23) Chelsea Fc 4 - 0 Wigan Athletic

Sat, 13th Jan 2007 A dominating display with a helping hand of Wigan carelessness has set Chelsea back to Premiership winning ways - Lampard, Robben, a Kirkland own-goal and Drogba the names on the scoresheet. With simply no margin for error after three consecutive draws, the team delivered for their manager after a week of José Mourinho stories in the media. Defensive frailties of past weeks were not exposed by a visiting side who mustered not a single shot on target - a plus for Michael Essien who was again called upon to stand-in at centre-back. With Carvalho returning from suspension, Ferreira was able to move out to right-back with Bridge, who also enjoyed a good afternoon, in at left-back for suspended Ashley Cole. Mourinho's week had already improved with the news that Robben was back after three weeks out with his hamstring injury. It would prove to be an important return as the Dutch flyer lined-up in a front three with Drogba and Kalou. Shevchenko's own hamstring problems had ruled him out of the afternoon having not trained all week. Friday saw Mourinho declare his love for Chelsea and as kick-off approached, it was time for the fans to show their love for the manager in no uncertain terms. 'José Mourinho' and 'Stand up for the Special One' songs reverberated loud and clear around Stamford Bridge. Eleven minutes were on the clock when events on the field first got the crowd to its feet. Robben slipped a pass inside and Bridge, with the taste for forward running following his exploits midweek, charged into the box and squared the ball. Drogba's first time shot flew over. Two minutes later Chelsea did find the net. On a run of six consecutive defeats, Wigan did themselves no favours with a spot of horror show defending that makes behind the sofa the best venue for Match of the Day viewing for their fans. Lampard lined-up a free-kick out on the left some 30 yards from goal and curled a ball in. It was a testing delivery but no excuse for the communication blackout between defender Fitz Hall and keeper Chris Kirkland as they stood and watched the ball bounce in. Drogba's speed of thought almost played Kalou in a few minutes later but the ball bounced under the younger Ivorian's feet.

Midway through the half McCulloch was booked for a touchline hack at Carvalho. Then when Chelsea grabbed possession and broke through Drogba, only a fortuitous flick off a Wigan head prevented his cross from reaching an excellently-placed Ballack. On 31 minutes, Cotterill became Wigan's second booking for crudely ending a Bridge advance. The free-kick was taken short to Lampard who was prevented from finding the bottom corner by a very good Kirkland save. Chelsea were looking powerful and positive - Robben stretching the defence and in-form Lampard at the centre of a high percentage of the action. Wigan had gone with a 4-2-3-1 shape with Heskey charging around alone up front but the offside flag was frequently his undoing. It had been a comfortable first-half for Hilario but going in only 1-0 at the break, the cushion of a second goal was a high priority for the minutes after the restart. Wigan gained booking number three five minutes into the second-half as they resorted to illegal means to catch a Robben burst through the middle. Debutant Haestad was the culprit. Approaching the hour, the ball fell nicely for Ballack to unleash a shot from 35 yards. The power was there but not the direction which was a couple of yards too high. Another chorus of Mourinho songs preceded Chelsea's second goal. To gift the champions the opening goal maybe considered careless. To gift the second as well is downright suicidal but that is what Wigan did on 62 minutes - Haested inexplicably passing backwards, straight into the path of Arjen Robben. Of all the players to send clean through in goal! With no hope of catching him, it all rested on the Robben-Kirkland duel, won easily in Chelsea's favour by a step to the right and a roll of the ball into the empty net. Paul Jewell's post-match comments are awaited with interest. Robben, Wigan's tormenter at the JJB Stadium before Christmas went close to a second six minutes later, his low shot tipped away by Kirkland. A minute later the two players were at the centre of Chelsea's third. Robben powered behind the defence on the left and looked for the killer ball across goal. Instead of a team-mate, it was the luckless keeper who deflected it into his own net as he tried to cut out the cross.

Drogba became Chelsea's first caution on 74 minutes for jumping into his marker under an aerial ball. There were more minutes on the pitch for 17-year-old Ben Sahar, one half of a double substitution on 81 minutes along with Mikel. Kalou and Robben came off, the latter to a massive ovation. Goal number four came deep into stoppage time. It seemed unlikely a good win would end without a Drogba goal and that was resolved with a diving header onto a Mikel cross from deep. Credit also goes to Gérémi's part in the move and Lampard's original pass that had opened out play. Drogba has his 21st goal of the season and with major players returning and this morale boosting big win, the team has every reason to approach next weekend's trip to Anfield with confidence. Chelsea(4-3-3) Hilário; Ferreira (Gérémi 85), Essien, Carvalho, Bridge; Ballack, Makelele, Lampard (c); Kalou (Mikel 81), Drogba, Robben (Sahar 81). Scorers Lampard 12, Robben 62, Kirkland o.g. 69, Drogba 90+2. Booked Drogba. Wigan (4-2-3-1): Kirkland; Boyce, Hall, Unsworth, Baines (c); Kilbane, Skoko; Cotterill (Taylor 65), Haestad (Landzaat 72), McCulloch; Heskey (Johansson 76). Booked McCulloch, Coterill, Haestad.