Fulham 1 - 4 Chelsea 2004 - 2005 Frank lampard free kick

Good afternoon, this is Ian Crocker with Tony Gale at Craven Cottage, which is just two miles from Stamford Bridge. It's a local affair, it's a neighbourly dispute. It's Fulham against Chelsea and it promises to be a cracker. Let's have a look at today's teams. And Fulham name the same side that started the midweek Cup tie at Nottingham Forest. Steve Melbroke is getting back to his best after injury delayed his start to the season. Colin's John, though, has joined the casualty list with a hip injury. Chelsea made two changes from the side that started against Everton last weekend. William Gallas replaces Celestin Babayaro at left back. And Alexei Smertin comes in for Thiago. Arjen Robben is most definitely the man at the moment. He's scored in each of the last three games. Fulham have won their last four games. Typically their neighbours Chelsea have won their last seven. Here's Andy Cole with a blistering blast after Melbroke had tested Chelsea's resources. It was a stunning strike from Cole and nearly a flying start for Fulham. Well, that's where he's got to get, I think, Steve Melbroke. Just behind Claude McAlealy, he does so. The ball breaks for Andy Cole, great drive and it's a couple of yards over the top. Paulo Ferreira's cross and in came Lampard. And Crossley dealt with that. It's gone out for a corner, though. First good save for Crossley of the game, wasn't it? Cross coming in, Fulham rather watching that. Particularly Morris Fulks, Lampard getting in there with a header. It was too high to volley and another great save from Crossley. He's having a wonderful time at the moment, isn't he? Andy Cole's going to latch on to that, but John Terry takes command. Oh, he's on a run. Oh, what a run it is. Still going. And it's wide, but that would have been one of the all-time great goals from John Terry. Great stuff from John Terry coming out the back. A little bit of luck as he prodded it through the legs. I thought Raymond was going to make the slide, but he was a little bit iffy thinking he'd give away a penalty. And maybe just at the end, Johnny was running out of legs and toe-poked it wide as Crossley came out. I think he was surprised more than anyone else. It's going to come to good Johnson. Three against three at the moment. And here's Robben to have a run at Zatnay this time. Morris Fulks have advanced. And Robben in the danger zone again. Threatening to score again in the fourth match running. Well, you called it exactly right. Three against three. You simply can't afford to leave yourself three against three. And obviously, that leaves you one on one. Great play. Beats Zatnay easily on the outside. Goes for the drive across goal. Good save by Crossley. Unorthodox. He saved it with his feet. No goals yet in this London derby. But not for the one at Triumph. On both teams' cards. Chelsea looking the more likely, though. And here's Robben again. Just look at him go. Arjen Robben pulls it back for good Johnson. He's caught it wide and Chelsea have squandered another great chance. Unbelievable pace again. It was a mistake by Zatnay. Robben capitalises. Cuts it back again. Intelligent cutback. Good Johnson only has to hit the target. And it's a goal. All the pace was on the cutback. And he hits it wide. Chelsea should really be up in this game at the moment. Lampard. Robben has come over to this side now. Lampard has picked him out. Robben can't sneak it through to Duff. McAleady getting stuck into Marbronk. And a free kick. Against Marbronk. Game, Marbronk losing possession easily against McAleady. He gets a little bit overawed when he plays against senior internationals. I've seen it before when he's played against Vieira. McAleady really needs to assert himself on the game. Dangerous position for Chelsea. Right in the middle of goals. He's just making the point that the ball could be back even further. It's Frank Lampard with the hits. Chelsea lead against their near neighbours. And it's a stunner from Frank Lampard. You can't say they can't deserve it. But what a wonderful strike from Frank Lampard. I was thinking maybe it's a little bit too far out. Little touch to the side. Stopped by Damien Duff. Strike by Lampard. No deflection. But look at that ball move in the air. Absolute great movement. He starts it off straight. Looks like it's going straight down the face of Crossley. But it moves away in the air. And he's got absolutely no chance. Absolutely no chance. But Johnson has put Robben in. It opens up again for Robben. But Crossley shut him out. Well played Mark Crossley again. Stood up to the last moment. Volts drawn out of position again. Comes too far in. Zesh