EPL~ Wigan 1 - 1 Chelsea; Wigan snatch an unlikely equaliser
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Wigan 1 Chelsea 1: Gomez pounces to land late blow on AVB and check Blues revival
Chelsea let relegation favourites Wigan snatch an unlikely 88th-minute equaliser with a comedy of errors at the DW Stadium. Instead of putting Premier League leaders Manchester City under pressure at the top, Andre Villas-Boas must hold a major dressing- room inquest into how Jordi Gomez was allowed to snatch a dramatic leveller.
Goalkeeper Petr Cech was clearly at fault, allowing a tame scuff from Hugo Rodallega to squirm out of his hands and bounce off his knee into Gomez's path. But others were culpable, too. Jose Bosingwa should not have allowed Rodallega to get his shot away in the first place and Ashley Cole seemed to get in his keeper's way as he bent to pick up the ball.
AVB himself will also have to answer questions, having made a negative substitution as soon as Daniel Sturridge had given his side the lead after an hour, taking off his most creative player, Juan Mata, for a holding midfielder John Obi Mikel.
The result was a draw and instead of being only two points behind Manchester United and four behind City this morning, Chelsea could be nine points off the pace by Sunday night.
The feelgood factor garnered by Monday's win against City has evaporated.
'We could have gone for the second goal but we preferred to hang on to what we had,' admitted Villas-Boas candidly.
'It was three points we expected. We won't blame any individual for the equaliser. We had plenty of players back but there was a loss of concentration. We seemed to lose track of our keeper's position.'
Points shared: Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas (left) and Wigan manager Roberto Martinez
Villas-Boas has made big decisions all season but they did not work out for him yesterday.
Frank Lampard was recalled in place of the injured Ramires but was largely anonymous.
Lampard was not even on the pitch when Chelsea scored their goal, receiving treatment on a cut lip when it happened.
Poor Fernando Torres was kept shivering on the bench for 90 minutes, seeing first Salomon Kalou, then Mikel and finally Florent Malouda sent on ahead of him.
In retrospect, perhaps the £50million striker should have been given the chance to score Chelsea's second goal but he has played just 23 minutes for AVB this month.
Chelsea's anguish was Wigan's delight. Nobody gave Roberto Martinez's team a prayer but they might have won it had referee Martin Atkinson ruled Branislav Ivanovic's first-half hand-ball as deliberate.
'We lost eight games in a row earlier in the season, so to come through a test like that shows huge character,' said Martinez.
'It feels like this team are just beginning to know each other and understand each other.'
Wigan narrowly edged the first 45 minutes. In the most contentious moment of the half, a Victor Moses shot struck Ivanovic on the forearm but Atkinson ruled it ball to hand.
Glum: Chelsea striker Didier Drogba (right) can't hide his disappointment after Wigan's goal
Chelsea knew they had to up their game and Villas-Boas threw on Kalou for Oriol Romeu at the interval. Didier Drogba showed urgency and fired into the side netting.
Lampard's evening had not gone as planned and he was off the field receiving treatment for a badly cut mouth when Chelsea went ahead.
The England midfielder was behind Mohamed Diame when the big Wigan player leaned back and accidentally caught him in the face with the back of his head.
The spillage meant the Chelsea man had to come off temporarily to get cleaned up. And while Lampard was indisposed, Chelsea scored a goal that was ruthlessly executed.
Wigan stood off Cole just inside their own half and the England leftback pinged a terrific diagonal pass to Sturridge, just inside the angle of the penalty area.
Sturridge then showed why he is a serious contender for Fabio Capello's Euro 2012 squad. His first touch brought the ball under control and gave him enough room to shoot. His second was an unerring finish across Al-Habsi into the bottom corner. It was Sturridge's ninth goal of the season to make him Chelsea's top scorer this campaign.
In front of the dugout, Cole, Drogba and Terry hugged each other and yelped in celebration. On the bench, Torres shivered. No sooner had Chelsea scored than AVB brought on Mikel to provide extra defensive insurance. But the move backfired as Martinez threw on two strikers, Franco Di Santo and Rodallega, and Chelsea started backpedalling.
Unhappy return: Frank Lampard was back in the Chelsea team but needed stitches after a clash
Di Santo almost levelled after Cech raced from his goal and needed Ivanovic to head away the striker's goalbound shot. And when Sturridge rolled around soon after, Wigan became convinced their illustrious visitors were using gamesmanship to get over the line.
If that was the plan, and remember Villas-Boas learned at the side of the master of dark arts, Jose Mourinho, it did not work. Chelsea had too many men back and they got in each other's way as Gomez scored.
So the two youngest managers in the Premier League shared the spoils. But while Martinez, 38, may feel he can keep Wigan up, the odds on Villas-Boas, 34, winning the league title are lengthening.
Stunner: Jordi Gomez (centre) celebrates after grabbing Wigan's late equaliser
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chelsea cant make it.
they beat city and thought they are title contenders.
the team has not been playing well since the season began.
i bet chelsea wont win anything this season. in fact i believe they'll finish below 4th.
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Saw the first 20 mins......the stadium's attendance was quite bad. A lot of empty seats. Then again, no wonder because wigan were on the back of a home losing streak.
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Every time the camera focused on the chelsea bench, they found El Sulk.
They did not use him yesterday.
Are they going to wait for him to put in his transfer request ?
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torres should put in a transfer request.
cannot imagine him sitting on the bench while the likes of malouda and kalou gets to play.
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Originally posted by Medicated Oil:
Every time the camera focused on the chelsea bench, they found El Sulk.
They did not use him yesterday.
Are they going to wait for him to put in his transfer request ?
I thought he going to Shanghai already?
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Le Sulk - Anelka (He is banned from the training ground cos he clashed with AVB)
El Sulk - Torres (They already have a fixed place on the bench for him, the only guy who never smile even when chelsea scores a goal)
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the players are all tired i feel.
they should throw fresher players who are able to make a difference.
e,g mceachrah/torres
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Originally posted by Y_Shun:
the players are all tired i feel.
they should throw fresher players who are able to make a difference.
e,g mceachrah/torres
the hectic festive week has yet to begin and chelsea already dropped points.
and the number of old people they have in their squad will only make matter worse. AVB should have let torres play.
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Drogba will be leaving for African Nations Cup or transferred out in Jan 2011.
AVB will need Torres to come back in form for the xmas and new year weekend.
So, unless AVB is buying another striker, chelsea may have a crisis again soon.
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Chelsea's defense are at it's weakest when they are only leading by a goal,they tend to let the opponent to equalise or win at the last minute!John Terry ,Bosingwa,Ivanovic,Jon Obi Mikel,goalkeeper Petr Cech should all be sold!
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AVB doesnt know how to use Torres. he will be sacked soon, even if he last till May, he will be replaced.
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I wonder y AVB use Kalou than Torres
putting torres may help chelsea get more chances of scoring wad -
Originally posted by Bus&Soccer l0v3r (VO3x 1): I wonder y AVB use Kalou than Torres
putting torres may help chelsea get more chances of scoring wadbeat me too. duno what was he thinking of AVB.
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he should field torres even if he is off form. how do you recover your form without playing?
AVB really cmi lah.
crazy chelsea need to spend a few hundred million a year to keep up the challenge?
RA really siao. its crazy trying to outspend city. chelsea should take this opportunity to run the club in the proper way.
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ytd match also 1-1
somemore came from juan mata
look like e strikers juz turn red light ba