Date of Birth: 06 09 1983
Place of Birth: Dublin
Position: Defender
Nationality: Ireland
Stephen Kelly Rumours and Transfers
12 08 2007
Michael Essien grabbed the winner as Chelsea defeated Birmingham to set an English record for unbeaten league games at home.
Jose Mourinho's men were given a scare when Mikael Forssell opened the scoring and Olivier Kapo levelled before the break, however Essien's 2nd half strike into the top corner meant Chelsea have gone 64 league games undefeated at Stamford Bridge.
They go one match ahead of Liverpool's efforts at Anfield between 1978 and 1981, even though Mourinho said before the game that anything less than a triumph would not be worth celebrating.
Mourinho's record is even more impressive. He has gone 99 home league games without a defeat, his last being a 3-2 reverse whilst at Porto at the hands of Beira Mar in 2002.
In the end, there is a lot for the Chelsea manager to celebrate. Aside from the record, new transfers Claudio Pizarro and Florent Malouda found the net in the 1st half, either side of Birmingham's goals.
Didier Drogba was also given a run-out, with his appearance off the bench saying his recovery from injury will plan.
But they were also given a test from a hungry Birmingham side looking to make it an unbeaten opening weekend for the promoted clubs.
Chelsea were given an early warning that setting their record would not be a simple task.
Forssell was given a warm reception from home fans for his efforts at Stamford Bridge before moving to Birmingham, however an early shot held by Petr Cech at the 2nd attempt suggested he was in no mood to be charitable to his former club.
Birmingham's opener came from the Finland striker, even though there is hardly a celebration against the club that gave him a chance to shine in the Premier League. Gary McSheffrey whipped in a free kick which Liam Ridgewell, captain for the day in Damien Johnson's absence, flicked on. There was no time for Forssell to react however his instinctive header wrong-footed Cech.
Shaun Wright-Phillips was at the heart of Chelsea's best attacks before Birmingham's opener, firing wide when Pizarro had weighted a ball through for him.
The England winger and Malouda were given license to cut inside from the flanks, and it was Malouda who set Wright-Phillips racing down the right.
The low pull back was met crisply by Peru forward Pizarro, even though goalie Colin Doyle should have kept the effort out.
Chelsea edged ahead on the half hour mark. Frank Lampard was fed on the edge of the area, with his flick finding Salomon Kalou who scooped the ball through for Malouda to sidefoot home.
Kalou then raced through and squared for Lampard to sidefoot past Doyle, only for the visitors to desperately clear off the line.
However, Chelsea were stunned in the 36th minute when Kapo drifted in from the left, bundled his way past Glen Johnson and unleashed an unstoppable drive into the top corner with his left foot.
'We will win the league,' roared the travelling support.
McSheffrey then had a tame shot easily saved, whilst Kalou volleyed straight at Doyle after finding a way past Johan Djourou and Stephen Kelly towards the end of a thrilling 1st half.
The entertainment did not stop after the break, Wright-Phillips driving fiercely into the side-netting, fooling half of the Stamford Bridge crowd into thinking Chelsea had taken the lead again.
But they were ahead in the 50th minute, with Wright-Phillips finding Essien on the edge of the area and the Ghana midfielder finding the top corner, even though Doyle got a hand to the curling effort and again perhaps might have done better.
Essien was booked for his celebrations however it mattered little as Chelsea got within sight of making the record safe. Chelsea could have extended their lead too, with Kelly required to make a block from Pizarro and Essien firing over.
The sight of Drogba warming up had excited home supporters, and he was given the last 27 minutes to make an impression after missing the Community Shield through injury.
Essien was taken off for Mikel John Obi, and Chelsea could have gone further ahead when Kalou had an effort saved at point-blank range by Doyle.
Drogba almost caught Doyle off his line with a volley from the halfway line however the ambitious effort drifted wide. The forward finished the game with his head bandaged following a clash.
