18) Everton 2 - 3 Chelsea Fc

Sun, 17th Dec 2006 Chelsea twice came from behind without injured John Terry to win with two late fantastic goals from Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba. Terry has been struggling with his back since the Newcastle game and pulled up in training yesterday. That forced Ricardo Carvalho to play today after missing the secondhalf against Newcastle with his ankle injury Everton brought injury problems of their own to the pitch, and gave the strong 18-yearold centre-forward Victor Anichebe his first Premiership start. They also came up with their own diamond shaped midfield using Osman at the top just to counter Chelsea. Carvalho showed his willingness in the first three minutes when left one on one with Johnson, and he ran him down the line and slid in to dispossess him. He was soon in the wars again, suffering a clash of heads with Anichebe. Both played on and Chelsea quickly put a move together with Robben releasing Drogba who fired a surprisingly early left-footed shot from a testing angle which bazooka-ed close to Howard's far post. Everton brought their own penetration to the table in the 13th minute when Arteta skipped past Geremi and crossed for Johnson, Anichebe and Osman only for Cole to head away with a mighty leap. Johnson broke away again in the 17th minute, getting goal-side of Boulahrouz, and when Hilario flung himself at his feet Johnson went over him. Referee Halsey checked with the linesman and gave a goal-kick, at which point Jose Mourinho rose furiously from his bench to demand from Halsey why he hadn't booked Johnson for diving. There were angry words with the fourth official and linesman, and with Everton manager David Moyes too. Carvalho needed more head treatment midway through the half after another collision with Anichebe for which the Everton striker was whistled up. Chelsea were too often slow to the ball defensively, letting it bounce or trying to let it run, and that suited the hard-running Everton forwards, and led to some desperate challenges around the penalty area. But the half-hour passed with neither side having managed another shot of any nature since Drogba's. Chelsea were playing some goodish football, getting into good positions with good passing and movement, but the final ball was never penetrating.

That cost them. Nine minutes before half-time, Boulahrouz allowed Anichebe to get goalside of him, and grappled him to the ground. The big striker went down easily, but it was a penalty. Arteta sent Hilario the wrong way and put it to the goalkeeper's right. Just before half-time Cole flashed a left-footer just wide of Howard's far post, but the half-time whistle must have left Chelsea fans thinking that this was an unusually halfbaked performance. Was it the players, or was it due to the absence of injured players? Cech, Cudicini, Terry, Mikel and Joe Cole is a big hole in any squad. Mourinho went to Plan B at half-time: Essien to right-back, Geremi off and Kalou on the team to 4-3-3. The equaliser took just three minutes to come. Carsley handballed trying to cope with Makelele, and Ballack took the free-kick which Howard turned on to the post, but the ball bounced back off it and into the goal off the goalkeeper's back. In Chelsea's next attack Drogba was clearly held by Yobo in the area away from the ball, and Lampard was blocked from shooting by a sliding tackle that didn't reach the ball but obstructed him. Chelsea were beginning to tick. Lampard had a shot from Robben's pulled-back corner diverted for another corner, and from it when Everton didn't clear Kalou won the ball, turned and drove against the post. Next Drogba went round Howard wide and crossed, but Everton cleared. Yet when Everton moved forward and won a couple of corners following a foul by Boulahrouz on Anichebe and a punch away from Hilario, Chelsea seemed to be struggling. Drogba headed the first corner out, but from the second Yobo rose above Ballack and Essien to head Everton back ahead from close range with Hilario rooted. Boulahrouz escaped more anguish when referee Halsey decided the ball had struck his arm rather than a handball having been committed in the penalty area and gave a corner after 70 minutes. That was the end of him though. Two minutes later Mourinho went for Plan C and sent on Bridge and Shevchenko for Boulahrouz and Robben and switched to 3-4-3. Essien, Carvalho and Cole were in defence, Makelele played just ahead of them with Ballack, Lampard and Bridge completing the midfield. This time it took eight minutes for the reshuffle to work. Shevchenko had shot wide and got in a mess with Ballack and Essien, and things didn't look hopeful when out of nowhere Lampard struck a fierce right-footed shot into the far top corner for one of the best goals of his career. That was his 77th for Chelsea, making him the club's record midfield goalscorer, now on one more than Dennis Wise.

Mourinho kept the same formation and went for the win. Cole on the surge was tripped from behind by Neville who was booked. Shevchenko did hit the target with his next effort but it lacked weight. And then Drogba brilliantly nicked the ball off Everton's defence in the area, turned and struck a wonderful shot against the foot of Howard's far post. One minute later he showed why he must be the best striker in the world. Shevchenko headed Hilario's clearance to him, he chested it down, turned and volleyed in one movement, and from over 30 yards the ball flew over Howard and into the middle of the goal. The team changed shape again. Essien went to central defence, Kalou to right-back - a back four was restored - and Drogba dropped to deep midfield alongside Makelele. But it was still Shevchenko who was the next shooter to sting a goalkeeper's hands, forcing Howard to parry his left-footed effort from just inside the area. Moyes sent on Beattie and McFadden for stoppage time. The ball was pumped forward by Everton and headed or hacked back by Chelsea. Now the focus switched to Upton Park where Manchester United, just two points ahead of Chelsea again, were about to kick off their game in hand. Everton (4-1-2-1-2) Howard; Neville (c), Yobo, Stubbs, Lescott; Carsley (McFadden 90); Davies, Arterta; Osman; Johnson, Anichebe (Beattie 90). Scorers Arteta (pen) (37), Yobo (63). Booked Neville (81). Chelsea (4-1-2-1-2) Hilario; Geremi (Kalou h-t), Boulahrouz (Bridge 72), Carvalho, A Cole; Makelele; Essien, Lampard (c); Ballack; Drogba, Robben (Shevchenko 72). Scorers Howard (og) (48), Lampard (80), Drogba (86). Booked Carvalho (49).