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Chelsea 1 West Ham 0November 18, 2006
GEREMI'S superb free-kick upstaged Chelsea's big-name heroes as the Blues saw off hard-grafting West Ham.
Chelsea's Premiership consistency has been overshadowed by Manchester United's thrilling form - but no-one can doubt the Champions' resilience.
They stayed second after limiting the Hammers to few chances and creating several of their own, notably through the industrious Didier Drogba.
Bosses Alan Pardew and Jose Mourinho embraced prior to kick-off, but that was as close as the Hammers got all afternoon.
Chelsea skipper John Terry soon headed high, only to be penalised for climbing, as Chelsea surged into attack early on.
Nonetheless, Lee Bowyer blazed high and wasted a chance to cross dangerously after swapping passes with Paul Konchesky.
Pardew had identified wide areas as Chelsea's only minor weakness - with Carlos Tevez on the right flank trying to attack Ashley Cole.
On the opposite side, Matthew Etherington did his best to roam forward.
And it was from his corner that Jonathan Spector headed onto the roof of the net.
Chelsea, though, looked livelier still from set-pieces, terry nodding narrowly wide from Frank Lampard's corner.
Ex-Hammer Lampard defied predictable boos from the away fans with a typically busy display.
Robert Green thwarted the England midfielder's volley, before Lampard was booked for sending Spector flying.
The Blues promptly moved in front - after Danny Gabbidon was yellow-carded for hauling down Didier Drogba.
Geremi curved the ensuing free-kick from 25 yards delightfully around the wall and into Green's top corner.
The Chelsea right-back celebrated by dashing to the dugout to shake Mourinho's hand.
Encouraged by the opener, the hosts saw Andriy Shevchenko and Arjen Robben waste decent opportunities.
The Chelsea bench were raging when Drogba clattered into Anton Ferdinand and was penalised for a foul, with the centre-back requiring treatment.
Green was forced into a regulation save from Drogba on the half-hour mark, while Shevchenko was crowded out after looking likely to get on the end of a teasing Cole cross.
Robben shot wide just before the break from a promising position as the hosts finished the half strongly.
But Cole had to throw himself at a Nigel Reo-Coker effort to block when the midfielder was on the end of a deep cross and Etherington volleyed just wide.
Referee Mike Dean had to address a running feud between Reo-Coker and Drogba.
Mourinho replaced Ricardo Carvalho, who appeared to pick up a knock in the opening half, with Khalid Boulahrouz at the break.
Lampard lashed over the crossbar six minutes after the restart when Shevchenko had threaded the ball through Gabbidon's legs to find his team-mate on the edge of the area.
As the champions started to assert pressure Konchesky was forced to hack away in his own six-yard box as Drogba looked to finish from close range, with the home fans calling for a penalty for handball.
Just before the hour it was Spector who was forced to block, this time Michael Essien connecting with a fierce volley.
Getting close to Chelsea's goal was proving difficult for the visitors, Zamora firing over from long distance with a wild volley their best offering after the break.
Reo-Coker was booked for a foul as Chelsea broke, while Joe Cole was brought on with 22 minutes remaining for Shevchenko.
Hayden Mullins was booked for fouling Essien with 20 minutes remaining as the needle expected in a London derby was maintained. Tevez also received a yellow card for a foul on the same player.
Essien hit the post with a powerful drive as the hosts looked likely to add a second, with Drogba getting an effort ruled out for offside.
Mikel John Obi was brought off the bench but struggled to make an impact.
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