This result flattered Chelsea and, whatever West Ham's failings - and they have a few - the usual hoodoo arrived in the shape of injures to Parker and Upson and an opposing striker who hasn't scored in an age. Take any team from Upton Park; show me a striker who hasn't found the net in years and BANG! - goal drought over. The only thing more certain is that the sun will surely come up tomorrow. West Ham? Gotta love 'em, haven't you?

Avram Grant once again tinkered with the line-up, re-introducing Freddie Sears - who inevitably put in the type of performance that questioned why he'd been left out - and recalling Spector for the injured Parker. Last week's starters were back on the bench while Gabbidon and Da Costa were the central pairing. Really it didn't look good from the off - particularly when the scorching weather being enjoyed by the rest of the country was interrupted in West London by a downpour and thunderstorm of biblical proportions turning the top surface into a skid-pan that held the ball up..

After a tentative start in which Malouda should really have scored after only three minutes and Chelsea forced the Irons deep into their own half - something Grant's team have an annoying habit of doing - West Ham settled down and started to find some rhythm of their own. In the 24th minute, Petr Cech was forced into two good saves in a minute, once from from Demba Ba's 30-yarder and - even better - Jonathan Spector's low close-range header.

Chelsea inevitably looked dangerous but it was the Hammers who again produced the best chance when Sears was unlucky to see his clever backheel from a corner cleared off the line by Ashley Cole. It would have been interesting to see what might have happened had the visitors gone in at least level or, even better, ahead but with just a minute of the half remaining, Drogba slipped in a ball to Cole, whose low cross was hit home by Lampard. The former Hammers midfielder - surprise, surprise - went off on the type of celebration that so adheres his memory to the Upton Park faithful.

The half-time score meant that West Ham would need to take the game to Chelsea - something I couldn't really see happening - so it was to their credit that, despite being under pressure at times, the claret-and-blue tried to retrieve the situation. Substitute Robbie Keane really should have levelled 16 minutes from time but the on-loan striker hit a glorious chance wide. Scant reward for Spector's through ball that had left him with just Cech to beat.

Under normal circumstances it would have been good to see Drogba being replaced but I'm sure every West Ham fan feared the worst when the mis-firing Torres came on for the final 14 minutes. Firstly, the Spanish International squared for Anelka, who saw Danny Gabbidon head the ball off the line, before Anelka returned the favour by slipping through a peach of a ball for Torres to chase. In fact, the former Liverpool man almost lost control but, with West Ham defenders slipping over in the area, Torres stayed on his feet and swivelled to beat Green handsomely. I could have almost put money on it.

The final goal was scored deep into injury time by Malouda to put a cockeyed slant to the score and send West Ham to the bottom of the pile. There is a feeling around East London that this season is a cause now lost but, in truth, this game was never part of the expected salvation route, so perhaps we should just take the gutsy performance and move on. Anyone else got a striker that needs a bit of a confidence boost?