Green goes from ridiculous to sublime
For Robert Green to get the England call-up he craves in the new year, he will need to continue to show great ability and have a bit of luck, writes Simon Johnson.
He had both in equal measure in the 79th minute of this match to ensure West Ham came away from Stamford Bridge with a well-deserved point.
Most supporters of the claret and blue have been left bemused by England coach Fabio Capello's continued stubbornness not to pick Green. He came close to losing their backing though when he somehow punched Frank Lampard's corner behind him and only the combination of team-mate Scott Parker and the crossbar denied Chelsea a goal.
It was the kind of mistake that could leave any keeper rattled and vulnerable on the next attack from the opposition, yet the 28-year-old proved his worth seconds later to show why Capello should give him a chance.
A cross from the right was headed toward the top corner by Chelsea defender Alex only for Green to dive full length to send the ball to safety. With just 11 minutes to go it would have been the kind of blow that West Ham would have struggled to come back from and all their hard work would have been for nothing.
