chelsea2 werder bremen 0

Chelsea 2 Werder Bremen 0

By SHAUN CUSTIS
September 13, 2006

CHELSEA have found the cure for the English penalties disease — give the kicks to a German.

Frank Lampard had missed three of his last four spot-kicks for club and country.

And, though manager Jose Mourinho had publicly backed Lampard as his penalty-taker before the game, German skipper Michael Ballack was on the spot with Chelsea's second goal to make this one safe.

Lampard symbolically handed the job to Ballack, passing him the ball after Didier Drogba was bundled over in the box.

Ballack planted it down and rifled it into the top right-hand corner. There was never any question of him missing.

Ballack insisted afterwards that Lampard will take the next penalty if he fancies it but you cannot help feeling the German expects to do the job full-time from now on and Lamps will have to lump it.

Mourinho virtually admitted after this Champions League Group A opener that Lampard had been sacked as penalty-taker.

Who can argue against the fact that Germans know best when it comes to despatching a ball from 12 yards?

Ballack is the Michael Schumacher of football. He struts around like he owns the place, but he has the skill and the power to justify his arrogance.

His goal was also the perfect answer to the noisy Bremen fans who gave the ex-Bayern Munich star stick throughout the game.

What Mourinho will do once he has everyone fit is intriguing in the extreme. Joe Cole made his first appearance of the season after injury, coming on with 10 minutes left, and Dutch winger Arjen Robben has still to return.

Mourinho cannot accommodate them all in midfield and if he wants to introduce width and guile on the flanks, a big name is going to have to be sacrificed.

Michael Essien is busting a gut to make sure he will not be the fall guy. Essien, the 24million Ghanaian, was Chelsea's best player and put them ahead on 24 minutes.

The goal owed much to the surging run of Lampard who bustled his way through the middle.

Centre-back Petri Pasanen came across to intercept but got himself in a tangle and fell over.

Lampard had continued his run and nicked the ball from under Pasanen's body into the path of Essien who smashed it low into the left-hand corner.

Mourinho had warned that Bremen were the most dangerous of the third seeds in the Champions League and that it was going to be a tough night for his side.

But, while the Germans were strong in the tackle, they offered little in attack in the first half.

That changed after the break and striker Miroslav Klose missed with two headers the like of which he always seems to put away when he is wearing the international shirt.

Both times the cross was delivered by Torsten Frings. The first Klose put high over the bar. Then on 65 minutes he almost produced the equaliser, heading the ball over Petr Cech but hitting the bar. Ballack's penalty on 68 minutes came after Clemens Fritz stupidly shoved Drogba in the back.

IN CONTROL ... Ballack composes himself before penalty

Chelsea knew they were safe and the only down side was four bookings which could prove costly further down the line.

Predictably Mourinho had a good old moan about those, alluding to some sort of conspiracy.

Lampard could have added a third 12 minutes from time when he smashed a left-foot shot against the inside of the right-hand post.

It would have done Lampard the world of good if that one had gone in. He admits he can be a sensitive soul and the critics have been out in force in recent weeks.

Mourinho mounted a stout defence of Lampard arguing that he has set such high standards that people expect too much of him.

England boss Steve McClaren and now Mourinho have come to Lampard's defence in the last week.

A Lampard on top of his game does not need managers to speak up for him.

Maybe we have been spoiled by Lampard's brilliance over the past few seasons. But what's wrong with wanting to see him produce that form again?

s.custis@the-sun.co.uk

DAS BOOT ... Michael Ballack gives it some leather as he fires in from the spot Pictures: RICHARD PELHAM

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