West Ham 1 - 3 Chelsea

Michael Essien scored twice to underline his importance to Chelsea

By Sam Sheringham:

Chelsea kept up their impeccable start to the season, hardly breaking sweat as they brushed aside a West Ham side who remain rock bottom of the table.

Michael Essien put the Blues in front inside two minutes with a free header.

And the second goal arrived in bizarre fashion as Matthew Upson's clearance struck Salomon Kalou's heel and ballooned into the net.

Essien rose above Tal Ben Haim to add a late third, before Scott Parker lobbed Petr Cech from the edge of the box.

West Ham's defeat, which looked inevitable from the moment Essien opened the scoring, leaves the east Londoners without a point in their first four Premier League games.

And if it seems too early to start talking about a crisis at Upton Park, manager Avram Grant desperately needs to find a formula which maximises the potential of a side containing a number of players of genuine quality. 

The game's opening followed a predictable pattern with Chelsea assuming control and launching an early attack which yielded a corner.

Didier Drogba's cross found Essien unmarked to head his team in front, despite Carlton Cole's efforts to head the ball clear.

Chelsea's second goal had more than a hint of farce about it as Hammers goalkeeper Rob Green failed to cling on to a low Drogba free-kick. Upson pounced on the loose ball but his clearance cannoned into Kalou's heel and looped into the net.

Grant's decision to line-up with a midfield diamond formation played into Chelsea's hands, by providing plenty of space for full-backs Ashley Cole and Paulo Ferreira to exploit.

When West Ham did get the ball, their four central midfielders seemed to get in each other's way, often resulting in possession being surrendered to the Blues. 

One such instance almost led to a third goal for Chelsea as Valon Behrami lost the ball in midfield and Kalou's low shot was deflected wide by Upson.

Striker Victor Obinna, making his West Ham debut along with Lars Jacobsen, had two first-half chances to get the Hammers back in the game.

First, an inch-perfect Carlton Cole chip found the Nigerian in space, but his side-footed volley drifted a yard wide. Shortly afterwards, the forward on loan from Inter Milan cut inside from the left and blazed a powerful shot across the face of goal.

Ramires, Chelsea's £17m Brazilian signing, was largely a passenger on his debut - one long-range effort over the bar early in the second half probably his most noteworthy contribution.

West Ham made a brighter start to the second period, with substitute Kieron Dyer adding some much-needed thrust to their attacks.

But Chelsea continued to look more likely to score, Kalou whistling a left-footed curler just past the upright and Drogba drawing a sharp save from the diving Green.

And the Hammers goalkeeper was at full stretch once again to prevent Branislav Ivanovic from extending Chelsea's lead from close range.

The third goal eventually arrived seven minutes from time as the peerless Essien leapt at the far post to head home Ferreira's cross from the right.

West Ham finally got on the score sheet two minutes later courtesy of a moment of true class from Parker. 

Cech punched a corner to the Hammers midfielder, who brilliantly cushioned a volley back over a crowd of players and into the far corner.

But the goal received a muted response from the Upton Park faithful, who are already sensing their side may face a tough battle to maintain their Premier League status.