Shaun Wright-Phillips has last laugh at Derby
By Nick Alexander
Sport.Telegraph, 25th November 2007
Shaun Wright-Phillips scored his first goal for Chelsea for seven months to
silence the Derby boo-boys who had turned on the Blues' England contingent.
Wright-Phillips, Frank Lampard and returning captain John Terry were all
jeered and taunted after England's abject failure to qualify for Euro 2008.
But after Salomon Kalou had fired home the 17th-minute opener at Pride Park,
Wright-Phillips sealed the points in the 73rd minute to send Chelsea up to
fourth in the Barclays Premier League.
With fellow centre-back Ricardo Carvalho out for four weeks with a back
injury, manager Avram Grant pressed Terry, returning as captain after seven
weeks out after knee surgery, into service a few days earlier than he would
have liked.
Grant was without Didier Drogba after the striker sustained a knee injury on
international duty with the Ivory Coast, resulting in a forward pairing of
Andriy Shevchenko and Kalou.
Derby boss Billy Davies recalled centre-backs Claude Davis and Dean Leacock
after both missed the Rams' 5-0 mauling at home to West Ham.
Terry at least looked fit as he made a number of cool, calm and telling
contributions in the opening exchanges.
Lampard had the game's first opportunity in the 15th minute, but he blazed
a 22-yard right-foot shot over the bar, much to the delight of the home
faithful who greeted his effort with derision.
But their scorn was soon stifled as the visitors sliced open Derby's back
four to take the lead via Kalou's fifth goal of the season.
Mikel Jon Obi, Shevchenko and Steve Sidwell all played their part, with the
latter sliding a ball into the path of Kalou, who passed a low shot into
the net beyond Stephen Bywater.
When Derby created their opening chance in the 27th minute as Giles Barnes
teed up David Jones, it came as no surprise Terry was on hand to provide
the necessary block.
The rebound fell to Jay McEveley, but he ballooned a long-range shot over
the bar, failing to trouble Carlo Cudicini, standing in for Petr Cech, out
with a calf injury.
Wright-Phillips then came close to personally silencing the Derby boo-boys,
only to be denied by a fingertip save from Bywater as he turned away a 25-yard
drive.
It should have been 2-0 just over six minutes from the break as Davis nodded
a Wright-Phillips cross down into the path of Kalou.
But the 22-year-old failed to accept the gift, inexcusably not even testing
Bywater as he side-footed Davis' gaffe over the bar from six yards.
The home side offered a semblance of hope that the second period would not
be so one-sided when captain Matt Oakley drove a right-foot shot through the
six-yard box in the 47th minute.
That was swiftly followed by a Lampard free-kick from wide on the left wing
which was tipped wide by Bywater, with his effort taken under appalling
provocation from the Derby fans. But they were at least raising their own
players as Cudicini finally made a save after 50 minutes, pawing away a
Fagan drive.
Miller had the ball in the back of the net in the 65th minute, looping a fine
shot over Cudicini after taking a Leacock pass on his chest, only for the
assistant referee's flag to wrongly intervene.
Wright-Phillips then tapped home the decisive second after Lampard hit the
post.
That was much to Davies' fury as Barnes was tackled from behind by Shevchenko
and lay injured as Lampard then strode into the area.
The game ended in contentious circumstances, substitute Michael Essien
dismissed for flailing his arm into the face of Miller.
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