Wigan Athletic 2 v 3 Chelsea
23rd December 2006
Wigan Athletic started this game missing a host of key players and, on paper at least, looked like they were in for a hiding. Luis Antonio Valencia was once again missing, although Gary Teale did earn a place on the substitutes bench following his recovery from injury. Up front top scorer Henri Camara was missing with an injury that would keep him out of all the festive fixtures and possibly the whole of January. Lee McCulloch was serving the first of a three match ban for a ridiculous punching incident at the end of the previous match against Sheffield United at the JJB Stadium, for which he was also fined by the club. Paul Jewell, who does not possess much strength in depth at the moment had to play Andreas Johnasson in an unfamiliar role on the right wing whilst Svetoslav Todorov started his first game as a Latics player in place of Camara.
Jose Mourinho on the other hand could call on the services of returning duo Frank Lampard, and Michael Ballack to add to his already top quality team line up.
For the first ten minutes things went according to the script. Chelsea bombarded the Latics back line and the only surprise was that it took 13 minutes for Chelsea to finally break down the Latics defence, springing the offside trap and calmly slotting the ball past Chris Kirkland to silence the sell out Wigan crowd.
Latics to their credit, tried to get back on terms immediately but a good cross by Emmerson Boyce was easily cut out by Henrique Hilario in the Chelsea goal. In the 21st minute the Blues had a let off when Michael Essien mis-hit a pass to Didier Drogba who was clean through on goal. However, this was just a blip from the Chelsea front line, cheered on by just 2,000 fans, as Latics conceded a soft goal on the hour mark. Jewell must have been fuming as Salomon Kalou rose unmarked in the penalty area to head home a ordinary looking corner kick from Arjen Robben.
Just then every Latics fan in the ground feared the worst as memories of big defeats to Manchester United and Liverpool at the JJB Stadium were being recalled in their minds. Latics, looked dead and buried but gradually they began to come back into the game. In the 40th minute Kevin Kilbane forced a good save from Hilario and four minutes later Robben was booked for a horrible tackle on Denny Landzaat as the Latics midfield started to turn the screw.
Then, right on the stroke of half time Emile Heskey broke through the stubborn Chelsea defence to head the ball into the Chelsea net from close range. Game on!
The second half belonged almost exclusively to Wigan Athletic. Chelsea were made to look very ordinary and they were seriously rattled by a fresh looking Latics team determined to get something out of the game. Lampard in particular was becoming more and more frustrated, remonstrating with the referee constantly and only a booking for the England midfielder calmed him down. Jewell opted to replace Johansson with David Cotterill in the 72nd minute, clearly believing Latics could get something from the game. The young Welsh striker immediately started causing Chelsea problems down the right side of the pitch and it was he who supplied the cross for Heskey to gleefully equalise in the 75th minute.
The JJB Stadium went wild, and Mourinho looked a very nervous figure in the dug out, particularly as he knew that leader Manchester United had already beaten Aston Villa earlier in the day. There was then a flurry of activity with regards to substitutes four minutes later. Jewell replaced the tiring Todorov with Gary Teale, figuring the extra pace he would provide could win the game for Latics. Mourinho opted to replace Khalid Boulahrouz and Claude Makelele with John Obi Mikel and Andriy Shevchenko.
It took Chelsea until the 40th minute of the second period to trouble Latics and that was from a poorly hit corner from Robben. However, like last season, and from the very same blade of grass that Hernan Crespo broke Latics hearts, it was Robben who lashed in a shot to win the game for Chelsea in the first minute of time added on.
Talk about Deja Vu. In a way this defeat was harder to take as the Blues had come from two goals behind to lose in such heart breaking fashion. They say luck evens itself out over the course of a season, surely Latics are due some at Old Trafford on Boxing Day?
WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Emmerson Boyce, Fitz Hall, Arjan De Zeeuw, Leighton Baines, Andreas Johansson, (David Cotterill 72), Denny Landzaat, (David Wright 84), Josip Skoko, Kevin Kilbane, Emile Heskey, Svetoslav Todorov (Gary Teale 77). Subs not used, Mike Pollitt, Matt Jackson
Goal scorers, Emile Heskey 45 mins, 75 mins
Booked, Emile Heskey 72 mins, Kevin Kilbane 90 mins, Arjan De Zeeuw 90 mins
CHELSEA, Henrique Hilario, Ricardo Carvalho, Ashley Cole, Khalid Boulahrouz, (Andriy Shevchenko 79), Frank Lampard, Claude Makele, (John Obi Mikel 79), Michael Ballack, Michael Essien, Salomon Kalou, Didier Drogba, Arjen Robben (Ndjitap Geremi 90). Subs not used, Magnus Hedman, Wayne Bridge.
