Large up yourself Claude Davis

[Me]

[quote]<DIV class=pagetitle><DIV class=pagedate>Updated: Oct. 29, 2006, 2:00 AM UK </DIV><H1>Sheff Utd 0-2 Chelsea: Blues blunt Blades</H1></DIV><DIV class=bylinebox style="MARGIN-TOP: 8px"><DIV class=bylinetext>PA
</DIV><DIV style="FLOAT: left"></DIV></DIV><BR clear=all><DIV class=text11 style="BACKGROUND: #fff"><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top width=425>Third-choice keeper Hilario came to Chelsea's rescue before Frank Lampard wrapped up three hard-earned points for the champions with a 2-0 win over battling Sheffield United at Bramall Lane. <DIV class=phinline>
<DIV style="WIDTH: 275px"><DIV class=photocred2>StuForster/GettyImages</DIV><DIV class=photosubtext>Danny Webber rolls his penalty kick straight at keeper Hilario.</DIV></DIV></DIV>

The Portuguese stopper - preferred to the returning Carlo Cudicini, who was on the bench - dived low to his left to keep out Danny Webber's 17th-minute penalty before Lampard took over. Lampard's long-range 43rd-minute free-kick caught out Blades keeper Paddy Kenny to give the visitors the lead, then his cross enabled Michael Ballack to head home number two five minutes after the break. But the scoreline did scant justice to the performance of Neil Warnock's men,

for whom defender Claude Davis, their own record signing at a mere #2.5million, was outstanding

The Blades enjoyed swathes of first-half possession and restricted the visitors - who left out #30million man Andriy Shevchenko - to half-chances prior to Lampard's opener. Had Webber not let the pressure of a packed home crowd get the better of him as he delivered a weak spot-kick to Hilario's left, it might have been a different afternoon entirely for Jose Mourinho's men. Nick Montgomery and Alan Quinn had both got forward with plenty of purpose before Didier Drogba was forced back to nip Quinn's 16th-minute cross off the toes of Davis in the box. One minute later Drogba and Davis tangled again and referee Martin Atkinson pointed to the spot, only for Webber - the only man to keep his place from the midweek Carling Cup loss to Birmingham - to miss. It looked likely the Blades would pay for blowing their chance, but they responded in positive fashion, Quinn shooting just over the bar and Rob Hulse edged out by John Terry chasing a Webber cross. Chelsea's best early shout had come from a penalty appeal of their own, when Paulo Ferreira cut into the box and fell theatrically under the challenge of Davis. Davis was also on hand to block an Arjen Robben cross and Ballack had a half-chance squeezed around his own post by Chris Armstrong, before Lampard began to make his match-winning contribution. The England midfielder saw a point-blank header brilliantly saved by Kenny - but one minute later counted his luck from a long free-kick which bounced horribly over Kenny into the net. Shorn of the in-form Drogba at the interval, Mourinho's men grabbed the crucial second in the 50th minute when Lampard found space on the left and crossed for Ballack to head home from point-blank range. It was harsh on the Blades, but as Bramall Lane quietened the champions sought to press home their advantage, Lampard firing over from long-range and then just wide from a Bridge cross. Kenny came to the home side's rescue with a brave save at the feet of Robben in the 54th minute as the visitors belatedly began to show their quality. Gillespie tried to bring the home side back into it with a fizzing effort which flashed inches over the bar, only for referee Atkinson to change his mind and blow for an earlier free-kick infringement. That momentary controversy galvanised the home side again, with tackles beginning to fly in and Montgomery booked for hacking down the flying Kalou on Chelsea's

[Tekulife]

RE: Large up yourself Claude Davis

Claudie looks like him razor sharp for da Blades.

[Mosiah]

RE: Large up yourself Claude Davis

And I guess when you are playing such a strong defence, you're going to get called for a penalty or two.



Good going though, Claude!