That's
that, and Chelsea go back to the top of the league in style. The penalty
decision was key, as Webb denied Keane a stone-waller, but after that the
Blues were very good. Thanks for your company and see you next
time.
98'
Lampard feeds Cole and Keane gets the block on his shot. Another
corner.
98'
Corner for Chelsea after Essien blasted one off Hutton.
97'
Lamaprd tries an audacious chip from a tight angle. Close Frank, but not
close enough.
96'
Crouch has the ball in the net but he's a yard offside. He finished well
though, rounding Cech and slotting home. A miserable day for Spurs is
complete.
95'
The ole's come out as Chelsea spray it around.
94'
Lampard slips Kalou through on goal but his low effort is right at Cudicini
and Spurs avoid shipping a fourth.
94'
Poor tackle from Jenas on Essien and a yellow card is produced.
93'
Eight minutes of stoppage time by the way, due to the Bassong injury,
mainly.
92'
Lampard whacks it well over the bar. Disappointing. He's in my fantasy
league team too. Time to start pulling your weight Frank.
91'
Chelsea win a free kick and Lampard will have a crack. Its left of the
box...
90'
He's Italian and came from Bologna apparently.
89'
Fabio Borini is coming on for Anelka. Yes. I know. Who?
87'
Good chance for Kalou as Malouda feeds him inside the box, Kalou's effort
hits the post, then cannons off Cudicini and behind for a corner.
87'
Kalou wins a corner off Assou-Ekotto.
86'
Finally, some football. Crouch complains that Cole jumped into him in the
box. He did, and it was a foul but Webb was never going to give a
penalty.
85'
Kalou has replaced him.
84'
Now Drogba leaves on a stretcher. That treatment table is getting rather
full.
83'
Drogba is hobbling off and is grimacing every time his right leg hits the
turf. He's calling for a stretcher now. We'll be here till midnight at this
rate.
82'
Drogba nows has a pop at goal and sinks to the floor after it, claiming
some sort of injury.
81'
Kranjcar comes on to replace Bassong and Huddlestone goes to centre back, a
position he used to play at Derby.
80'
Bassong's stretcher is hoisted and he leaves the field to applause from all
sides. He still looks in a really bad way.
79'
Drogba is getting heavily involved for some reason. As if he's telling the
medics what to do.
78'
The oxygen mask is now on and Bassong will be leaving the ground shortly on
a stretcher. We wish him well.
77'
This looks nasty, Bassong's head hit the floor very hard and it has clearly
concussed him. THe medics are putting a neck brace on him at the moment and
oxygen is at the ready. Poor lad.
76'
Bassong collapses on the floor in a challenge with Anelka and looks in a
bad way. The physio is on very quickly to treat him...
75'
Mikel gets another chance to shoot but this time drags it weakly
wide.
73'
Mikel meets Anelka's volley and though Cudicini saves the ball squirms away
from him and towards the goal-line but he just manages to scoop it round the
post for a corner.
72'
Lennon runs at Bosingwa and Crouch's flick is heading for Keane until Terry
steps in and clears.
71'
Essien is down clutching his shoulder. Nasty fall it looks
like.
70'
Crouch picks the ball up and finds himself some space, but he blasts a shot
high and wide from 25 yards at the end of it.
69'
Palacios upends Essien as Harry looks resigned to his fate on the
bench.
68'
Crouch nods trhe ball down and Palacios meets it with an acrobatic volley.
It flies narrowly wide....
67'
Crouch on, Defoe off.
66'
Lampard's effort clips the wall, it actually hit Assou-Ekotto's raised arm,
and goes behind for a corner. That was a penalty. Another one
missed.
65'
What is going on?! Drogba and Bassong wrestle with each other, but Webb
waves play on, then as Lampard picks it up and looks to go in on goal he blows
for the foul. Free kick on the edge of the box.
64'
Well, that should be that then eh?
63'
A long
ball over the top finds Drogba in front of Corluka and as the Croatian makes
his tackle with Cudicini advancing, the ball nips round the keeper and Drogba
taps it in from two yards out.
