Chelsea against Charlton Athletic

That's fulltime. Makelele gets his first goal for Chelsea and the Champions congratulate eachother on a season to remember!

Huge celebrations for the goal - all the subs are on the pitch. But it was a terrible penalty, Andersen saved the kick but Makelele turned in the rebound...and...

Goal for Makelele!!

Lampard goes down on the edge of the box - it looked a harsh penalty. And what's this? Makelele will take the kick!!

Penalty for Chelsea!

The songs start up again as we enter the last moments of the game; Terry has a big smile on his face

Huge goalkick from Pidgeley finds Gudjohnsen at the other end of the pitch, but Fortune clears

Konchesyk loses control of the ball after a really slick spell of Charlton passing - poor. But, all-in-all Charlton have played well today, and their fans will be happy with their graft following that 4-0 thrashing last week.

Lisbie spoils the move by fouling Makelele and the Champions press forward

As Chelsea throw men forward hoping for a winner, Charlton break with Matt Holland

The corner is flighted in and after some ping-pong in the box Pidgeley save well from Hughes.

Charlton take the kick quickly and John Terry clears for a corner - alert to the last!

Riley blows his whistle as Jonatan Johansson is clipped by Makelele

Storm clouds gathering. Roman, get on the phone!

Let's hope the youngster keeps a clean sheet! Conceding would be a shame...

Another change for Chelsea coming up: Premiership debut for goalkeeper Lenny Pidgley - Carlo Cudicini gets a hero's cheer as he leaves the pitch. Thoughtful stuff from Jose.

Chelsea are still trying - Cole lifts a pass over the Charlton defenders looking for Gudjohnsen, but the offside flag goes up.

Carvalho over-hits a pass meant for Gudjohnsen

As we enter the last 15 minutes John Terry is making his presence felt by getting in amongst the Charlton players at a throw-in

Joe Cole seems to have the bit between his teeth - he tears forward, feeds Jarosik, collects a deflected pass and fires wide. If there is to be a goal today, Cole deserves it.

A half-chance for Chelsea - Joe Cole capitalised on loose marking by Young; he tried a shot across the goal - frustratingly it was off target and if hit slightly softer Gudjohnsen would have been able to reach it and score.

Charlton hold the ball after Forssell's pass for Gudjohnsen is cut out

20 minutes to go... goals please...

Forssell playing deeper than I thought he might, but maybe that's a result of the midfield playing high up the pitch as they press for a goal

Whistles and jeers as Murphy takes the kick - the Blues fans don't want to concede! And with the kick over-hit they won't concede right now.

Charlton take a chance to press and are in the Chelsea half - John Terry concedes a corner

Looks like the rain has stopped - I knew Roman would sort that!

Chelsea camped on the edge of the Charlton box swapping passes - Makelele is told to shoot by the crowd, he opts to pass a ball aimed at the wing, but no-one is there to recieve and Charlton breathe easy for a moment

Double change for Chelsea - off go Johnson and Tiago and on come Mikael Forssell and Jiri Jarosik

What a shot that was from Holland - a ball into from Lisbie tempted the Irish international to fire a low drive across the Chelsea goal, but Cudicini was down quick to divert the shot out

Corner ball given - the kick flies in and a foul is called against Fortune.

Great save from Cudicini from Matty Holland!

Lampard tries his lucky with an audacious flicked effort on goal - the pass that found him running across goal was from Gudjohnsen. Nifty try from Frankie!

As the crowd build the atmosphere the players are reacting - some sprightly pass and move is threatening to open up the visitors

Those fans unfamiliar with the famed Chelsea song 'Celery' perhaps won't understand why the eponymous root vegetable is being thrown with wanton abandon in the Chelsea stands - a quick 'celery + chelsea' in a search engine might help.

The crowd are waking up - songs ringing out finally - they know a season's graft will be rewarded just over half an hour.

Cole slides a ball into Gallas but the flag is up for Gudjohnsen who strayed offside!