Raymond playing Robben onside. Cuts in. Maybe should have got his shot away a little bit earlier. But excellent keeping. Standing up to the last moment. And getting another block in with his feet. Here's Marbrock. And Volts takes over. Brzezinski's cross. Turned away by Lampard. Papa Boob at the arc. Special of a breach there in defence. It was very, very special. Two best strikes of the season. One from Frank Lampard from a free kick. And what a volley this is. Half cleared by Chelsea. Frank Lampard the edge of the area. And you won't get a better volley than that all season Ian. Great technique. Petr Cech had no chance in the Chelsea goal. Controlled volley. But what pace on it as well. Ball moving all over the place. And two great goals. Two great goals to light up any derby. Let alone this one this afternoon. Probably comes at the end of probably Fulham's best five minutes in the game. Now all of a sudden we have got a game. Damien Duff. He's going to break for Paulo Ferreira. Away by Raymond. Oh it's come to Robben. Who took two players out of the game. He's still going. And Lampard has turned it in. Sidestepped a couple of defenders. But he wasn't to be denied. It's another Ian Robben special. Goes across two or three defenders. Weak challenge by Voltz. And Robben eventually takes it off the foot of Lampard. As he's setting his sights to shoot. Clearance by Raymond. But there it comes. Just to the feet there on the edge of the area. Think he's going to shoot. Sucks a couple of defenders in. Great dummy. Then another one. That's four defenders. Eventually gets the shot in. Goes back across the keep. Across Lee. And Chelsea straight back into the lead. Three wonderful goals. Wonderful goals. Takes it right off the foot of Frank Lampard. Chelsea will point to the fact that they could. And probably should. Have had two penalties in the first half. They lead anyway. And here's Paulo Ferreira on a surge now. And he's been taken out. Taken out by Bogunegra. Did well. Attracts two players. Boa Malta and Bogunegra. Comes on the inside of the pair of them. And he's squeezed out. Lampard takes. Good Johnson. And Gallas has put it in. Gallas. It's put them in their place. As Chelsea flex their muscles. You would think that's game set. And that's now to Chelsea. Really dominating the game since the equaliser. It should have been cleared by Fulham. Good Johnson got across his marker. He missed it. And it probably put off the clearance of. I think it was Diop coming back in there. And he tried to lash at the ball. He misses it. And there's Gallas in behind him. Just to stroke it in. With the side of his foot. Diop I think was put off by Good Johnson's run. Couldn't react in time. And really maybe should have put a side foot on it. Instead of trying to lash at it. And he makes it easily for Gallas. Just to put it in the back of the net. Bocanegra's cross. It's away by Thiago. Now Marlbronk. That's not a bad try. And it had to be pushed over. Bronk-Cech. I think he had a shot in the first minute. And that's his only other shot in the game. Marlbronk was a decent shot. But what an easy stop for Cech. Just to put it over the top of the bar. Fulham now have gone to a 4-2-4. Reverting from the 4-3-3. You just feel it's a little bit too late now. Robben. Thiago. It's back to Robben. Oh, it's brilliant. It's Thiago for the hit. It's just wonderful to watch. Thiago fires Chelsea into a 4-1 lead. And you have to say. This is the stuff that champions are made of. A wonderful play from Robben. It's in advance of Thiago. He's very aware of the situation. Great back heel into the path for Thiago. Who continued his run. Great shot across the face of Crossley. Again, he's got no chance. As soon as this game becomes stretched. Robben come more into it. It's been a wonderful display from Chelsea. Fulham have only been in it. From the equaliser from Diop. And that was totally out of the blue. A great goal. But that's another great goal from Thiago. And I think we've had a game probably of wonderful goals. Super game of football. And Chelsea have been absolutely superb. Move over Arsenal. Chelsea are back on top. And now we're going to believe you Chelsea. You really could win this league. Frank Lampard fired Chelsea in front in the first half. Up, up, over Diop with an excellent equaliser. But then Robben. Individual inspiration. He's been nothing short of a revelation. What an impact he has made. Gallas extended their lead. Thiago capped a superb day for Chelsea. Jose Mourinho is hoping to bring the title to Chelsea. The first time since 1955. Emphatic winners today. And some fabulous football along the way. This London derby at Craven Cottage ends Fulham 1. Chelsea 4.