Chelsea made to labour by Norwich but Olivier Giroud does just enough

If the task was simply to show Frank Lampard that they are capable of communicating on the pitch, then Chelsea’s players passed the test. The desire was clear when César Azpilicueta roared with delight when the final whistle sealed a crucial win. Yet telling a teammate whether they have time on the ball seems a rather basic aim for a side chasing Champions League qualification, and although Chelsea found a way to bounce back from their Sheffield United debacle, it was disconcerting to see them fall short when it came to expressing themselves in possession against the worst team in the Premier League. Azpilicueta’s celebration hinted at relief. Far from running riot against opponents who dropped into the Championship after losing 4-0 to West Ham on Saturday, Chelsea ended up labouring once again on home soil, creating little and failing to build on Olivier Giroud breaking Norwich’s resistance just before the interval. Ruthlessness was in short supply and Lampard will not be fooled after Giroud’s firm header tightened his side’s grip on third place, four points clear of Leicester and Manchester United after playing one game more. Sterner examinations lie in wait. Chelsea’s final two league games are against Liverpool and Wolves, while they have Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United to prepare for. Being generous, perhaps they were keeping their powder dry. Even so there will have to be an improvement at Wembley if Lampard is to avoid a fourth defeat to Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s United this season. Full report here