19) Wigan Athletic 2 - 3 Chelsea Fc

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 insideleft 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 sidenetting. 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).