Post Match Comments
Audio Match ReportWednesday 7th March 2001
FA PREMIER LEAGUE
Upton Park
Attendance:26,016Referee: Alan WileyWEST HAM0 CHELSEA 2
Gudjohnsen 32, Hasselbaink 39HISLOPSONGI.PEARCEDAILLYS.PEARCE SOMACOLEPOTTSLAMPARDDI CANIOSUKER72Subs:BYWATERBASSILA 72SCHEMMEL 11 46DIAWARA 46CAMARACUDICINIFERRERLEBOEUFDESAILLYLE SAUXSTANICWISEJOKANOVICGRONKJAERHASSELBAINKGUDJOHNSENSubs:DE GOEYPOYET 23DALLA BONA 82TERRY 86KNIGHTHarry Redknapp cursed his team's dreadful bad luck with injuries again as inspirational defender Stuart Pearce became the latest doubt for Sunday's vital FA Cup quarter-final against Spurs.
After the Hammers had gone down 2-0 to an impressive Chelsea side, Harry revealed that the 38-year-old had suffered an ankle injury and was taken to hospital to discover the true extent of the damage.
Said H: "I've lost Stuart Pearce and that is a massive blow for me. His ankle came up like a balloon after a challenge and he's gone to hospital for an X-Ray.
"I didn't see the challenge, but I think he kicked a boot as he cleared the ball. It doesn't look very good though and we will miss him badly. Everyone has seen his recent performances and it is just typical of the bad luck we are having with injuries at the moment."
The Hammers boss revealed that he was hoping to have Fredi Kanoute and Michael Carrick back for Sunday's clash and confessed that he had feared the worst against a Chelsea side looking for their first away victory of the season in a match that he would rather have not occured.
"We've just got to regroup now and try to get Fredi, Carrick and Winterburn fit for Sunday. If I can get those players back we'll have enough out there to get a result.
"I just can't afford to be without those players. We miss Fredi's pace and presence up front and I had a makeshift side out there again tonight.
"To be honest though, this was a fixture I could have done without. For Chelsea, it was the best time to come and play us, with players missing and a big cup game on Sunday.
"Saying that, at 0-0 we had the best chance of the game when Joe missed an open goal and I was looking at their team of world stars thinking: 'They're not doing too much.'
"Once they got the opener though, they were in control, and Hasselbaink's goal killed us off. It was a great finish, but we should have got closer to him and defended it better."
It was clear that the Hammers boss was just glad to get the game out of the way in order to concentrate fully on what is undoubtedly the biggest game of the season so far on Sunday.
And H admitted that, with his star attractions back in action, the loyal Upton Park support could expect a brighter outcome.
"If I can get Fredi back with Paolo and Joe we'll be alright. We'll all be in a different mood on Sunday, I promise you!"
Spurs may be the opponents on everybody's mind, but only victory against the north Londoners will help to ease the pain caused by two woefully inept performances against Arsenal and the Blues in the space of five days.
Quite simply, the Hammers were outclassed by a Chelsea team desperate for their first victory this season outside of Stamford Bridge.
It could all have been so different, however, had Joe Cole taken advantage of a glorious chance to open the scoring on 25 minutes, when he somehow crashed his shot against the bar from just six yards out after Ian Pearce had nodded down a Di Canio free-kick.
The England youngster and his team-mates were made to pay for that wasted chance when Chelsea took the lead seven minutes later.
Icelandic striker Eidur Gudjohnsen linked with Gustavo Poyet, who fed the impressive Jesper Gronkjaer wide on the left. The Dutch winger beat Di Canio before slipping a pass into the area that Gudjohnsen controlled and then fired left-footed past the despairing dive of Hislop.
Although slightly against the run of play, it was clear that Claudio Ranieri's men were in confident mood from the word go, with prolific Dutch striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink causing Christian Dailly and Ian Pearce all sorts of problems.
After Stuart Pearce had been forced off on 11 minutes, their defensive duties became even tougher and the visitors stepped up the pace further after taking the lead.
Six minutes before half-time, the contest was virtually over when Hasselbaink doubled the visitors' lead with a cracking effort from outside the box.
Poyet's nod-down was collected by the Dutch striker, although Christian Dailly will be disappointed by the way he allowed Chelsea's top scorer to skip to one side and curl an unstoppable shot past Hislop.
Di Canio and Cole led the attempted fightback in the second period, but couldn't find the key to unlock the solid Chelsea defence and their sharp passing and possession football meant that Ranieri's team were always in control.
They even enjoyed the better chances on the break, with Hasselbaink, Gudjohnsen and Gronkjaer all spurning decent opportunities.
The Hammers' only serious effort in the second half was a header from Joe Cole that flashed past the post and the ground began to empty 20 minutes from the final whistle as Chelsea simply killed the game.
In any other season, two embarrassing defeats against two of our deadliest London rivals in less than a week would have been greeted with much more of a protest from the Hammers' fans.
