Frank Lampard was Silky in Midfield vs. Aston Villa - Premier League 2008/09 (H)

With a little bit of help from Ashley Cole. Now Lampard, on Wednesday in the Champions League. Aston Villa in action on Thursday in the UEFA Cup. Will that have a bearing? A little bit of ring rusty. Losers at the Britannia Stadium. Other than that the only game they failed to win was at home against Liverpool, a stalemate. Already one in London against Tottenham Hotspur. That's not the defeat that it has been in the recent past but still. Luke Young fired that straight into Stilion Petrov and Chelsea have it back. Didn't defend much. Miluda, good burst from midfield by Lampard. Tries to find Nicolas Anelka. Great move by Chelsea and Cole was there but couldn't get the touch. Well they're just trying to run that little bit of a midfield area. I think Anelka's just gone a fraction too early there. And when Frank Lampard just slid it in behind the defender you can see. It's a lovely little run by Lampard. Gets him behind the Villa midfield but Anelka's gone a fraction early and he's offside to get the final touch. But at the moment Villa tending to get a little bit outnumbed. Curtis Davis forward. Larson trying to get around the back. Lampard there to meet it. Just the one clean sheet in their Premier League games this season and Lampard looks to put that record here under. Mikel. Lampard eludes Barry. Larson there but in fact he's made the situation more grave. Lampard. 1-0 Chelsea. That's chalked off. Well I think everybody thought it was 1-0 Villa but I think it just goes around the back of the goal. You can see look just misses it on that near post and brushes the side netting as it goes. And after stadium up in the air. Difficult one to get some power on it though for Frank. Malouda now to pick it up for Chelsea. Lampard. Joe Cole. 1-0. Davis got the ball stuck under his feet. Gave it back to Chelsea and then when it was exchanged from Lampard out to Joe Cole there was only going to be one thing. Where it was going. That was in the back of the net. It's a super finish. Lampard opens himself up well with his first touch and Joe Cole fires in past the near post. Past Friedel had no chance. But Curtis Davis just got it stuck. Chelsea had a good build up down that left hand side. Villa seemed to nick it back. Different story last year when Villa came here. They went 2-0 up shortly before halftime through Sean Maloney now departed. Just need to take a bit of responsibility and see those runs early and take him off of Petrov because Petrov's just chasing the ball. Ivanovic, Terry and Balak all wait. Terry Rose for him and just nicked it away from him but again a free kick in a dangerous situation. Lampard. Well he struck it. He really struck it. The centre back had the ball probably so got to take a bit more responsibility. It's midfield play out to Chelsea. Mikel. Lampard. Mikel should really have dealt with it first time. Took a challenge from Ashley Cole. Frank Lampard. There's a good ball there but it hasn't been asked too many defensive questions. Lampard. Ashley Cole. Always a willing runner. Balak's lead. Ashley Cole again Bill. Lampard waits for the gallop from Ashley Cole. Slips him in. So many advanced areas. I thought Balak should have scored here. Rugby at home and 2-0 is not at all flattering. Chelsea, excellent in this first half. Well deserved the 2-0 lead in half. Well they certainly got close to Milner there. Get back and get a touch on that. That was a good opportunity. Milner. John Terry which left Ashley Young with nothing and left Chelsea with possession. As they have had throughout the majority of the match so far. Cole. Lampard. Challenge comes in from Rio Coca. Lampard. After that from Lampard. Was right on the money. Probably just a little bit too much pace on it but what a cross. Lampard. Ashley Cole. Had no right. Cole. Salomon Kalou. Brilliant passing. Kalou. Fed Malouda and then a lovely exchange of passes with Kalou and deflected over the top. The contest of it. Always the danger that Chelsea can kill it off though. Lampard finds Kalou. Ivanovic stood up well against the big Norwegian. A test well passed. Look at Ashley Cole getting forward in the 68th. First moment of Chelsea pressure though. Lampard delivers. Awkward one. Kalou was right. I thought he's in here. He's just got to touch it in. There he goes. Oh the slightest of touches. Ashley Young touches it to Petrov. Two ponderous. There's another one on the big stage Ashley Young today. You need to perform in these big games. Been jumping a little bit. Not really got involved. Suffocating the supply before it could get to Howard. Here's Kalou. Lampard. Lampard goes down. It's a little wild by Petrov. Referee reaches. Little chasing shadows. Balak trying to play off a Lampard this time. Petrov slides underneath him doesn't he? Lampard. Balak. Lampard. De Santo. Brazilian to Argentinian. Now the English Frank Lampard decides to shoot. Well there's no one better in and around those areas. When he gets up there at the top in Europe and domestically in the Barclays Premier League. Chelsea showing that they certainly have it and they will break for the Internationals in very good health. Here's to get his seventh clean sheet in 10 matches this season.