Chelsea cruise past depleted Pompey

DAVID James conceded his 10th goal in just two games as Chelsea cruised into the fourth round of the Carling Cup.

Chelsea picked up where Manchester City left off at the weekend by rattling four past a hapless, injury-hit Portsmouth.

Frank Lampard scored twice – the first from the penalty spot – while Florent Malouda and the eye-catching Salomon Kalou joined in the fun as a mixture of careless and comical defending gifted Chelsea a resounding victory.

Nadri Belhadj conceded a needless penalty for Chelsea’s first and David James then failed to gather Kalou’s cross, allowing Lampard to bundle home the third. The Ivorian was Chelsea’s most lively player all evening and then sliced through a non-existent Portsmouth defence to make it four.

With injuries to cope with and a busy week ahead, including a return UEFA Cup tie at Vitoria, Redknapp made five changes but even with three deep-lying midfielders they were again brittle at the back.

Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari made six changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Manchester United but he continued the club’s policy of attacking the Carling Cup. Didier Drogba returned to the starting XI alongside Lampard and Ballack while £9million defender Branislav Ivanovic was awarded a long-awaited first-team debut.

Chelsea manufactured the opening 10 minutes before the interval after Drogba and Lampard combined to find Malouda down the left flank. Malouda’s cross was just behind the first ranks of blue shirts flooding into the box but Ballack raced onto the loose ball. He toed the ball forward and was brought down by a careless lunge from Belhadj. Referee Steve Bennett pointed straight to the spot and Lampard’s low drive was unstoppable.

Malouda rifled Chelsea’s second past James in the last minute of the half after being picked out by a clever ball from Kalou, Portsmouth’s tormentor in chief. Kalou was at it again moments after the re-start as Lampard scored his second in bizarre circumstances.

James succeeded only in deflecting Kalou’s cross onto Lampard’s knee and the ball dribbled almost apologetically into the net. Lampard reacted sheepishly, as if he thought the goal would be disallowed, and it was not until he raised his arm that the 3,000 Chelsea supporters positioned down the other end even realised a goal had been scored.

After playing such an effective supporting role Kalou then helped himself, cutting in from the right flank to beat a non-existent Portsmouth defence and score from 12 yards.

PORTSMOUTH: James, Johnson, Pamarot, Distin, Hreidarsson, Utaka, Mvuemba, Kaboul, Hughes (Wilson 80), Belhadj (Armand Traore 69), Crouch (Kanu 69).

CHELSEA: Cech, Ivanovic, Terry, Alex, Bridge, Belletti, Ballack (Ferreira 69), Lampard (Sinclair 74), Kalou, Malouda, Drogba (Di Santo 79).

Referee:Steve Bennett.