Lampard gives Baggies baby blues

Chelsea 4 West Brom 0

The 27-year-old, who is just 11 games away from breaking David James’s Premiership record of consecutive appearances, put Chelsea in front in the 22nd minute in his 149th straight league game.

The England midfielder’s girlfriend had given birth to a baby daughter early in the week and Lampard’s goal, his 50th for the club, was hailed by a joyous ‘cradle-rocking’ celebration as Chelsea easily overcame the limited resistance of West Brom.

Lampard’s goal lit up a rather pedestrian first half by Chelsea’s standards, although by the time the interval arrived, there were signs Albion were in for a difficult second period.

The England man, who was told by doctors at the start of the season that he possessed a larger than average heart, is determined to break James’s record.

“I’d like to beat the record because I’m so close. In modern football who knows how long it would last with suspensions, injuries and resting. Obviously I’d like to beat it now.”

His amazing stamina was again responsible for another high-octane performance and the secret of his non-stop engine is a bigger heart than normal.

Lampard explained: “I was a bit worried at first. I didn’t know whether it was good or bad. But I’ve always liked to run and keep fit and the doctor said maybe because I’ve got a big heart, it needs to work itself to capacity.”

While Lampard was in the process of covering every square-inch of the Stamford Bridge turf, Albion were contriving to give Chelsea the lead. After giving the ball away to Shaun Wright-Phillips, the omens looked distinctly poor for the midlands club.

The midfielder made no mistake after the club’s £24.4 million new signing, Michael Essien, had stepped over Didier Drogba’s cross.

After a cagey start, Chelsea began to find their attacking flair and in the 21st minute Asier Del Horno crossed from the left wing only for Drogba to miss from six yards.

However, a minute later and Chelsea were ahead through Lampard. In the 32nd minute, his corner was met by the head of the towering William Gallas at the far post but the French defender failed to provide the required power or direction to trouble Kirkland unduly.

But Chelsea were in full control as half time approached with Lampard and Drogba a constant threat.

Three minutes before the interval, Chelsea’s growing pressure paid off thanks to another error from Albion.

Wright-Phillips chased what appeared to be a lost cause on the right flank but somehow Paul Robinson allowed the £21 million winger to snatch the ball from him and pull it back for Joe Cole, making his first start of the season, to fire home past the unprotected Kirkland from eight yards.

The visitors were under the cosh for long periods of the second half as Chelsea played the ball around with increasing swagger and authority. Kirkland made a terrific one-handed save on the hour to deny Chelsea a third when Cole’s cross was headed towards the left-hand corner of the net by Drogba.

But Kirkland managed to tap the ball away only for Wright-Phillips to return it into the danger area where Essien was prevented from notching on his full debut by the bravery of Robinson who managed to block the ball with Kirkland struggling behind him.

Drogba put Chelsea three up in the 67th minute, turning in Del Horno’s cross into the six-yard box with an outstretched foot when a corner on the left caused confusion in the Albion defence.

Lampard made it two on the night 10 minutes from time when he beat Kirkland for the second time, benefiting from the persistence of substitute Arjen Robben. When the ball fell kindly for him eight yards out, he despatched a low right-foot volley into the net.

CHELSEA: Cudicini, Johnson, Terry, Gallas, Del Horno, Makelele, Essien, Lampard, Joe Cole (Robben 69), Wright-Phillips (Duff 79), Drogba (Crespo 71).

WEST BROM: Kirkland, Albrechtsen, Gaardsoe, Clement, Robinson, Greening (Ellington 71), Scimeca, Chaplow, Johnson (Inamoto 60), Kamara, Kanu.

Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire).