Chelsea v Wigan Athletic
Saturday, 10 December 05, 01:04 PM · Comments (3)
Dave Whelan, the multi-millionaire chairman of Wigan Athletic, jumped on the Ban Essien For Life Bandwagon (or whatever it is these holier-than-thou types are wailing for; Whelan actually mentioned the number '10' and the words 'game' and 'ban') yesterday when asked about the Ghanaian's coming together with Dietmar Hamann's knee. I'm aware that Mr. Whelan's career was all but ended by a horror tackle -- he never fully recovered from a broken leg sustained during the 1960 FA Cup Final -- but I'm disappointed he felt the need to join in the witch-hunt prior to this match; quite frankly, it's got nothing to do with him. Let's hope the Bison puts himself about a bit and scores the winning goal, then I can use the words 'poetic' and 'justice'. As for Whelan's repeated calls for a salary cap: get real.
Two of our 'overpaid' superstars return to the squad having missed a couple of matches. Joe Cole has recovered from a calf strain, while Hernan Crespo, whose wonder goal broke Wigan's hearts in the return fixture on the opening day of the season, has overcome a rib injury sustained in the victory over Portsmouth. Didier Drogba is in the 16-man squad but complained after the Liverpool match of experiencing a lot of pain in the knee he injured whilst on international duty with the Ivory Coast. He's likely to be replaced in the starting eleven by Crespo. Shaun Wright-Phillips hasn't recovered from a heavy tackle by Liverpool's Djimi Traore on Tuesday, while Claude Makelele is still recovering from a knee strain sustained three weeks ago.
Prediction: Crespo to the rescue? Not on this occasion. The Latics' great start to the season has come to an abrupt halt in recent weeks; three successive Premiership defeats to Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool has seen them drop to a respectable 7th place after reaching the dizzying heights of 2nd earlier in the season. Individual mistakes rather than poor performances cost them in those matches. We on the other hand have won 4 of our last 5 League and Cup matches, drawn the other, not conceded for eight hours 29 minutes, since Darren Fletcher's somewhat lucky header at Old Trafford, and remain unbeaten in 33 matches at the Bridge. 2-0.
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Chelsea 1 - 0 Wigan Athletic · Update
John Terry's second Premiership goal in two matches, a diving header from a Frank Lampard corner on 67 minutes, secured a deserved three points. Terry should also have won a penalty in the first half when Wigan's Lee McCulloch all but rugby-tackled him in the area as he attempted to head the ball. Joe Cole was brilliant once again.
See Terry's goal here (downloadable zip file).
Match reports: BBC Sport; Sky Sports; ESPNSoccernet; Sporting Life; Official Chelsea FC Website; Manchester Evening News; Sunday Times; Independent on Sunday; The Observer; Sunday Telegraph; The Guardian; The Independent; The Times; Daily Telegraph.
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Facts on the ground:
We have to date conceeded one more goal than last season
Scored four more goals than last season...
Wigan and the rest of the league...yes including Manure FC have employed counter attacking football against our side...Would you blame them? (read facts above)
However, our finnishing is woeful...pathetic at times...Lamps is now burning out..Jose should rest him in one of our simpler games...
Arsenal is next hope we blast them...4:0 and they are looking good for a thrushing
3 Comments · Add yours
OK, I'll brake the ice. Great victory!
It's never easy to play against two bit teams. They are super motivated while you, as a real Galacticos team, wonder why are games like this even necessary...
Besides, most teams that play against us, try to perfect Liverpool's system used against Chelsea.
What's that system you ask?
It's a 4-4-2 sometimes changing into a 4-5-1 where the first 4 play between the goal line and the 6 yard line, the next line of 4 (sometimes 5) play between the 6 yard and the 17 yard lines, the system allowing 1 or two players to wonder as far away as 23 yards in front of their own goal!
Oh, ya, Mr. Benitez, we managed to figure you and your "brilliant" tactics out.
Once again, GO CHELSEA!
I agree with Andy. Wigan were shamefully defensive but I suppose have every right to be.
Should we be concerned that we have failed to score from open play in three consecuitive matches?
Personally, I feel last year our deadliness from set pieces was a key factor in many teams being unwilling to give up corners and free kicks in dangerous positions. Set-pieces will be the key to unlock teams that defend with ten-men behind the ball.