Chelsea 7 - 1 Aston Villa

After an expected but none the less welcome response to the Blackburn draw by thumping Pompey 0-5 away, the Blues faced the much more daunting task of a home fixture against an Aston Villa outfit still in the hint for 4th place.

With Drogba surprisingly rested (though we were subsequently told he was injured ) but still on bench it fell to Lamps and the rejuvenated Malouda to put on a show of ruthless attacking efficiency. The 'in game' tweets follow

• Home to the Villa with an injured Drogba on the bench so the front 3 is Anelka, Cole & Malouda 3:10 PM

• Villa have set up with 10 men behind the ball & are looking to hit us on the break but on 15mins a drive from Malouda is turned in by Lamps 3:17 PM

• Anelka looks to be relishing his lone role through the middle. Lamps & Deco both go close but as expected Villa equalize from Carew on 30min 3:30 PM

• This is a lively one. Ref Walton has no idea & is booking every challenge. Malouda & Lamps havin a good game but Joe Cole is ....... 3:41 PM

• The Blues have all the possession. A pen shout on Malouda is waved away but a 2nd shout on Zhirkov is successful. Lamps buries the pen. 2-1 3:45 PM

• No changes at 1/2 time but Villa have set up 4-4-2. A stunning move on 56mins culminates in cross from Zhirkov that finds Malouda for 3-1 4:16 PM

• The Blues look up for this as Anelka releases Zhirkov who's brought down by Dunn in the box. Lamps gets a hatrick, his 20th goal & its 4-1 4:20 PM
  

• What looked like a tricky tie at 3pm is now a rout on 68mins as another sweeping move finds Lamps in the box - he rolls in Malouda & its 5-1 4:27 PM

• Ballack, Kalou & van Aarnholt replace Deco, Cole & Zhirkov for the last 15mins as thoughts of Old Trafford loom large. 4:38 PM

• Into the last 10mins & Kalou nearly makes it 6 but 2mins later he links up with Anelka who splits the defenders & rolls him in for 6-1 4:43 PM

• Lamps gets his 4th and our 7th. The day gets even better as news comes thru that the Arse drop points to a last min equalizer at Birmingham 4:55 PM

The tweets tell only part of the story - this was the complete dismantling of a top 6 side with aspiration of Champions League slot and beautifully sets up the next match - the small matter of a trip to Old Trafford

COME ON U BLUES !!!