Aston Villa 1-2 Chelsea: Record breaker Frank Lampard seals comeback victory

A time of crisis, Chelsea have always
been able to rely on one man to make
the difference when it counts.
In a dramatic match at Villa Park,
where both sides were reduced to 10
men, Frank Lampard stole the show
as his two goals not only booked
Chelsea’s place in the top four and
Champions League football next
season, but also cemented his place
in the record books as the club’s top
goal-scorer in their history.
Chelsea looked to be heading for a
painful defeat in the first half as
Christian Benteke put the home side
in front and then Ramires was sent
off.
But Lampard knows how to make a
difference and sprung to life after
Benteke went from hero to villain to
be sent off himself just before the
hour mark.
Lampard took advantage of the extra
space just three minutes later to fire
the ball in with his left foot and spark
wild celebrations in the away end.
It wasn’t just because of the
importance of the strike in the game,
it also meant he had drawn level with
Chelsea’s all-time top scorer Bobby
Tambling on 202 goals for the club.
But he moved into a league all on his
own on 203, as he so rightfully
deserved, with the winner in the 89th
minute and just made it a day to
remember for all Chelsea fans.
While Lampard is heading back to
west London in buoyant mood, it was
a day to forget for captain John Terry.
There was already a lot of talk about
him ahead of the game because he
had been linked with a lucrative move
to Galatasaray this summer and a
possible £200,000-a-week salary.
Such speculation will be postponed
for now as fears over his playing
career resurfaced after being carried
off on a stretcher late on in the
second half.
In an incident reminiscent of the way
he sustained a serious knee injury
against Liverpool in November,
Nathan Baker accidentally fell into him
and he left the pitch in agony.
Forget about all the concern over
whether interim manager Rafael
Benitez will pick him for the Europa
League Final, now there will be
worries about when he will be able to
play again.
The contrast for the two Chelsea
veterans summed up what was a
crazy afternoon that had a number of
talking points.
Referee Lee Mason is one of the
reasons why having sent Ramires off
for two yellow card offences in the
first 45 minutes.
And having only booked Christian
Benteke for a terrible elbow on Cesar
Azpilicueta, he ordered him off for a
studs up challenge after the break.
There was even more controversy as
Demba Ba’s toe poke appeared to go
over the line before Ashley Westwood
cleared, which would have put
Chelsea in front before Lampard’s late
heroics but it wasn’t given.
The game didn’t start this frenetically
and Chelsea were very slow to get out
of the blocks. Thoughts of
Amsterdam were clearly in Benitez’s
mind with David Luiz, Branislav
Ivanovic and Fernando Torres all
named on the bench.
Torres must have partly wished he
was on the pitch instead for Villa was
the last team he scored a League goal
against, back on December 23.
That was a day when Chelsea romped
to an 8-0 victory over a demoralised
outfit, but Paul Lambert’s side are a
completely different proposition these
days.
Chelsea were troubled by their pace
and movement from the outset,
which is why they soon encountered
problems with the referee.
The visitors only had themselves to
blame for falling behind in the 14th
minute, yet one still had to admire the
quality of their exciting Belgian striker
Benteke.
Gary Cahill was culpable, by first
heading the ball straight to Yacouba
Syalla, but Benteke still had a lot to do
as he ran on to his team-mate’s
through ball.
He waltzed past Cahill with ease into
the penalty area before beating
keeper Petr Cech at his near post for
his 19th League goal of the campaign.
What is more impressive since the
start of the year, is only Lionel Messi
and Cristiano Ronaldo have scored
more goals than him in the top five
Leagues in Europe.
Chelsea did threaten to get back in the
game for a short spell before the
break, only for Brad Guzan to come to
Aston Villa’s rescue.
First he saved at Demba Ba’s feet after
being put through by Juan Mata and
then tipped a Lampard free kick onto
the post.
But Lampard did not let that
frustration prevent him from making
his mark on the day and now he will
just hope he will get the new contract
he deserves to play in the Champions
League with Chelsea next season.
The result ensures Chelsea will finish
in the top four because they are six
points clear of Tottenham, who have
two games left to play, but their goal
difference is vastly inferior.
Understandably, Chelsea celebrated
the team’s and Lampard’s
achievement on the pitch afterwards,
although the only other negative was
Eden Hazard limping off with a
hamstring injury which looks certain
to rule him out of the Europa League
Final.
But nothing could really take the shine
off Lampard’s day.