63'
GOAL!
Drogba!
62'
Ballack comes off and Mikel comes on. He's only scored a second ago and now
his reward is being hauled off.
61'
Crouchy is warming up as Assou-Ekotto is felled by Bosingwa. Free kick on
the left flank.
60'
Bosingwa cuts inside and hits one but Cudicini is right behind it. Chelsea
flowing now...
60'
Malouda goes on the charge and crosses but Hutton diverts it behind for a
corner.
59'
Three minutes after SPurs' nailed on penalty, Chelsea bag their second. No
justice....
58'
Anelka
crosses, the ball loops up for Drogba to hit on the volley, Cudicini saves but
Lampard gets to the rebound and turns the ball into the box for Ballack who
bundles it in the net.
58'
GOAL!
Ballack!
55'
After Webb denied him a pen Keane ran after him and said 'book me then,' as
the letter of the law dictates. Webb ignored him. The idiot.
54'
Keane cannot believe that, and neither can I. Keane gets round Carvalho and
nears Cech when the Portuguese dives in, he's caught and goes down but Webb,
in his own theatrical style, waves it away.
53'
Keane goes down in the box and it looks a certain pen, but Webb waves it
away. Keane goes mental.
52'
Ballack fires one over...
51'
Another chance for Drogba to roast Hutton as he turns him inside the area,
but the defender nipped the ball from him after another turn.
49'
Brilliant run from Drogba, who outstrips, Hutton and crosses but no-one was
in the middle to meet it.
48'
King hobbles off, looks like a hamstring maybe. Alan Hutton goes on and
Corluka will cross to centre back.
47'
Lampard has missed a chance he normally buries, Ledley King drops like a
stone with an injury, Drogba goes down the left and crosses and Lamps side
foots wide from ten yards.
46'
We begin again....
45'
Half time. See you in 15 minutes...
45'
Drogba's effort hits the wall. One added minute at the end of the first
half...
44'
Huddlestone and Ballack challenge in the air and Webb somehow decides
Chelsea should have a free kick. Lampard over it, 30 yards out.
42'
Bosingwa claims a corner and a penalty as he went to the byline. He gets
neither.
41'
Jenas can't get hold of it on the edge of the box before Palacios chops
down Malouda.
40'
Lampard whacks one goalwards from the free kick but Drogba can't control it
as it arrives at his feet.
39'
Now Defoe poleaxes Drogba as his rage continues. Webb says one more of them
and you're in the book. Rightly so. Terry picks a writhing Drogba up and tells
him to get on with it.
38'
Lennon bursts forward after Chelsea lose the ball and nearly makes it into
the box before Terry slides in to tackle him.
37'
Defoe grapples Essien to the ground and has a little kick at him as well.
Lucky not to get booked there; he's still unchuffed about that earlier free
kick decision.
36'
Keane puts it out as Drogba does one of his dying swan routines. An
innocuous challenge caused him to fall over and now he's giving it the big one
on the deck.
34'
Defoe is double-teamed by Carvalho and Terry on the edge of the box but
Howard Webb says one of them got the ball. They didn't.
33'
I hate him as much as the next man but that was a brilliant break from
Cole, he tiptoed up on Corluka and made a burst past him just as the ball came
in. Decent finish too.
32'
A
brilliant ball in from Drogba, along the six yard box and Cole, who had
sneaked round Corluka, nods in from close range. An excellent
goal.
32'
GOAL!
Ashley Cole!
31'
Now Corluka nudges Ballack as he prepared to nod Chelsea in front. It does
just enough to put him off.
30'
Good break from Chelsea as Malouda gets down the left and crosses but
Palacios gets there ahead of Ballack.
29'
Bassong does well to get his head on a Bosingwa cross with Drogba lurking.
Spurs have defended well so far.
28'
A bit of a lull in the game after a decent start, we could do with a goal
to get us off and running...
27'
Bosingwa puts a cross right into the arms of Cudicini.
26'
Malouda gets into shooting range but then drags his effort miles wide of
the target.
