsea’s latest rout.
CHELSEA: Hilario (Turnbull 23), Belletti, Ivanovic, Alex, Paulo Ferreira, Deco, Ballack, Malouda, Joe Cole, Kalou (Essien 46), Sturridge (Drogba 62). Subs not used: Lampard, Matic, Bruma, Borini.
BOLTON: Al Habsi, Ricketts, Knight, Cahill, Samuel, Muamba, Steinsson (Elmander 46), Mark Davies, Gardner, Taylor (Basham 64), Klasnic. Subs not used: Jaaskelainen, Robinson, Cohen, Lee, Andrew O’Brien.
Referee: Andre Marriner (W Midlands).
