The more some things change, the more they stay the same.
Carlo Ancelotti binned midweek’s Christmas tree and rolled out his third different formation in the past seven days as Chelsea reverted back to 4-3-3 at the Hawthorns this afternoon. Revelling in the familiarity of their favoured system, Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard were the leading lights for the champions as they came back from one down to comfortably end West Brom’s seven-match unbeaten run.
Our Captain’s Poll for gameweek 33 saw the pair placed fourth and first respectively and, up against a side who have kept one (yes, one) clean sheet this season, Drogba and Lampard subsequently hoovered up the points for their Fantasy Owners, with a goal and an assist for the Ivorian followed by a goal for Lamps as Chelsea cruised to a 3-1 win. Fantasy Premier League Bonus Points also came their way, with Drogba getting all 3 and Lampard awarded 2.
With the first game of their double gameweek proving fruitful for the pair, Fantasy Owners will be eagerly anticipating the upcoming midweek home game against Birmingham, where more of the same looks likely. Drogba has now grabbed three goals in his last four games in all competitions and with Chelsea just one point behind Arsenal, it would be brave of Ancelotti to bench him for the visit of Big Eck’s men as his team chase a second place finish. Drogba’s performance will delight the 63,000 managers who chose to draft him in ahead of this week’s double.
Florent Malouda -with an assist and 1 Bonus Point- and Salomon Kalou, with a goal, both vindicated their selection as Cheeky Punts in this week’s Scouting the Doubles article. Playing either side of Drogba in the front three, the pair were a threat to West Brom throughout, as this Average Position map shows. Kalou is (21), Malouda (15).
For Fernando Torres-watchers, the Spaniard viewed the proceedings from the bench for eighty-two minutes before Ancelotti allowed him some game time. To his credit, El Nino promptly put the ball in the net, but the effort was correctly ruled offside as his eight-minute cameo, once again, came to nothing.