Cole goes down under a tackle and is looking for a freekick, but Mike Riley the ref is not in the slightest bit interested

Lisbie has a smile on his face, which is great to see; He's being asked to work hard, chase down loose ball, hold and wait for support - all of which he is doing earnestly. Good man.

Murphy and Konchesky combine well to play their way out of trouble at the back, but the pass from Murphy to Lisbie is overhit and Chelsea are back on the ball.

Lampard subdued today none of the tradmark verve and guile, which is a shame!

Chelsea skipper JT hits the woodwork. A cross into the box finds Terry and his header back across the goal clips the post, unlucky, good effort.

Carvalho off the pitch getting some magic sponge - a whack in the face seems to be the problem!

Luke Young, Lisbie, Holland and Konchesky all seeing plenty of play - they are getting into it

Charlton had a great chance there but instead of shooting Danny Murphy tried to waltz through the Chelsea defence - good move, but the wrong decision at the end

Charlton haven't won since March. Six hours without a goal, and the man who scored that, Franny 'Fox in the Box' Jeffers isn't playing!

Early Chelsea possession - they seem content to hold and probe, just as they were at the start of the first 45

I'm starving - should have got sandwich at halftime, or a pie... this isn't helping.

'Stand up for the Champions' sing the crowd - I wonder if they're reading this? Who knows?!!

Oh. My. Word! Someone sing a song!!! It's like a wake rather than a party.

Second-half is underway...

Quite a lot of replica blow-up trophies in the crowd - someone is doing quite a trade in south-west London!

Right team, here we go - the second half is upon us. We've got some rain, but Roman will put in a call and sort that I'm sure.

Let's hope Jose gives them the halftime talking to he's been doing recently. Collecting the trophy will be the only thing of note from the game if it goes on like this. Still, we sort of knew that all ready didn't we? Keep it here, if you dare!!

That's your lot for the first half, you lukcy old things!

Claude Makelele hasn't had much to do, but just then he was on hand with some of his brilliant intercepting play; great player. The most sung about unsung player in the league as a colleague of mine said earlier this week.

The game moving toward halftime - one minute of added time will be played

El Karkouri is in need of some magic sponge after blocking that shot - but he's fine.

Another Chelsea chance goes begging. Yet again Joe Cole is involved - his run at the goal ends in a shot being parried by the keeper, Gudjohnsen looked like he must score but some last-ditch defending saves the day.

There have been moments in the game, it's not all that bad in truth. Charlton have been brave and asked a few questions of the defenders, and Chelsea have strung some nice stuff together.

Fortune unlucky with a shot on goal. Good stuff.

Charlton moving up a gear and forcing Chelsea back

Fair play - more songs 'Champions, Champions...' They are just onw word songs, more chants I suppose, but noise all the same

Ooohhh!! Good move by Chelsea - Cole found Geremi out on the right wing, he fired a great cross into the box but Gudjohnsen couldn't quite steer the shot on target.

Stop the presses, there's a song: 'Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea...'

Yeah, so the fans. Come on. You'd think there'd be a lot more in the way of songs and general merriment. Is there a touch of the prawn sandwiches about the Bridge?

Great shot and great save!!! Joe Cole with a pearler, dipping and curling towards goal, but Andersen dived and got finger-tips to it, turning it onto the bar - well done all round. More please.

Atmosphere a bit flat after the first 15 minutes of singing and flag-waving - the fans seem to be waiting for something.

Nearly spilt my diet cola drink just them - that could have made the next 15 or so minutes until half time a sticky and uncomfortable. Luckily my cat like reflexes spared me. Phew. The game is a bit slow at the moment. Could you guess?

Disappointing corner, no-one really dealt with it from either side before it was hoisted clear.

Carvalho and Terry backtrack to deny Lisbie a one-on-one chance after a sloppy pass from Joe Cole allowed the Charlton striker in. Dangerous. Corner to Charlton.

Half an hour in and I think that was Charlton's best chance... make of that what you will, at least they've had a chance I suppose.

