Same old story for Cats

Chelsea registered their tenth straight win in the Premiership over lowly Sunderland, but it was not to be the easy stroll many had expected.

A spirited Sunderland will feel unlucky once again to have lost to the Premiership champions, having gone in the lead through Liam Lawrence and eventually losing to a deflected Robben strike, the celebrations for which earned the Dutch winger a second bookable offence.

Both teams started brightly from the off and it was clear that Sunderland, as McCarthy had promised before the game, weren’t just there to make up the numbers. Only 3 minutes had gone when Jon Stead fired Sunderland’s first shot on goal, unfortunately still unable to break his duck as his shot could only find the safe hands of Petr Cech.

Sunderland kept the visitors restricted to long range efforts only, though with Lampard in Chelsea’s midfield this wasn’t necessarily to their disadvantage.

And it was a fantastic strike that opened the scoring at The Stadium of Light, only to everyone’s surprise it was from a home player. Liam Lawrence scored his second left foot strike this month as he let fly with a volley from inside the area after a poor John Terry clearance.

Sunderland remained ahead a further 16minutes as the home crowd sensed that an upturn in fortunes may have been heading their way. Unfortunately once Crespo headed in a loose ball in the box after Joe Cole did well to keep in a deep Gallas cross it was only going to be an uphill battle for the Black Cats.

But battle they did, and if not for a spurned headed chance from Le Tallec moments before half time they could well have been infront at the interval.

Chelsea returned for the second half ready to show just who was the side 52 points ahead of the other, and a period of Blues dominance allowed under-fire goalkeeper Kelvin Davis to answer his many critics.

Save after save ensued, and if not for Robben’s deflected 69th minute strike it looked as if the former Ipswich stopper was not going to be beaten.

First he palmed away a low Crespo effort then kept out the Argentinian’s header from point blank range. Lampard and Robben were then also excellently thwarted by Davis before Whitehead deflected Robben’s drive past the forlorn Sunderland keeper.

Robben, already cautioned, proceeded to celebrate his goal with the Chelsea fans, and was promptly if harshly sent off for a second bookable offence by referee Chris Foy.

Sunderland pressed for an equaliser and McCarthy threw on Gray and Murphy to no avail, another Le Tallec header and late penalty shout the closest they came to an equaliser. While substitute Carlton Cole was denied by the faultless Davis as Chelsea looked for a killer 3rd on the counter.

So another loss for Sunderland but once again McCarthy and his troops will be wondering just what they have to do to gain points in this cruel league. Survival is beyond them, but more performances like this and Sunderland will at least do down with pride intact.



Sunderland: Davis, Hoyte, Breen, Caldwell, Danny Collins, Lawrence, Whitehead, Miller, Arca, Le Tallec (Gray 81), Stead (Murphy 81).
Subs Not Used: Nosworthy, Alnwick, Bassila.

Chelsea: Cech, Gallas, Ricardo Carvalho, Terry, Del Horno, Gudjohnsen (Huth 83), Makelele, Lampard, Joe Cole (Duff 63), Crespo (Carlton Cole 72), Robben.
Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Diarra.