West Ham 2 - 1 Chelsea: Five Talking Points

West Ham, having made their best ever start to a Premier League season following their victory over Crystal Palace last week, do not look like they’re going to run out of steam anytime soon. On a glorious evening at the Boleyn Ground, the East Londoners shocked their highly fancied opponents from West London, Chelsea, with a 2-1 scoreline.The win put West Ham in third position in the Premier League table while Chelsea are 12 places below them in 15th. Slaven Bilic’s side have had an inspired start to the season and could seal a top 6 place if they continue to play in the same vein.From a pulsating game full of drama, here are the major talking points.

#1 Nemanja Matic in woeful form

One of Chelsea’s undroppables last season, Matic had a shambolic game, much like his team’s form currently. The Serbian got booked twice in the first half. The first was a cynical foul on Cheikhou Kouyate, while the Senegalese, leading a break, was clean through on goal. Had it not been for Matic’s intended foul, Chelsea may have gone behind by two goals.

The second yellow arrived just before half time, and this foul was a needless one. Matic got turned and beaten on the touchline on the left side of defense, and again brought down his man to ground cynically.

The Serb won none of his tackles, made 2 interceptions, 1 clearance and block, and saw a card for every foul he committed. Oh dear!

#2 Chelsea have a goal disallowed

Mourinho has been claiming since time immemorial about a campaign against his team. He now gets another incident to strengthen his case.

Willian, under pressure, showed wonderful touch, acceleration and control. The Brazilian rode a couple of challenges to emerge from a tight spot in the right side of defense and drove forward, leading the break. With Hazard to his left, Costa ahead, and Fabregas to his right, Willian picked the right pass to the latter. Fabregas made no mistake in putting the ball past Adrian, but he was adjudged to have been in an offside position the moment Willian played it to him.

Replays suggested probably otherwise. It was that kind of decision where both calls might have been appropriate. Fabregas was maybe offside by a hair-length, and Chelsea have right to feel hard done by with decisions going against them by such minuscule margins.

#3 Goal line technology

It could have been a completely different game had the ball gone a further centimeter ahead. That’s how close Chelsea had come towards equalizing.

Kurt Zouma rose above the rest from a corner and directed a firm header, destined to the bottom corner. However, West Ham’s Lanzini had other ideas. Following a scrap invloving a messy touch and his keeper Adrian tripping him, Lanzini, off balance cleared the ball off the line. Video replays and goal line technology showed just how close it was to a Chelsea equalizer.

Chelsea are left to rue their luck yet again.

#4 Andy Carroll makes a telling contribution

Slaven Bilic has transformed West Ham from a boring, physical team to a fearsome one. West Ham’s frontline of Dimitri Payet, Diafra Sakho, Manuel Lanzini and Mauro Zarate have caused enough problems this season for the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea.

With the highly experienced skipper Mark Noble alongside Cheikou Kouyate in deep midfield, and plenty of bench strength in Enner Valencia and Andy Carroll, West Ham look like good candidates for a top six finish this season, provided they keep this kind of form going.

One feature of West Ham’s play against Chelsea was their pressing. They let Chelsea have the ball in defense, but once the Blues passed their way to the halfway line, the Hammers had packs of 3 and 4 closing down and pressing the man in possession. This forced Chelsea to either pass backward or squander possession. Last season’s West Ham missed such a well executed gameplan. That’s what Slaven Bilic has added.

At 1-1, with play going from end to end, the match was calling out for a winner. With the ball crossed in from the right, Andy Carroll got above Cesar Azpilicueta, took advantage of Begovic’s momentary indesiciveness, and struck a firm header past the Chelsea goalkeeper. After all his injury worries, it was the perfect time for Carroll to score his first league goal since January, and seal 3 points for his side.

#5 Jose Mourinho is losing the plot

Jose didn’t perform his post match press duties. What might he have said had he done so? Had the Chelsea hierarchy restrained him, or did he skip it by choice? On Roman Abramovich’s birthday, this was the worst result Mourinho could deliver.

Chelsea have looked out of sorts since pre-season. Mourinho has had enough time to fix all issues, and yet, the same pattern repeats every game. Chelsea wait for things to go against them before getting out of first gear, and then get undone by a moment of brilliance or stupidity.

Its probably safe to say at the moment, Jose Mourinho isn’t himself. Or rather, he’s run out of ideas. Jose’s demeanor paints the picture of a dead man walking, and its anybody’s guess as to what the hierarchy at Chelsea are making out of these poor results. Right from the start of this game too, Jose wore a fake smile.

Things went further downhill for the Portuguese following Matic’s sending off. A Chelsea staffer was sent off from the bench, and obviously, Jose got into an argument with the referee Jon Moss at half time. Eventually, Jose himself was forced to watch the rest of the match from the stands.

Chelsea have now lost 5 out of 10 games, picked up 11 points, conceded the most number of headed goals, and kept only two clean sheets. These are shocking statistics to say the least, normally associated with relegation candidates. Only Sunderland have conceded more than Chelsea this season. What’s more disturbing though, is the manner of defeats.

Many figures have already pointed out a ‘third season syndrome’ for Jose Mourinho. They might indeed have a point – has Jose lost his squad?

What adds to his misery is the knowledge that Roman Abramovich is not afraid to go against fan opinion and do what he feels is right for the club. He won’t be afraid to do it again. There are rumours of a 37 million pay out clause, and Carlo Ancelotti being interested in a return to Stamford Bridge.

The big question thus is, how long has Jose really got?