Sun, 24th Dec 2006

Chelsea threw away a two-goal lead but won the game with Arjen Robben's first goal of
the season two minutes into stoppage time. Jose Mourinho now has 100 wins in 142
matches as Chelsea manager.

Heskey scored both Wigan's goals, his equaliser was offside, but Chelsea's performance
was lacking after Lampard and Kalou, with his first Premiership goal, had put the
champions two up.

Mourinho pulled a surprise out of the bag by using Essien at right-back from the off for
the first time. It allowed the managerf to play his awesome foursome but in a 4-3-3
formation.

Wigan changed their normal 4-4-2 line-up, bringing in Johansson to operate ahead of a
midfield three just behind the two forwards.

It was Johansson who came on for the last five minutes in the first game of last season
and missed two sitters.

Chelsea carved out the first opportunity this year, Cole's chip finding Kalou in the inside-
left position, but his attempted first-time stab was easily taken by diving Kirkland.

Four minutes later Kalou missed an excellent opportunity, cutting in to turn Robben's low
cross without power goalwards. This time Kirkland's effort had to be better and it was,
turning the shot away and against his left-hand post.

Lampard's fist chance came in another two minutes - and he didn't miss. Kalou and
Robben were tearing Wigan apart, meaning Baines looking nothing like an international
full-back, and this time Robben turned up on the right, took his time cutting inside,
leaving Lampard the time to make his run. Robben's threaded pass dissected the defence
which was square apart from Baines, who played Lampard onside, and the captain
finished with relaxation for his ninth goal of the season.

A minute before the half-hour Kalou finally got his goal, sprinting ahead of De Zeeuw to
head Robben's outswinging corner powerfully past Kirkland.

Chelsea then set about relaxing too much, and were pushed fractionally on the back foot
for 10 minutes culminating in Kilbane's 20 yards drive after Ballack's header out had
fallen well for him. Hilario, alert, palmed it and grabbed at the second attempt.

Robben was booked on a Wigan counter-attack when he sprinted back magnificently and
tried to avoid Todorov who went down as he cut across him. Was there contact?
Arguable! Was it deliberate? Definitely not!
But it was a Boulahrouz foul that gave Wigan a window back into the game in stoppage
time at the end of the first-half. He tripped Heskey wide on the right, and when Skoko
fired in the free-kick Heskey rose above the defence to head in.

Inside a minute of the restart Lampard missed an opportunity to walk in his second goal.
Drogba found him with a fantastic first-time left-footed pass, and Lampard tricked his
way past two defenders who fell over each other but then pulled his left-footed shot badly
wide.

Before the second minute was through Boulahrouz was booked for pulling back Heskey
and will now be suspended for the visit of Fulham next Saturday.

Heskey's confidence was high. He nodded on a cross to unmarked Kirkland who

controlled it and volleyed a bullet across the six-yard box which no-one went near.

Wigan's confidence was high all-round. Johansson burst through but shot wide. They put
the ball early into the area and the absence of Terry revealed an absence of authority and
understanding.

Whereas in the first half-hour 50-50 challenges always finished with a Chelsea win, now
it was more often the other way round. And Wigan doubled up well on Drogba whose
threat remained Chelsea's greatest point of optimism.

Even the large but quiet home crowd found its voice. Carvalho, on his 100th Chelsea
appearance, was trying to do the work of two men, but even he was overstretched when
Heskey and Toderov closed in on another ball into the area which finished in the side-
netting.

Chelsea were rattled. Lampard was booked for dissent after not gaining a free-kick when
he'd gone down in losing the ball.

Wigan sent on Cotterill for Johansson to go even more attacking, now moving to a 4-3-3,
and immediately Heskey burst through again and Carvalho's saving header was brave and
crucial.

But it only put off the moment of drama a few more minutes. Cotterill sprinted past Cole
and crossed, Landzaat mis-blasted the ball back, and Heskey in an offside position
converted.

Perhaps confusing referee Dean was the fact that Boulahrouz had run off the pitch, but as
he had not returned the referee's decision was flawed.

With 12 minutes left Mourinho sent on Mikel and Shevchenko for out-of-touch Makelele
and Boulahrouz who is finding it hard to reproduce his early Chelsea form. So now it was
3-3-4 with no defensive midfielder, and with a back three of Essien, Carvalho and Cole.
Five minutes remained when Carvalho headed Lampard's outswinging corner just under
the bar and Kirkland made a fine tip-over save. When the subsequent corner was cleared
Mikel was booked for tripping Cotterill.

Chelsea piled on the pressure in a way which simply hadn't happened since the two-goal
lead had been gained. Two Wigan players went down needing treatment.

But two minutes into stoppage time Robben, out on the right, cut inside Baines and shot
under Drogba and inside Kirkland to give Chelsea yet another dramatic last ditch winner.

Drogba went to centre-half, Shevchenko forced a booking out of De Zeeuw, and the
whistle went almost six minutes into stoppage time. Boring, boring Chelsea? More like
old fashioned Chelsea!

Wigan (4-3-1-2) Kirkland; Boyce, Hall, De Zeeuw (c), Baines; Landzaat (Wright 84),
Skoko, Kilbane; Johansson (Cotterill 71); Heskey, Todorov (Teale 77).
Scorers Heskey (45+1, 74).
Booked Heskey (71), De Zeeuw (90+5).

Chelsea (4-3-3) Hilario; Essien, Boulahrouz (Shevchenko 78), Carvalho, A Cole; Ballack,
Makelele (Mikel 78), Lampard (c); Kalou, Drogba, Robben (Geremi 90+3).
Scorers Lampard (12), Kalou (29), Robben (90+2).
Booked Robben (43), Boulahrouz (46), Lampard (67), Mikel (85).