Match Report: Wigan 1 – Chelsea 1
We failed to close the gap on Premier League leaders Manchester City with a scrappy 1-1 draw at Wigan.
Daniel Sturridge looked to have secured all three points, but a late spilled ball from Peter Cech resulted in the Latics equalizing and for us a disappointing result.
The game began tentatively, with our attempts limited to a John Terry driven shot from 25 yards.
Daniel Sturridge looked lively early on, beating David Jones to the byline with pace to win a corner, but we failed to create any real chances.
Our first shot on target wasn’t registered until halfway through the opening period, with Jose Boswinga’s curled cross from the right rebounding to midfielder Oriol Romeu, but his volley from 22 yards was saved by Ali Al Habsi.
Mohamed Diame tested Cech but he couldn’t keep his shot on goal, while Didier Drogba had the best chance of the match moments later, but his close-range header was off-target.
Wigan had a dubious penalty appeal as the half drew to a close, Branislav Ivanovic seemingly blocking a Victor Moses shot with his arm, but referee Martin Atkinson waved off appeals – a decision that proved to be correct.
Saloman Kalou was brought on for Romeu at the break and we began the second half better but without seriously threatening.
A chance came when Kalou worked his way around Alcaraz, feeding Drogba whose stabbed shot was just wide of Al Habsi’s inside post.
Moments later we scored as Ashley Cole was given space to edge into Wigan’s half and pick out his pass crossing long and through for the on-running Sturridge who shot the ball at a sharp angle past the Wigan keeper to give us the lead with half an hour remaining.
Andre Villas-Boas made another change bringing on John Obi Mikel for Juan Mata, as we looked to shore up the advantage.
Although defending deep, we looked to be holding out for the win against Wigan’s attacks, but with two minutes of time remaining Petr Cech fumbled a ball from Rodallega, allowing Gomez to tap home the equaliser.
After the game Andre Villas-Boas said:-
“The first 20 minutes of the second half were good. We had to be patient to get the goal and once we’d scored we could have maybe pushed on for another but we decided to hold on and try to exploit the spaces in behind.
We conceded three minutes from the end and that’s the disappointing thing because we expected to win the game”.
Gill Reeves- CSG disabled rep
Wigan
• 26 Al Habsi
• 03 Alcaraz
• 05 Caldwell
• 23 Stam
• 31 Figueroa
• 04 McCarthy
• 11 Moses
• 14 Gomez
• 19 Jones (Rodallega 72)
• 21 Diame
• 18 Sammon (Di Santo 73)
Substitutes
• 12 Pollitt,
• 02 Gohouri,
• 07 Crusat,
• 08 Watson,
• 16 McArthur,
• 09 Di Santo,
• 20 Rodallega
Chelsea
• 01 Cech
• 02 Ivanovic
• 03 Cole
• 17 Bosingwa
• 26 Terry
• 06 Romeu (Kalou 46)
• 08 Lampard
• 16 Meireles
• 10 Mata (Mikel 66)
• 11 Drogba
• 23 Sturridge (Malouda 80)
Substitutes
• 22 Turnbull,
• 19 Ferreira,
• 12 Mikel,
• 15 Malouda,
• 20 McEachran,
• 09 Torres,
• 21 Kalou
Ref: Atkinson
Att: 18,320
I just don’t get it, we’re 1-0 up against a team at the bottom, pull off 2 players who are frightening the life out of them and bring on defensive minded players and challenge Wigan to “equalise if you think you’re good enough!”
Well they were and not for the first time this year we failed to keep a clean sheet and condeded late. Just when will we learn that this defence is not at the 2005 standard and scoring the 2nd goal a neccesity not a luxury.
Strike permitting see you all on Boxing Day.
Up the Blues!