Aston Villa 1-2 Chelsea: Record breaker Frank Lampard seals comeback victory

A time of crisis, Chelsea have always
been able to rely on one man to make
the difference when it counts.
In a dramatic match at Villa Park,
where both sides were reduced to 10
men, Frank Lampard stole the show
as his two goals not only booked
Chelsea’s place in the top four and
Champions League football next
season, but also cemented his place
in the record books as the club’s top
goal-scorer in their history.
Chelsea looked to be heading for a
painful defeat in the first half as
Christian Benteke put the home side
in front and then Ramires was sent
off.
But Lampard knows how to make a
difference and sprung to life after
Benteke went from hero to villain to
be sent off himself just before the
hour mark.
Lampard took advantage of the extra
space just three minutes later to fire
the ball in with his left foot and spark
wild celebrations in the away end.
It wasn’t just because of the
importance of the strike in the game,
it also meant he had drawn level with
Chelsea’s all-time top scorer Bobby
Tambling on 202 goals for the club.
But he moved into a league all on his
own on 203, as he so rightfully
deserved, with the winner in the 89th
minute and just made it a day to
remember for all Chelsea fans.
While Lampard is heading back to
west London in buoyant mood, it was
a day to forget for captain John Terry.
There was already a lot of talk about
him ahead of the game because he
had been linked with a lucrative move
to Galatasaray this summer and a
possible £200,000-a-week salary.
Such speculation will be postponed
for now as fears over his playing
career resurfaced after being carried
off on a stretcher late on in the
second half.
In an incident reminiscent of the way
he sustained a serious knee injury
against Liverpool in November,
Nathan Baker accidentally fell into him
and he left the pitch in agony.
Forget about all the concern over
whether interim manager Rafael
Benitez will pick him for the Europa
League Final, now there will be
worries about when he will be able to
play again.
The contrast for the two Chelsea
veterans summed up what was a
crazy afternoon that had a number of
talking points.
Referee Lee Mason is one of the
reasons why having sent Ramires off
for two yellow card offences in the
first 45 minutes.
And having only booked Christian
Benteke for a terrible elbow on Cesar
Azpilicueta, he ordered him off for a
studs up challenge after the break.
There was even more controversy as
Demba Ba’s toe poke appeared to go
over the line before Ashley Westwood
cleared, which would have put
Chelsea in front before Lampard’s late
heroics but it wasn’t given.
The game didn’t start this frenetically
and Chelsea were very slow to get out
of the blocks. Thoughts of
Amsterdam were clearly in Benitez’s
mind with David Luiz, Branislav
Ivanovic and Fernando Torres all
named on the bench.
Torres must have partly wished he
was on the pitch instead for Villa was
the last team he scored a League goal
against, back on December 23.
That was a day when Chelsea romped
to an 8-0 victory over a demoralised
outfit, but Paul Lambert’s side are a
completely different proposition these
days.
Chelsea were troubled by their pace
and movement from the outset,
which is why they soon encountered
problems with the referee.
The visitors only had themselves to
blame for falling behind in the 14th
minute, yet one still had to admire the
quality of their exciting Belgian striker
Benteke.
Gary Cahill was culpable, by first
heading the ball straight to Yacouba
Syalla, but Benteke still had a lot to do
as he ran on to his team-mate’s
through ball.
He waltzed past Cahill with ease into
the penalty area before beating
keeper Petr Cech at his near post for
his 19th League goal of the campaign.
What is more impressive since the
start of the year, is only Lionel Messi
and Cristiano Ronaldo have scored
more goals than him in the top five
Leagues in Europe.
Chelsea did threaten to get back in the
game for a short spell before the
break, only for Brad Guzan to come to
Aston Villa’s rescue.
First he saved at Demba Ba’s feet after
being put through by Juan Mata and
then tipped a Lampard free kick onto
the post.
But Lampard did not let that
frustration prevent him from making
his mark on the day and now he will
just hope he will get the new contract
he deserves to play in the Champions
League with Chelsea next season.
The result ensures Chelsea will finish
in the top four because they are six
points clear of Tottenham, who have
two games left to play, but their goal
difference is vastly inferior.
Understandably, Chelsea celebrated
the team’s and Lampard’s
achievement on the pitch afterwards,
although the only other negative was
Eden Hazard limping off with a
hamstring injury which looks certain
to rule him out of the Europa League
Final.
But nothing could really take the shine
off Lampard’s day.