ipswich 7-0

Independent:

Chelsea thrash Ipswich to earn brief respite
Chelsea 7 Ipswich Town 0

By Mark Fleming at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea could hardly have been more convincing but there was no mood for crowing afterwards. Chelsea's dismal run of late has instilled a sense of humility in the Double winners and manager Carlo Ancelotti's demeanour after the final whistle was remarkably subdued for a man who has just seen his team rattle in seven goals.
No one at the club was foolish enough to suggest this victory – over a team 19th in the Championship, who have just sacked their manager – means Chelsea's horror run has come to an end. It will take more than this mauling of poor Ipswich, who now entertain Arsenal in the Carling Cup semi-final first leg on Wednesday. However, there is nothing better than seeing the goals fly in, and the supporters inside Stamford Bridge sang the name of manager Ancelotti as loudly as ever.
There were also several encouraging signs in the team's display, all the more so as injury had ruled out Ashley Cole, Michael Essien and Didier Drogba. The brightest performance came from 17-year-old Josh McEachran in the centre of midfield, in only his third start for the club.
Chelsea's passing has been all over the place in recent weeks but, with McEachran occupying the key playmaking role in front of the back four, Ancelotti's side rediscovered the ability to find a team-mate with the ball. The teenager looks a slight player, but he showed strength enough to hassle the opposition and rarely gave up possession.
Daniel Sturridge also showed greater energy and invention, and scored twice on his 40th appearance for the club, a milestone that triggers a payment of £500,000 to Manchester City, the club he left in 2009. A return of nine goals from those 40 games is not particularly impressive, but Sturridge is still only 21 and Ancelotti will be heartened by his scoring form.
Of far greater importance still for the club's prospects of turning their season around was the return to scoring form of midfielder Frank Lampard, who scored twice in his sixth game since returning from injury; his performances in the coming weeks may well determine how Chelsea recover from their current crisis.
Ancelotti said: "The result was good and we did a lot of things well in this game but we don't have to be excited. We have to give the same performance next week against Blackburn.
"I think everyone has a better feeling, a better sensation, after this victory. But nothing's changed. We have to keep going. We have possibilities to be competitive. Nobody's happy at the moment. We hope this moment has gone, but now we have to wait."
In the end, it proved to be men against Tractor Boys as Chelsea, aiming to become the first team since Blackburn Rovers in 1886 to win a hat-trick of FA Cups, took out their frustrations on Ipswich, who were led by caretaker manager Ian McParland.
Salomon Kalou put Chelsea ahead after 32 minutes, although all the credit must go to Nicolas Anelka, whose shot was saved by Ipswich goalkeeper Marton Fulop but was dribbling goalwards only for Kalou to make certain from a yard out. A minute later, Sturridge met Jose Bosingwa's cross with a brilliant back-heel finish, and Chelsea were away.
Carlos Edwards headed a Lampard free-kick into his own goal to leave Ipswich 3-0 down at half-time, and after the interval it did not get any better for the visitors as Anelka finished well from a tight angle and Sturridge then curled in his second as Chelsea vented the frustrations of the past few months.
They were important goals for Sturridge, whose request for a loan move has been turned down by Chelsea. Ancelotti said: "Every player has to be ready when the moment arrives. In the future he'll have opportunities. We have a lot of games in this period coming up. I think he has to fight with the other strikers, but everyone has to fight."
Ancelotti's side, who drew Everton away in the fourth round, showed no mercy for Ipswich as Lampard scored twice in the closing minutes after the result was beyond doubt. He added Chelsea's sixth when Ipswich failed to clear Gaël Kakuta's poorly hit corner, and the England midfielder scored his third goal since returning from injury when he met Branislav Ivanovic's low cross in the 79th minute.
The scoreline was particularly harsh on goalkeeper Marton Fulop, who was on duty for Sunderland last season when they lost 7-2 on this ground. The Hungarian has now let in 14 goals in two trips to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Van Aanholt (Bruma, 71); Ramires, McEachran, Lampard; Sturridge, Anelka, Kalou (Kakuta, 55).

Substitutes not used Hilario (gk), Essien, Drogba, Malouda, Ferreira

.
Ipswich Town (4-4-2): Fulop; Brown, McAuley, O,Dea, Kennedy; Edwards, Norris, Healy, Peters; Scotland (Murray, 49), Wickham (Priskin, 64).

Substitutes not used Lee-Barrett (gk), Delaney, Smith, Eastman, Civelli.

Booked Norris.
Referee A D'Urso (Essex).

Possession Chelsea 60% Ipswich 40%
Shots on target Chelsea 20 Ipswich 2
Man of the match Lampard.

Match rating 7/10. Attendance 41,654.

