Tommy Abraham wins West Ham United for double Chelsea and ends mini-collapse
FRankings Lampard know his score will compliment his team, but he will have little to worry about as late Dummy Abraham Brace seals a valuable three points to end Chelsea’s mini-run.
Chelsea spent most of the second half defending Diego Silva’s first-half opener, but Abraham Double sank Lombard’s old club and encouraged confidence when his players looked what they needed.
Timo Werner missed a fantastic opportunity to extend his long goalless run to nine games now, but Chelsea moved to fifth place with Tottenham Hotspur to become the German supplier for Abraham.
West Ham missed the chance to jump the Blues, but David Moyes knows it would have been very different if his team had been more medical.
Chelsea were already without a right-hander of the first choice as Reese James was ruled out with a knee problem, and Lampard also lost his left back in the 10th minute.
It was not Ben Silville’s expected 24th birthday as he fell on his right ankle in a challenge with Jarrod Bowen, and after trying to continue, he had to be replaced by Emerson Palmeri.
But the blow of Sylvain’s loss softened for Lampart, who took the lead within 60 seconds of Chelsea after he was forced.
West Ham goalkeeper Lucas Fabianski was unmarked, unmarked, run to Silva and weighed exactly in the corner of Mason Mount.
This is the eighth Chelsea goal scored in this corner this season, more than any other Premier League team, and it is the third title for Mount Delivery.
Mountain’s childhood friend and former Chelsea academy player Deklon Rice Silva held the ball in front of the opener.
A quick Aaron Cresswell free-kick caught Chelsea’s defense and Rice circled Edward Mendy before finding the net from a tight angle, but the goal was not exactly allowed to the offside.
Not only did he replace the injured James with captain Caesar Asbiliquetta and Guy Howard Jorkinho, but Lampard brought in striker Dummy Abraham to replace Oliver Groot.
Abraham thought he was referring to returning to the starting line with a first-half goal, but the ball went out of play before Asbiluquetta was crossed.
Aspliquieta closed brilliantly to prevent Sebastian Holler from running into Chelsea’s goal after N’Colo Conte slipped in, then Chelsea were relieved that Mendy could not attach the ball to the striker’s net after he went for a walk in his own area.
Silva, who gave his side the lead, produced the 34th-minute set, which got in the way of Thomas Suzek’s well-defined shot that defended Chelsea’s advantage.
It would have been a concern for Lampard if Chelsea had missed the opening attempt, with Jorkinho specifically giving the ball away and being beaten.
After being offered the best chance to double Chelsea’s advantage, Lampard were disappointed that Werner did not end his eight-game goal drought at half-time.
Before playing at Werner the Cretaceous Pulitzer danced beyond two challenges, knocking down Fabianski from eight yards, but the German international sent the ball straight to the visiting goalkeeper.
Werner is likely to explode in the net before heading into international duty with Germany in November, scoring four goals in five games for Chelsea.
Jorginho gifted West Ham the opening move of the second half, which ended with the Cresswell cross, from which Haller must have been wider than the head.
At the beginning of the second period it did not come very well for Werner because he failed to go to the end of an Abraham crucifix and instead collided with Fabianci who needed treatment.
Werner sent a cross straight from the left with a 24-year-old look before losing the ball to Mark Noble on the edge of his own area.
West Ham continued to threaten a draw and Chelsea were forced to defend several sets. One of them was the amazing free-kick by Vladimir Kufal, led by Angelo Okhpona.
Aspliquetta had to create an amazing block with his right opener to stop a shot from Pablo Furnells, and West Ham manager David Moyes, realizing his team had something in the game, sent Syd Benrahma to replace the Furnells.
Lampard also made a change to try to gain some control in midfield, as Madio Kovacic took over from Jorkinho, who had a bad evening.
Benrahma, who was sent off by Cresswell, had an almost instant chance, but Mount returned well to stop the winger shooting.
But Chelsea’s nerves finally calmed down after two Abraham’s goals in the space of three minutes. First, England International played onside by Cresswell to tap into Werner’s cross shot. Abraham jumped in after Fabianci saved a police title.