25'
Keane hits a looping ball right out of play from inside the area. What on
earth was he doing?
24'
Bosingwa loses out in his tussle with Assou-Ekotto by the
byline.
22'
Anelka tees himself up on the volley and hits one but the angle was
supremely tight and he could only find the side netting.
20'
Palacios decides to have a go at goal from 40 yards. Needless to say, it
wasn't successful.
18'
Drogba sprays one wide for Anelka but Assou-Ekotto gets there
first.
17'
Keane goes on a mazy run but Cole pinches it off him. Then as Chelsea break
Anelka crosses for Lampard who heads two yards wide. Good move
that.
16'
Now Jenas has smashed one just wide after a poor ball from Anelka handed
Spurs possession. He hit it from 25 yards out and it flashed just wide of the
post.
15'
Ashley Cole nearly bursts into the box but a good saving challenge from
Corluka denies him. Corner, which is cleared.
14'
Now Cech comes for the corner and flaps but no-one can get a touch on
it.
13'
Lennon cuts inside and feeds Huddlestone who hits a rasping shot on the
half volley. Cech makes an uncomfortable save and its a corner.
12'
A bright start to the game indeed, here come Spurs again...
11'
Now Drogba is penalised for a tug on Bassong's shirt as they raced for the
ball.
10'
He raced to the edge of the area and hit it low but the shot lacked power
and Cech's outstretched leg beat it away. Big chance missed for
Spurs.
9'
Cech saves from Defoe when he was clean through. A brilliant pass from
Palacios and a disappointing finish from a striker in form.
8'
Bosingwa
smashes one against the bar from the corner of the area! What an
effort!
7'
Spurs make a right mess of a promising break, Keane turned inside and fed
Palacios who turned it on to Defoe. The striker should have busted it early
but didn't, then Keane got in his way and the chance was lost.
5'
Cech takes a bit too long with his clearance as Lennon and Defoe closed him
down. He manages to squeeze it our for a throw.
4'
Terry launches a ball forward for Drogba but he is flagged offside. He
probably was, but only just.
3'
Superb clearance from Bassong as Bosingwa crossed along the six yard box.
Cracking football all round.
2'
Jenas pokes forward looking for Lennon but Ashley Cole mops up.
1'
We're off...
0'
Right, the teams are out and all is set up for a humdinger. Whether it'll
match the pant-wetting excitement of the Manchester derby I don't know but I'm
sure they'll be a goal or two. Maybe not seven.
0'
Chelsea need a point to go clear at the top of the league after Manchester
United's 96th minute winner against City. Little Michael Owen with the goal.
Spurs were crushed by United last time out, can they bounce back
here?
Chelsea 
Lampard feeds Cole and Keane gets the block on his shot. Another corner.
Corner for Chelsea after Essien blasted one off Hutton.
Lamaprd tries an audacious chip from a tight angle. Close Frank, but not close enough.
Crouch has the ball in the net but he's a yard offside. He finished well though, rounding Cech and slotting home. A miserable day for Spurs is complete.
The ole's come out as Chelsea spray it around.
Lampard slips Kalou through on goal but his low effort is right at Cudicini and Spurs avoid shipping a fourth.
Poor tackle from Jenas on Essien and a yellow card is produced.
Eight minutes of stoppage time by the way, due to the Bassong injury, mainly.
Lampard whacks it well over the bar. Disappointing. He's in my fantasy league team too. Time to start pulling your weight Frank.
Chelsea win a free kick and Lampard will have a crack. Its left of the box...
He's Italian and came from Bologna apparently.
Fabio Borini is coming on for Anelka. Yes. I know. Who?
Good chance for Kalou as Malouda feeds him inside the box, Kalou's effort hits the post, then cannons off Cudicini and behind for a corner.
Kalou wins a corner off Assou-Ekotto.
Finally, some football. Crouch complains that Cole jumped into him in the box. He did, and it was a foul but Webb was never going to give a penalty.
Kalou has replaced him.
Now Drogba leaves on a stretcher. That treatment table is getting rather full.