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Mail:

Chelsea 7 Ipswich 0:

Tractor ride - relief for Carlo Ancelotti as Cup holders smash seven

By Matt Barlow

As the son of a farmer, Carlo Ancelotti will know all about the relief a tractor can offer to those sinking deeper into the mire.For Chelsea, the Tractor Boys appeared in the nick of time.
Managerless and beleaguered, Ipswich rolled into Stamford Bridge and rolled over, inviting Ancelotti's team to restore some confidence after two rotten months.
For the Italian on the touchline, it must have felt like summertime again as the sun shone down and seven goals flew in. The expression remained glum but he waved to the fans who sang his name.Frank Lampard and Daniel Sturridge banged in a couple each, Salomon Kalou and Nicolas Anelka found the target while Ipswich's agony was compounded by an own goal from Carlos Edwards.Chelsea, unbeaten in the FA Cup for nearly three years, go to Everton in the fourth round.'We needed this kind of performance,' said Ancelotti. 'The result was good and we did a lot of things well, the strikers are scoring again, but we don't have to be excited. We have to wait before we can say everything is OK. There are still some things we can do better but it was important to play well. Our confidence will improve.'
Ancelotti also pointed out how, for the first 20 minutes, it had seemed destined to be another day of frustration. Sturridge missed good early chances and Troy Brown cleared brilliantly off the line to deny Anelka.But once Kalou struck from an inch, with a goal resembling David Nugent's for England against Andorra, the pressure dissolved.Anelka was released by Sturridge after a mistake by Colin Healy only for Marton Fulop to drop a heavy hand on his low shot. The ball bobbled on towards the net and Kalou came crashing in to claim the final touch.
Fulop, who conceded seven playing for Sunderland at Stamford Bridge last January, was beaten again within a minute when Sturridge stole ahead of Darren O'Dea to divert a low Jose Bosingwa cross into the net with a neat backheel.It was 3-0 at the interval after Edwards glanced a header past his own keeper as he tried to clear Lampard's inswinging free-kick. Anelka slid in the fourth, his first in more than two months, and Sturridge curled his second into the top corner.It was a personal success for Sturridge on his 40th appearance for the club, a landmark which means another £500,000 will be paid to Manchester City, taking his transfer fee, set by a tribunal, up to £5.5million.
With his £60,000-a-week wages, this means the 21-year-old striker has cost £10m and has nine goals, six of them in the FA Cup against the might of Preston, Watford, Cardiff and Ipswich.Two came in the Champions League against Slovak champions Zilina and his only Barclays Premier League goal since moving from City was the sixth in a 7-0 thrashing of Stoke. Understandably, Ancelotti resisted the temptation to get carried away and promise him another start against Blackburn on Saturday.'In the future he will have opportunities,' said the Chelsea boss. 'We have a lot of games coming up. He has to fight with the other strikers.'
Having scored 11 goals in their previous 13 games, Chelsea blitzed five in 20 minutes, either side of half-time. Lampard helped himself to the last two and, despite his subdued reaction, Ancelotti can at last consider some of those selection headaches managers apparently crave. Does he recall Drogba or allow Anelka a run as the spearhead, flanking him with the boundless energy of Kalou and the boundless confidence of Sturridge?Does he keep Josh McEachran and Ramires in his midfield trio with Lampard ahead of an out-of-sorts Michael Essien?McEachran, at 17, is slightly built but his football is fluent, he has rarely looked out of place this season and he was terrific again. Ramires looks better with every game and threatened to break his Chelsea duck with a 25-yarder.
For Ipswich it was painful. Caretaker boss Ian McParland is not expected to survive when Paul Jewell is named manager today. Jewell will arrive with his own backroom team and the task of lifting a dejected camp after Roy Keane's sacking ahead of Wednesday's Carling Cup semi-final against Arsenal.'I live in the real world,' said McParland. 'I knew what was going to happen. The boys were a bit shell-shocked with the manager going. Even with our strongest team, I knew we could have a struggle down here.'Ipswich's day was made worse when the coach home broke down.

MATCH FACTS

CHELSEA (4-3-2-1): Cech 6; Bosingwa 6, Ivanovic 6, Terry 6, Van Aanholt 6(Bruma 71, 6); Ramires 8, McEachran8, Lampard 8; Kalou 7 (Kakuta 55, 6),Sturridge 7; Anelka 7.

Subs not used: Hilario, Ferreira, Essien, Malouda, Drogba.

IPSWICH (4-4-2): Fulop 5; Peters 5,Brown 5, O’Dea 4, Kennedy 5;Edwards 5, Norris 6, Healy 4, Peters5; Wickham 5 (Priskin 63), Scotland 5(Murray 49).

Subs not used: Lee-Barrett, Delaney, Smith, Eastman, Civelli.