Goal scorers, Frank Lampard 13 mins, Salomon Kalou 31 mins, Arjen Robben 96 mins
Booked, Arjen Robben 44 mins, Khalid Boulahrouz 47 mins, Frank Lampard 68 mins, John Obi Mikel 87 mins
Referee, Mike Dean (Wirral)
Attendance, 22,077
Wigan Athletic started this game missing a host of key players and, on paper at least, looked like they were in for a hiding. Luis Antonio Valencia was once again missing, although Gary Teale did earn a place on the substitutes bench following his recovery from injury. Up front top scorer Henri Camara was missing with an injury that would keep him out of all the festive fixtures and possibly the whole of January. Lee McCulloch was serving the first of a three match ban for a ridiculous punching incident at the end of the previous match against Sheffield United at the JJB Stadium, for which he was also fined by the club. Paul Jewell, who does not possess much strength in depth at the moment had to play Andreas Johnasson in an unfamiliar role on the right wing whilst Svetoslav Todorov started his first game as a Latics player in place of Camara.
Jose Mourinho on the other hand could call on the services of returning duo Frank Lampard, and Michael Ballack to add to his already top quality team line up.
For the first ten minutes things went according to the script. Chelsea bombarded the Latics back line and the only surprise was that it took 13 minutes for Chelsea to finally break down the Latics defence, springing the offside trap and calmly slotting the ball past Chris Kirkland to silence the sell out Wigan crowd.
Latics to their credit, tried to get back on terms immediately but a good cross by Emmerson Boyce was easily cut out by Henrique Hilario in the Chelsea goal. In the 21st minute the Blues had a let off when Michael Essien mis-hit a pass to Didier Drogba who was clean through on goal. However, this was just a blip from the Chelsea front line, cheered on by just 2,000 fans, as Latics conceded a soft goal on the hour mark. Jewell must have been fuming as Salomon Kalou rose unmarked in the penalty area to head home a ordinary looking corner kick from Arjen Robben.
Just then every Latics fan in the ground feared the worst as memories of big defeats to Manchester United and Liverpool at the JJB Stadium were being recalled in their minds. Latics, looked dead and buried but gradually they began to come back into the game. In the 40th minute Kevin Kilbane forced a good save from Hilario and four minutes later Robben was booked for a horrible tackle on Denny Landzaat as the Latics midfield started to turn the screw.
Then, right on the stroke of half time Emile Heskey broke through the stubborn Chelsea defence to head the ball into the Chelsea net from close range. Game on!
The second half belonged almost exclusively to Wigan Athletic. Chelsea were made to look very ordinary and they were seriously rattled by a fresh looking Latics team determined to get something out of the game. Lampard in particular was becoming more and more frustrated, remonstrating with the referee constantly and only a booking for the England midfielder calmed him down. Jewell opted to replace Johansson with David Cotterill in the 72nd minute, clearly believing Latics could get something from the game. The young Welsh striker immediately started causing Chelsea problems down the right side of the pitch and it was he who supplied the cross for Heskey to gleefully equalise in the 75th minute.
The JJB Stadium went wild, and Mourinho looked a very nervous figure in the dug out, particularly as he knew that leader Manchester United had already beaten Aston Villa earlier in the day. There was then a flurry of activity with regards to substitutes four minutes later. Jewell replaced the tiring Todorov with Gary Teale, figuring the extra pace he would provide could win the game for Latics. Mourinho opted to replace Khalid Boulahrouz and Claude Makelele with John Obi Mikel and Andriy Shevchenko.
It took Chelsea until the 40th minute of the second period to trouble Latics and that was from a poorly hit corner from Robben. However, like last season, and from the very same blade of grass that Hernan Crespo broke Latics hearts, it was Robben who lashed in a shot to win the game for Chelsea in the first minute of time added on.
Talk about Deja Vu. In a way this defeat was harder to take as the Blues had come from two goals behind to lose in such heart breaking fashion. They say luck evens itself out over the course of a season, surely Latics are due some at Old Trafford on Boxing Day?
WIGAN ATHLETIC, Chris Kirkland, Emmerson Boyce, Fitz Hall, Arjan De Zeeuw, Leighton Baines, Andreas Johansson, (David Cotterill 72), Denny Landzaat, (David Wright 84), Josip Skoko, Kevin Kilbane, Emile Heskey, Svetoslav Todorov (Gary Teale 77). Subs not used, Mike Pollitt, Matt Jackson
Goal scorers, Emile Heskey 45 mins, 75 mins
Booked, Emile Heskey 72 mins, Kevin Kilbane 90 mins, Arjan De Zeeuw 90 mins
CHELSEA, Henrique Hilario, Ricardo Carvalho, Ashley Cole, Khalid Boulahrouz, (Andriy Shevchenko 79), Frank Lampard, Claude Makele, (John Obi Mikel 79), Michael Ballack, Michael Essien, Salomon Kalou, Didier Drogba, Arjen Robben (Ndjitap Geremi 90). Subs not used, Magnus Hedman, Wayne Bridge.
Goal scorers, Frank Lampard 13 mins, Salomon Kalou 31 mins, Arjen Robben 96 mins
Booked, Arjen Robben 44 mins, Khalid Boulahrouz 47 mins, Frank Lampard 68 mins, John Obi Mikel 87 mins
Referee, Mike Dean (Wirral)
Attendance, 22,077
Labels: Wigan vrs Chelsea
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