A good ball in, it pings around before Jonathan Fortune tries a shot. But it didn't quite drop quick enough and his effort flies over the bar.

Foul given against Carvalho and Charlton have a freekick inside the Chelsea half - and the big men are in the box waiting for a cross.

I wonder where Jose Mourinho gets those grey overcoats? He must like them a lot, he's wearing one again today. It's not really coat weather; the fans are all in shirt sleeves, but not Jose. Maybe the bench gets drafty?

A lot being asked of Kevin Lisbie today; he's Charlton's lone attacker so any balls to him will either need to be inch perfect so he can run onto them, or he'll need support quickly so he's not tackled. Tough as Charlton need to pack midfield to avoid being over-run.

The initial freekick was wasted, but Matt Holland and Danny Murphy are snappy in the tackle and win some ball for the Addicks

Freekick inside the the Chelsea area for Charlton - a chance to get a foothold and buy some respite for the defenders?

Ooooh! Decent chance their for Frank Lampard. William Gallas with a simple cross into the box, Lampard connected but surprisingly for Chelsea's top-scorer the ball flies wide.

Tiago getting involved; the Chelsea midfield are getting high up the pitch.

Chelsea finding their stride - some nice one touch passing probing away at the Charlton backline

Scott Parker is watching from the stands. His move from Charlton to Chelsea last year soured relations between the two sides. Frustratingly for Parker his chances in the Chelsea side have been limited to just 4 games this term: not enough for a Championship medal.

Luke Young looks a little stressed in the right back position for Charlton; Joe Cole is looking lively and Young is the man marking him. Oh dear.

Terry strides forward deep in to the Charlton half - Libero style!

Joe Cole has brought his bag of trick today: three or four step-overs and he bamboozles his marker, cuts in from the wing and tries a shot - it's wide of the goal, but an exciting run by the little chap!

Good stuff from Charlton, at last. A decent spell of possession with smart passing, it took them into enemy territory before a loose ball ended the move.

Chelsea probe down the right centre with Geremi, William Gallas, Lampard and Eidur Gudjohnsen all involved.

Charlton having a spell on the ball, but are soon forced back; and that's their problem, no outlets wide or strength to hold in the middle.

After the hammering Charlton had at the hands of Manchester United last week today was always going to be a tough match; but Alan Curbishley has the team organised and maybe they can avoid another humiliating defeat.

Joe Cole tries his luck with a long-range shot; it's on target but straight at Stephen Andersen in the Charlton goal and he gathers comfortably.

Charlton packing themselves in behind Chelsea - they have all 11 men behind the ball, breaking through that will be tough even for Chelsea

A bit of excitment there - but it's calmed down again now... Doing anything nice this weekend?

Charlton break from the corner... Bryan Hughes finds himself one-on-one with Carlo Cudicini; the Italian narrows the angle and saves. A sign that it won't all go Chelsea's way today, perhaps?

Things livening up, two corners is quick succession for Chelsea - one given away after an extravagant overhead clearance from El Karkouri.

Slick move from Chelsea: Joe Cole, Lampard and Geremi combine well on the edge of the Charlton box, but the final pass, a back-heel from Geremi was cut out.

Word has it the Chelsea skipper John Terry will lift the trophy with Frank Lampard at the end of the match - a nice touch given that JT and Lampard have been Chelsea's finest players this year.

Terrible pass from Talal El Karkouri - the centre half slipping a ball through the middle of the pitch missing all his team-mates and finding John Terry. Wake-up!

Many thought Chelsea might be on a downer today after the defeat at Anfield earlier in the week; the fans however are in fine voice and will surely lift any flagging spirits.

No real action on the pitch: Chartlon happy to let the Champions keep the ball, while Chelsea are content to wait for things to open up.

Comfortable start for Chelsea - spreading the ball around, getting a feel for it and the conditions today. We have sunshine at the moment, though rain could dampen the trophy presentation later on.

Ricardo Carvalho looks uncomfortable after an awkward fall - he should shrug it off, though

'Stand up for the Champions' is the cry from the stands

Charlton - seven matches without a win - kick the game off!