Drogba is hobbling off and is grimacing every time his right leg hits the turf. He's calling for a stretcher now. We'll be here till midnight at this rate.
Drogba nows has a pop at goal and sinks to the floor after it, claiming some sort of injury.
Kranjcar comes on to replace Bassong and Huddlestone goes to centre back, a position he used to play at Derby.
Bassong's stretcher is hoisted and he leaves the field to applause from all sides. He still looks in a really bad way.
Drogba is getting heavily involved for some reason. As if he's telling the medics what to do.
The oxygen mask is now on and Bassong will be leaving the ground shortly on a stretcher. We wish him well.
This looks nasty, Bassong's head hit the floor very hard and it has clearly concussed him. THe medics are putting a neck brace on him at the moment and oxygen is at the ready. Poor lad.
Bassong collapses on the floor in a challenge with Anelka and looks in a bad way. The physio is on very quickly to treat him...
Mikel gets another chance to shoot but this time drags it weakly wide.
Mikel meets Anelka's volley and though Cudicini saves the ball squirms away from him and towards the goal-line but he just manages to scoop it round the post for a corner.
Lennon runs at Bosingwa and Crouch's flick is heading for Keane until Terry steps in and clears.
Essien is down clutching his shoulder. Nasty fall it looks like.
Crouch picks the ball up and finds himself some space, but he blasts a shot high and wide from 25 yards at the end of it.
Palacios upends Essien as Harry looks resigned to his fate on the bench.
Crouch nods trhe ball down and Palacios meets it with an acrobatic volley. It flies narrowly wide....
Crouch on, Defoe off.
Lampard's effort clips the wall, it actually hit Assou-Ekotto's raised arm, and goes behind for a corner. That was a penalty. Another one missed.
What is going on?! Drogba and Bassong wrestle with each other, but Webb waves play on, then as Lampard picks it up and looks to go in on goal he blows for the foul. Free kick on the edge of the box.
Well, that should be that then eh?
Ballack comes off and Mikel comes on. He's only scored a second ago and now his reward is being hauled off.
Crouchy is warming up as Assou-Ekotto is felled by Bosingwa. Free kick on the left flank.
Bosingwa cuts inside and hits one but Cudicini is right behind it. Chelsea flowing now...
Malouda goes on the charge and crosses but Hutton diverts it behind for a corner.
Three minutes after SPurs' nailed on penalty, Chelsea bag their second. No justice....
After Webb denied him a pen Keane ran after him and said 'book me then,' as the letter of the law dictates. Webb ignored him. The idiot.
Keane cannot believe that, and neither can I. Keane gets round Carvalho and nears Cech when the Portuguese dives in, he's caught and goes down but Webb, in his own theatrical style, waves it away.
Keane goes down in the box and it looks a certain pen, but Webb waves it away. Keane goes mental.
Ballack fires one over...
Another chance for Drogba to roast Hutton as he turns him inside the area, but the defender nipped the ball from him after another turn.
Brilliant run from Drogba, who outstrips, Hutton and crosses but no-one was in the middle to meet it.
King hobbles off, looks like a hamstring maybe. Alan Hutton goes on and Corluka will cross to centre back.
Lampard has missed a chance he normally buries, Ledley King drops like a stone with an injury, Drogba goes down the left and crosses and Lamps side foots wide from ten yards.
We begin again....
Half time. See you in 15 minutes...
Drogba's effort hits the wall. One added minute at the end of the first half...
Huddlestone and Ballack challenge in the air and Webb somehow decides Chelsea should have a free kick. Lampard over it, 30 yards out.
Bosingwa claims a corner and a penalty as he went to the byline. He gets neither.
Jenas can't get hold of it on the edge of the box before Palacios chops down Malouda.
Lampard whacks one goalwards from the free kick but Drogba can't control it as it arrives at his feet.
Now Defoe poleaxes Drogba as his rage continues. Webb says one more of them and you're in the book. Rightly so. Terry picks a writhing Drogba up and tells him to get on with it.
