English FA Premiership/ Chelsea 5 Bolton Wanderers 1: Short of being told that Chelsea have given up for good on signing Andriy Shevchenko, David Trezeguet, Adriano or any other striker, it is hard to know how life could be better for Didier Drogba.
A month that began with him battering Liverpool and captaining Ivory Coast to their first World Cup finals continues to progress serenely.
If Frank Lampard was the outstanding performer in a second-half Chelsea comeback inspired by Jose Mourinho's bold tactical modifications, Drogba was close behind. By scoring twice and setting up another with a back-heel, he showed the assurance, touch and power that had been expected on a more regular basis.
Chelsea were fortunate to see Gary Speed hit woodwork and Michael Essien avoid a red card for a dangerous tackle on Tal Ben Haim when they were trailing. Sam Allardyce said he was "shocked" that Rob Styles only cautioned the Ghanaian. "He was very, very clever by going down as if he was injured himself," the Bolton manager said. "He knew it was a bad tackle."
Drogba had been subdued in the first half, like every home player except Shaun Wright-Phillips, being isolated and well marked by Radhi Jaidi. Bolton, though, had no control of him or others in the explosive spell from the 52nd to 61st minutes when Chelsea went from 1-0 down to 4-1 up.
Drogba's display in the 4-1 win at Liverpool, where he featured in all Chelsea's goals, showed his aptitude as a lone striker. But it was tempting to wonder on Saturday whether he prefers close central support, which he received from Eidur Gudjohnsen at the start of the second half and later from Carlton Cole.
The half-time introduction of Gudjohnsen as Mourinho switched to a back three proved crucial. Bolton had largely stifled Chelsea after scoring through Stelios Giannakopoulos and seemed set to quieten Wright-Phillips after Ricardo Gardner replaced Henrik Pedersen.
They encouraged long balls to Drogba but struggled once the lively Gudjohnsen linked play, Lampard came to the fore and Chelsea showed a thrust that had been missing, helped by an injury that forced Speed off.
Mourinho's intervention showed a gambler's instinct. By restoring a back four at 3-1, with Bolton down to 10 men after Gardner went for handball, he also confirmed that risks are for special occasions.
Chelsea's nine league wins take them to within two of the best top-flight start set by Tottenham in 1960-61 and make the championship look a procession. Allardyce talked of Chelsea needing to lose five and a challenger winning 15 out of 16.
Bolton might have coped better with Chelsea's onslaught. Jussi Jaaskelainen should not have put a Lampard shot into Drogba's path for the equaliser and a poor wall allowed Lampard to score number three shortly after he finished a slick move.
Bolton had just gone down to 10 men and Drogba then finished from a Lampard corner before Gudjohnsen got a deserved goal.
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