An unbelievable performance from Adrian gave West Ham a point from Stamford Bridge as Chelsea surprisingly slipped up against their London rivals.
Chelsea vs. West Ham United: Final score 0-0, Blues surprisingly held by hardworking Hammers
West Ham United managed to grab a shock point from Stamford Bridge as Chelsea simply could not find a way past Adrian and the Hammers’ defense.
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Chelsea completely dominated the game and barely gave West Ham a chance to get out of their own half all match, but a string of brilliant blocks and superb saves from the visiting defense and Adrian in goal allowed Sam Allardyce’s men to pick up a potentially valuable point.
Sam Allardyce probably wanted an awful first half, and he got one as Chelsea failed to show much initiative or quality play while the Hammers struggled to do anything at all.
The first incident of note was Andy Carroll being denied claims for a penalty after going down in the area while battling with Cesar Azpilicueta, and replays showed that the call was probably the right one.
Chelsea weren't putting together any slick moves, and it appeared that a moment of magic from Eden Hazard or Oscar would have to do to find the breakthrough. They almost got one from the latter, but his swirling shot was tipped over by a fine save from Adrian.
John Terry then produced another save from the West Ham keeper as Chelsea turned up the pressure, and Oscar was once again denied by Adrian afterwards, who was having a fine game, and the Blues were forced to enter halftime with the score goalless.
The second half began in much the same pattern, but a West Ham breakaway led to Petr Cech dropping the ball invitingly for Andy Carroll, but the forward blundered and miscued his shot, missing perhaps his side's best chance of the game.
Frank Lampard was then introduced to receive the traditional Upton Park welcome, and nearly scored after a brilliant run, but saw his eventual effort wonderfully blocked by Matty Taylor.
Chelsea were becoming increasingly desperate for a way through, and a deflected Hazard effort appeared to land kindly for Demba Ba, but Joey O’Brien was at hand to pull off yet another excellent block, injuring himself in the process and forcing the Hammers to play on without him for injury time.
Yet even down to 10 men, the visitors simply threw bodies in the way of everything. A run from Hazard appeared to open things up for a classic Lampard finish on the edge of the area, but there was Taylor again to deny him. In a frantic few minutes, Hazard also teed up Ba at the near post, but his shot was saved and thankfully for West Ham, landed at the feet of a claret and blue shirt to clear.
Chelsea were in time after time added on when Hazard broke down the left and drove at Adrian, but the keeper, giving a superb performance, managed to hold onto it with Ba lurking. That would surely have been the last action of the game, but amazingly there was to be yet more lunacy -- Adrian put the ball down for a goal kick when Samuel Eto’o charged down the ball and fired home into the net, but Chelsea were incensed when the referee obviously disallowed the goal, as confusion reigned over whether it was a simple kick or a free-kick (in reality, the latter.)
Incredibly, it wasn’t done there either -- Chelsea were allowed to take yet another attack, well after the minimum amount of added time, and Lampard took Hazard’s cross in his stride, only to be denied by a ludicrous save from Adrian to send West Ham away with a point.
Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta (Lampard 64’), Ramires, Mikel (Matic 64’), Willian, Oscar (Ba 80’), Hazard, Eto’o.
West Ham: Adrian, Demel, Tomkins, Collins, O’Brien, Diame (Jarvis 30’), Noble, Downing, Nolan (Nocerino 80’), Taylor, Carroll (C.Cole 64’).
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