However, a strange sense of optimism still surrounds the club as we all look forward to the visit of George Graham's side on Sunday.
Victory against Spurs will certainly erase the memory of difficult week for the club, and hopefully provide the perfect boost as the season's end approaches.
Minute-by-minute:
6 - After a scrappy opening five minutes, Cole picks the ball up some 35 yards out and runs at the defence but is blocked by Leboeuf.
7 - A mix-up in defence sees Hasselbaink gain possession wide on the right. His cross is cleared by Dailly, but only as far as Stankovic, who volleys just past the post.
11 - Substitution for West Ham. Schemmel replaces Stuart Pearce, who is withdrawn through injury.
12 - Le Saux's deep cross from the left is headed weakly into the arms of Hislop by Hasselbaink.
17 - Lampard BOOKED for foul on Jokanovic.
22 - Suker's intelligent pass sends Di Canio into the area on the left and the Italian turns Ferrer before clipping an inviting ball across the six yard box that Cudicini gathers comfortably under no pressure.
23 - Substitution for Chelsea. Poyet replaces Stanic.
25 - The game sparks into life as Ferrer is BOOKED for a foul on Di Canio. From the Italian's resulting kick, Ian Pearce heads across the box to the feet of Cole, who smashes his shot against the bar from six yards out. The ball runs free to Di Canio, who then feeds Cole again on the left and the youngster's cross is headed wide by Song.
28 - Hasselbaink's cross falls to the feet of Poyet but the substitute dithers on the ball and is thwarted by Soma.
32 - GOAL. Good interchange play from Gudjohnsen and Poyet allows Gronkjaer space on the left. The Dutchman beats Di Canio and feeds a short pass back to Gudjohnsen, who turns and fires a low 15-yarder past the dive of Hislop. West Ham 0 Chelsea 1.
34 - As the Hammers search for an equaliser, Di Canio lays a square ball to Lampard on the edge of the area, but the England midfielder's shot is deflected away for a corner.
35 - Hasselbaink is criminally allowed time and space 30 yards out from goal and fires a blistering shot just inches wide of Hislop's right-hand post.
37 - Hasselbaink's crude two footed lunge at Cole - although not making contact with the midfielder - is amazingly unpunished.
39 - GOAL. Further misery for the Hammers as Poyet's nod-down finds Hasselbaink some 25 yards out. The Dutchman skips past Dailly before curling a stunning effort past the reach of Hislop and into the top corner. West Ham 0 Chelsea 2.
42 - Gronkjaer takes advantage of a reckless challenge from Schemmel to skip into the area and blast a shot just over the bar.
44 - Jokanovic's fierce volley from the edge of the box is prevented from flying in the net by the head of his team-mate Gudjohnsen, who is left pole-axed on the ground.
Added time: 2 minutes.
Half-time: West Ham 0 Chelsea 2.
Second Half:
46 - Substitution for West Ham. Diawara replaces Schemmel.
46 - Gronkjaer again breaks free in the area and tests Hislop's reactions with a powerful right-footed shot that the Hammers keeper does well to palm away.
48 - Dailly misjudges a long clearance and allows Gudjohnsen to run clear on goal behind him. The Icelandic striker draws Hislop but pokes his shot just wide of the post.
52 - Lampard's deep free-kick after Suker has been fouled by Desailly is plucked off the head of Ian Pearce by Cudicini.
55 - Lampard's threaded pass beats the offside trap and releases Di Canio on the right, but the Italian's cross drifts out for a goal kick.
58 - Gudjohnsen turns in the centre circle and lifts a ball forward for Hasselbaink to run on to. The striker holds off Ian Pearce but balloons his shot over the bar.
63 - Le Saux's cross once again causes panic in the Hammers rearguard but Poyet heads high and wide.
64 - Gronkjaer BOOKED for foul on Song.
66 - Suker BOOKED for foul on Le Saux.
68 - Cole begins to exert some influence on the game and feeds Song, whose cross is headed wide by Diawara.
71 - Determined work from Song sees the ball trickle out to Di Canio on the right. He turns Desailly before sending over a left-footed cross that Cole heads just past the post.
72 - Substitution for West Ham. Bassila replaces Suker.
73 - Soma, Di Canio and Lampard combine brilliantly on the left to send the young midfielder clear. His cross falls invitingly for Diawara, but the Frenchman fails to make contact under pressure from Desailly.
82 - Gronkjaer sends over a teasing cross from the left but Hasselbaink's header flies well wide.
82 - Substitution for Chelsea. Dalla Bona replaces Jokanovic.
85 - Di Canio wriggles his way down the left and pulls back a pass for Cole, who slices his shot well wide.
86 - Substitution for Chelsea. Terry replaces Le Saux.
89 - Hasselbaink releases a pass to Gronkjaer, who shoots into the body of Hislop.
Added time: 3 minutes.
90 - Gudjohnsen's long-range effort is easily dealt with by Hislop.
Full-time: West Ham 0 Chelsea 2.