Chelsea are just over 90 minutes away from lifting the Premiership trophy. The Bridge is a sea of flags; the celebrations begin here. But can Charlton spoil the party? Doubtful, but you never know!

And for Charlton Charlton: Andersen, Young, El Karkouri, Fortune, Konchesky, Kishishev, Holland, Murphy, Hughes, Johansson, Lisbie. Their Subs: Kiely, Fish, Rommedahl, Fuller, Euell.

The teams are in, lining up for the Champions: Cudicini, Johnson, Terry, Ricardo Carvalho, Gallas, Makelele, Cole, Lampard, Tiago, Gudjohnsen, Geremi. And on the bench: Forssell, Kezman, Jarosik, Huth, Pidgeley.

Chelsea are still trying - Cole lifts a pass over the Charlton defenders looking for Gudjohnsen, but the offside flag goes up.

Carvalho over-hits a pass meant for Gudjohnsen

As we enter the last 15 minutes John Terry is making his presence felt by getting in amongst the Charlton players at a throw-in

Joe Cole seems to have the bit between his teeth - he tears forward, feeds Jarosik, collects a deflected pass and fires wide. If there is to be a goal today, Cole deserves it.

A half-chance for Chelsea - Joe Cole capitalised on loose marking by Young; he tried a shot across the goal - frustratingly it was off target and if hit slightly softer Gudjohnsen would have been able to reach it and score.

Charlton hold the ball after Forssell's pass for Gudjohnsen is cut out

20 minutes to go... goals please...

Forssell playing deeper than I thought he might, but maybe that's a result of the midfield playing high up the pitch as they press for a goal

Whistles and jeers as Murphy takes the kick - the Blues fans don't want to concede! And with the kick over-hit they won't concede right now.

Charlton take a chance to press and are in the Chelsea half - John Terry concedes a corner

Looks like the rain has stopped - I knew Roman would sort that!

Chelsea camped on the edge of the Charlton box swapping passes - Makelele is told to shoot by the crowd, he opts to pass a ball aimed at the wing, but no-one is there to recieve and Charlton breathe easy for a moment

Double change for Chelsea - off go Johnson and Tiago and on come Mikael Forssell and Jiri Jarosik

What a shot that was from Holland - a ball into from Lisbie tempted the Irish international to fire a low drive across the Chelsea goal, but Cudicini was down quick to divert the shot out

Corner ball given - the kick flies in and a foul is called against Fortune.

Great save from Cudicini from Matty Holland!

Lampard tries his lucky with an audacious flicked effort on goal - the pass that found him running across goal was from Gudjohnsen. Nifty try from Frankie!

As the crowd build the atmosphere the players are reacting - some sprightly pass and move is threatening to open up the visitors

Those fans unfamiliar with the famed Chelsea song 'Celery' perhaps won't understand why the eponymous root vegetable is being thrown with wanton abandon in the Chelsea stands - a quick 'celery + chelsea' in a search engine might help.

The crowd are waking up - songs ringing out finally - they know a season's graft will be rewarded just over half an hour.

Cole slides a ball into Gallas but the flag is up for Gudjohnsen who strayed offside!

Cole goes down under a tackle and is looking for a freekick, but Mike Riley the ref is not in the slightest bit interested

Lisbie has a smile on his face, which is great to see; He's being asked to work hard, chase down loose ball, hold and wait for support - all of which he is doing earnestly. Good man.

Murphy and Konchesky combine well to play their way out of trouble at the back, but the pass from Murphy to Lisbie is overhit and Chelsea are back on the ball.

Lampard subdued today none of the tradmark verve and guile, which is a shame!

Chelsea skipper JT hits the woodwork. A cross into the box finds Terry and his header back across the goal clips the post, unlucky, good effort.

Carvalho off the pitch getting some magic sponge - a whack in the face seems to be the problem!

