WIGAN 3-1 CHELSEA

Before yesterday Wigan had failed to beat a top four side in 34 attempts, which just goes to show what a shower of shite we really were. Because we can whinge as much as we like about Petr Cech’s red card early on in the second half but the fact is just like it was pointed out to Spurs last weekend – if you’re good enough to beat the opposition to start with, referees decisions don’t decide a game (Ovrebo aside obviously).  And the harsh truth is, Wigan actually deserved to beat us – which makes it all the more embarrassing.

It wasn’t down to Ancelotti lacking respect for Wigan in his team selection because after the ten changes midweek, he’d opted for the sort of starting eleven we’d have expected. Despite it being his birthday, Michael Ballack had been dropped from the side, to be replaced by John Obi Mikel. Personally I’d have preferred to see Joe Cole in the side – as I’m sure he would – and the longer the game wore on, the more I was convinced his omission was a mistake.

As for the performance itself, there really isn’t all that much to say – we just weren’t good enough.  Ok, so we started well enough and it looked like it might be a predictable game but inside 16 minutes we’d found ourselves a goal down to a Titus Bramble goal against the run of play. And whilst it’s not such an unusual position for us, having come back from behind three times already this season, we didn’t seem in any great hurry to do it this time. It was a nonchalant first half performance from us full of sloppy passing and sheer laziness which could have seen us go in 2-0 down at the break if it hadn’t been for Petr Cech.

So going on previous form you’d have expected Ancelotti to do his bit at half-time again, we’d come out, turn things around after the break, and go home happy.  Somebody obviously hadn’t read the script though because despite Ancelotti taking Mikel off for Belletti at half time and Didier Drogba getting an equaliser two minutes into the second half courtesy of a Kirkland howler, the rest of the game didn’t follow our usual pattern.

Just five minutes after the equaliser, Cech was judged to have brought down Rodallega in the area and Phil ‘look at me’ Dowd produced a red card. Cech went off protesting, Hilario came on protesting – and Rodallega finished what he’d started with a ball straight down the middle. So, a goal behind again, a man down and Hilario in goal – not exactly inspiring. And despite our efforts to get something out of the game, the damage had already been done.

Ancelotti brought Kalou on for Bosingwa, and John Terry pushed up, so it was always a case of shit or bust – but with Ashley Cole being forced to limp off, leaving us with nine men on the pitch, conceding again was inevitable really.  And so, as Scharner tapped in their third, all we could do was accept it was a bad day at the office and look forward to our game against Liverpool next week – without Cech!

TEAMS

WIGAN: Kirkland, Thomas, Scharner, Scotland (King, 89), N’Zogbia, Boyce, Bramble, Rodallega, Melchiot, Diame, Figueroa.

CHELSEA: Cech, A Cole, Essien, Carvalho, Lampard, Drogba, Mikel (Belletti, 46), Malouda (Hilario, 52), Bosingwa (Kalou, 68), Terry, Anelka

GOALS

WIGAN: Bramble (16), Rodallega (pen, 53), Scharner 90

CHELSEA: Drogba (47)

Filed under: Match report