Lennon bursts forward after Chelsea lose the ball and nearly makes it into the box before Terry slides in to tackle him.
Defoe grapples Essien to the ground and has a little kick at him as well. Lucky not to get booked there; he's still unchuffed about that earlier free kick decision.
Keane puts it out as Drogba does one of his dying swan routines. An innocuous challenge caused him to fall over and now he's giving it the big one on the deck.
Defoe is double-teamed by Carvalho and Terry on the edge of the box but Howard Webb says one of them got the ball. They didn't.
I hate him as much as the next man but that was a brilliant break from Cole, he tiptoed up on Corluka and made a burst past him just as the ball came in. Decent finish too.
Now Corluka nudges Ballack as he prepared to nod Chelsea in front. It does just enough to put him off.
Good break from Chelsea as Malouda gets down the left and crosses but Palacios gets there ahead of Ballack.
Bassong does well to get his head on a Bosingwa cross with Drogba lurking. Spurs have defended well so far.
A bit of a lull in the game after a decent start, we could do with a goal to get us off and running...
Bosingwa puts a cross right into the arms of Cudicini.
Malouda gets into shooting range but then drags his effort miles wide of the target.
Keane hits a looping ball right out of play from inside the area. What on earth was he doing?
Bosingwa loses out in his tussle with Assou-Ekotto by the byline.
Anelka tees himself up on the volley and hits one but the angle was supremely tight and he could only find the side netting.
Palacios decides to have a go at goal from 40 yards. Needless to say, it wasn't successful.
Drogba sprays one wide for Anelka but Assou-Ekotto gets there first.
Keane goes on a mazy run but Cole pinches it off him. Then as Chelsea break Anelka crosses for Lampard who heads two yards wide. Good move that.
Now Jenas has smashed one just wide after a poor ball from Anelka handed Spurs possession. He hit it from 25 yards out and it flashed just wide of the post.
Ashley Cole nearly bursts into the box but a good saving challenge from Corluka denies him. Corner, which is cleared.
Now Cech comes for the corner and flaps but no-one can get a touch on it.
Lennon cuts inside and feeds Huddlestone who hits a rasping shot on the half volley. Cech makes an uncomfortable save and its a corner.
A bright start to the game indeed, here come Spurs again...
Now Drogba is penalised for a tug on Bassong's shirt as they raced for the ball.
He raced to the edge of the area and hit it low but the shot lacked power and Cech's outstretched leg beat it away. Big chance missed for Spurs.
Cech saves from Defoe when he was clean through. A brilliant pass from Palacios and a disappointing finish from a striker in form.
Spurs make a right mess of a promising break, Keane turned inside and fed Palacios who turned it on to Defoe. The striker should have busted it early but didn't, then Keane got in his way and the chance was lost.
Cech takes a bit too long with his clearance as Lennon and Defoe closed him down. He manages to squeeze it our for a throw.
Terry launches a ball forward for Drogba but he is flagged offside. He probably was, but only just.
Superb clearance from Bassong as Bosingwa crossed along the six yard box. Cracking football all round.
Jenas pokes forward looking for Lennon but Ashley Cole mops up.
We're off...
Right, the teams are out and all is set up for a humdinger. Whether it'll match the pant-wetting excitement of the Manchester derby I don't know but I'm sure they'll be a goal or two. Maybe not seven.
Chelsea need a point to go clear at the top of the league after Manchester United's 96th minute winner against City. Little Michael Owen with the goal. Spurs were crushed by United last time out, can they bounce back here?
Tottenham: Cudicini, Corluka, King, Bassong, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Jenas, Huddlestone, Palacios, Defoe and Keane. Subs: Gomes, Hutton, Bentley, Crouch, Naughton, Giovani and Kranjcar.
Cech, Bosingwa, Carvalho, Terry, Ashley Cole, Ballack, Essien, Lampard, Malouda, Anelka and Drogba. Subs: Hilario, Ivanovic, Mikel, Kalou, Belletti, Hutchinson and Borini.
Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage of the London derby between Chelsea and Spurs from Stamford Bridge.