Luke Young, Lisbie, Holland and Konchesky all seeing plenty of play - they are getting into it

Charlton had a great chance there but instead of shooting Danny Murphy tried to waltz through the Chelsea defence - good move, but the wrong decision at the end

Charlton haven't won since March. Six hours without a goal, and the man who scored that, Franny 'Fox in the Box' Jeffers isn't playing!

Early Chelsea possession - they seem content to hold and probe, just as they were at the start of the first 45

I'm starving - should have got sandwich at halftime, or a pie... this isn't helping.

'Stand up for the Champions' sing the crowd - I wonder if they're reading this? Who knows?!!

Oh. My. Word! Someone sing a song!!! It's like a wake rather than a party.

Second-half is underway...

Quite a lot of replica blow-up trophies in the crowd - someone is doing quite a trade in south-west London!

Right team, here we go - the second half is upon us. We've got some rain, but Roman will put in a call and sort that I'm sure.

Let's hope Jose gives them the halftime talking to he's been doing recently. Collecting the trophy will be the only thing of note from the game if it goes on like this. Still, we sort of knew that all ready didn't we? Keep it here, if you dare!!

That's your lot for the first half, you lukcy old things!

Claude Makelele hasn't had much to do, but just then he was on hand with some of his brilliant intercepting play; great player. The most sung about unsung player in the league as a colleague of mine said earlier this week.

The game moving toward halftime - one minute of added time will be played

El Karkouri is in need of some magic sponge after blocking that shot - but he's fine.

Another Chelsea chance goes begging. Yet again Joe Cole is involved - his run at the goal ends in a shot being parried by the keeper, Gudjohnsen looked like he must score but some last-ditch defending saves the day.

There have been moments in the game, it's not all that bad in truth. Charlton have been brave and asked a few questions of the defenders, and Chelsea have strung some nice stuff together.

Fortune unlucky with a shot on goal. Good stuff.

Charlton moving up a gear and forcing Chelsea back

Fair play - more songs 'Champions, Champions...' They are just onw word songs, more chants I suppose, but noise all the same

Ooohhh!! Good move by Chelsea - Cole found Geremi out on the right wing, he fired a great cross into the box but Gudjohnsen couldn't quite steer the shot on target.

Stop the presses, there's a song: 'Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea...'

Yeah, so the fans. Come on. You'd think there'd be a lot more in the way of songs and general merriment. Is there a touch of the prawn sandwiches about the Bridge?

Great shot and great save!!! Joe Cole with a pearler, dipping and curling towards goal, but Andersen dived and got finger-tips to it, turning it onto the bar - well done all round. More please.

Atmosphere a bit flat after the first 15 minutes of singing and flag-waving - the fans seem to be waiting for something.

Nearly spilt my diet cola drink just them - that could have made the next 15 or so minutes until half time a sticky and uncomfortable. Luckily my cat like reflexes spared me. Phew. The game is a bit slow at the moment. Could you guess?

Disappointing corner, no-one really dealt with it from either side before it was hoisted clear.

Carvalho and Terry backtrack to deny Lisbie a one-on-one chance after a sloppy pass from Joe Cole allowed the Charlton striker in. Dangerous. Corner to Charlton.

Half an hour in and I think that was Charlton's best chance... make of that what you will, at least they've had a chance I suppose.

A good ball in, it pings around before Jonathan Fortune tries a shot. But it didn't quite drop quick enough and his effort flies over the bar.

Foul given against Carvalho and Charlton have a freekick inside the Chelsea half - and the big men are in the box waiting for a cross.

I wonder where Jose Mourinho gets those grey overcoats? He must like them a lot, he's wearing one again today. It's not really coat weather; the fans are all in shirt sleeves, but not Jose. Maybe the bench gets drafty?

A lot being asked of Kevin Lisbie today; he's Charlton's lone attacker so any balls to him will either need to be inch perfect so he can run onto them, or he'll need support quickly so he's not tackled. Tough as Charlton need to pack midfield to avoid being over-run.

The initial freekick was wasted, but Matt Holland and Danny Murphy are snappy in the tackle and win some ball for the Addicks

Freekick inside the the Chelsea area for Charlton - a chance to get a foothold and buy some respite for the defenders?

Ooooh! Decent chance their for Frank Lampard. William Gallas with a simple cross into the box, Lampard connected but surprisingly for Chelsea's top-scorer the ball flies wide.

Tiago getting involved; the Chelsea midfield are getting high up the pitch.

Chelsea finding their stride - some nice one touch passing probing away at the Charlton backline

Scott Parker is watching from the stands. His move from Charlton to Chelsea last year soured relations between the two sides. Frustratingly for Parker his chances in the Chelsea side have been limited to just 4 games this term: not enough for a Championship medal.

Luke Young looks a little stressed in the right back position for Charlton; Joe Cole is looking lively and Young is the man marking him. Oh dear.

Terry strides forward deep in to the Charlton half - Libero style!

Joe Cole has brought his bag of trick today: three or four step-overs and he bamboozles his marker, cuts in from the wing and tries a shot - it's wide of the goal, but an exciting run by the little chap!

Good stuff from Charlton, at last. A decent spell of possession with smart passing, it took them into enemy territory before a loose ball ended the move.

Chelsea probe down the right centre with Geremi, William Gallas, Lampard and Eidur Gudjohnsen all involved.

Charlton having a spell on the ball, but are soon forced back; and that's their problem, no outlets wide or strength to hold in the middle.

After the hammering Charlton had at the hands of Manchester United last week today was always going to be a tough match; but Alan Curbishley has the team organised and maybe they can avoid another humiliating defeat.

Joe Cole tries his luck with a long-range shot; it's on target but straight at Stephen Andersen in the Charlton goal and he gathers comfortably.

Charlton packing themselves in behind Chelsea - they have all 11 men behind the ball, breaking through that will be tough even for Chelsea

A bit of excitment there - but it's calmed down again now... Doing anything nice this weekend?

Charlton break from the corner... Bryan Hughes finds himself one-on-one with Carlo Cudicini; the Italian narrows the angle and saves. A sign that it won't all go Chelsea's way today, perhaps?

Things livening up, two corners is quick succession for Chelsea - one given away after an extravagant overhead clearance from El Karkouri.

Slick move from Chelsea: Joe Cole, Lampard and Geremi combine well on the edge of the Charlton box, but the final pass, a back-heel from Geremi was cut out.

Word has it the Chelsea skipper John Terry will lift the trophy with Frank Lampard at the end of the match - a nice touch given that JT and Lampard have been Chelsea's finest players this year.

Terrible pass from Talal El Karkouri - the centre half slipping a ball through the middle of the pitch missing all his team-mates and finding John Terry. Wake-up!

Many thought Chelsea might be on a downer today after the defeat at Anfield earlier in the week; the fans however are in fine voice and will surely lift any flagging spirits.

No real action on the pitch: Chartlon happy to let the Champions keep the ball, while Chelsea are content to wait for things to open up.

Comfortable start for Chelsea - spreading the ball around, getting a feel for it and the conditions today. We have sunshine at the moment, though rain could dampen the trophy presentation later on.

Ricardo Carvalho looks uncomfortable after an awkward fall - he should shrug it off, though

'Stand up for the Champions' is the cry from the stands

Charlton - seven matches without a win - kick the game off!

Chelsea are just over 90 minutes away from lifting the Premiership trophy. The Bridge is a sea of flags; the celebrations begin here. But can Charlton spoil the party? Doubtful, but you never know!

And for Charlton Charlton: Andersen, Young, El Karkouri, Fortune, Konchesky, Kishishev, Holland, Murphy, Hughes, Johansson, Lisbie. Their Subs: Kiely, Fish, Rommedahl, Fuller, Euell.

The teams are in, lining up for the Champions: Cudicini, Johnson, Terry, Ricardo Carvalho, Gallas, Makelele, Cole, Lampard, Tiago, Gudjohnsen, Geremi. And on the bench: Forssell, Kezman, Jarosik, Huth, Pidgeley.