Booked: Norris.

Man of the match: Frank Lampard.
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Guardian:

Chelsea goal spree against Ipswich lightens Carlo Ancelotti's mood
FA Cup Third Round

Chelsea 7 Kalou 33, Sturridge 33, Edwards (og) 41, Anelka 49, Sturridge 52, Lampard 78, Lampard 79

Ipswich Town 0

Dominic Fifield at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea have their light relief. Some two months of mounting frustration were taken out on Ipswich to offer the defending Premier League champions and FA Cup holders a reminder that their scintillating early-season form can still be replicated. There was no manic celebration from Carlo Ancelotti on the sidelines but a playful wave to those in the Matthew Harding stand chanting his name. It was not one of farewell.
This was a walkover from the moment that managerless Ipswich were breached. Their resistance evaporated, the locals delighting in the ease of a welcome victory that was secured initially with much needed energy and later at a stroll. Five goals were scored in a 20-minute period either side of the interval, the most eye-catching involving the often under-used Daniel Sturridge. Confidence flowed back into the system with each reward. Blackburn Rovers will arrive here wary on Saturday.
Sturridge's appearance, his 40th for the club, will trigger a final instalment of £500,000 due to Manchester City – the striker has now cost Chelsea £5.5m, with a further £1m to come if he represents his country – but Roman Abramovich will consider that a minor expense if this team have been shrugged out of their malaise. The 21-year-old has been a bit-part player for too long. Five goals for the reserves in midweek in front of the manager, some 24 hours after the first-team had lost dismally to Wolves, and a knock to Didier Drogba presented him with an opportunity he took gleefully.
Chelsea were already ahead by then through Salomon Kalou's tap-in after Nicolas Anelka's shot had dribbled through Marton Fulop when, some 60 seconds later, Sturridge stole space ahead of Darren O'Dea and back-healed José Bosingwa's centre beyond the goalkeeper. His second, curled home brilliantly from just inside the area, capped the frenzy of Chelsea goals around the interval.
Sturridge has now scored nine times for this club, albeit always against lower-end or demoralised opponents and rarely at critical moments, but he may now earn the opportunity to make his mark against better rivals. "Every player has to be ready when the moment arrives," said Ancelotti. "Daniel deserved to play and did well. In the future he'll have opportunities."
Just as pleasing were Anelka's first goal after 10 scoreless matches and the brace by Frank Lampard. Chelsea had managed 11 goals in the previous 13 matches. The glut will have reminded them of their quality.
Ipswich were outclassed, their caretaker manager Ian McParland helpless on the touchline. They had arrived with confidence shredded after a solitary win in nine league games that has dragged them towards the Championship's relegation zone. Roy Keane's departure last Thursday, on the same day that Chelsea were reiterating their backing for Ancelotti, has left them rudderless. "I live in the real world," said McParland. "The boys are a bit shell-shocked after the manager went, so we were either going to give a good account of ourselves or take a right thrashing. Unfortunately it was the latter."
Paul Jewell's appointment as successor should be confirmed within the next 24 hours, with the former Wigan manager attempting to lure Wally Downes from West Ham as his assistant. Jewell will watch Wednesday's daunting visit of Arsenal in the Carling Cup semi-final from the relative safety of the stands. "Whoever comes in has a very tough job," added McParland, whose own future at the club is inevitably in considerable doubt. "I just hope he's in by Wednesday."
The team Jewell inherits will need reviving, even if this was not the occasion to judge them fairly. Theyhad caused flutters of anxiety in the opening half-hour but, once two behind, they disintegrated. Carlos Edwards inadvertently flicked Lampard's free-kick into the corner, with Anelka converting his first goal since 3 November just after the break. Fulop was motionless as Lampard scored from outside the area 12 minutes from time and was exposed again as the midfielder prodded in his second moments later.
The goalkeeper had done well to prevent the hosts' tally stretching into double figures. The Hungarian had conceded seven on his last visit here, with Sunderland a year ago, and must wonder what all this talk of Chelsea enduring a slump actually means. Not that Ancelotti will relax just yet.
Abramovich is due back in the country this week after the Russian holiday and will speak to his manager, with all parties aware that Chelsea's momentum must now be transferred to the league. "We are all feeling better but nothing's changed," said Ancelotti. "We hope the bad moment has gone but we have to wait to see or not." This has to be the start of the recovery.

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Sun:

Chelsea 7 Ipswich 0
By ROB BEASLEY

GOALS six and seven would have pleased Carlo Ancelotti the most.
Yes, the first five must have given the under-fire Chelsea boss an over-whelming sense of relief.
But the last two provided an uplifting feeling of hope - because they were scored by the club's amazing talisman Frank Lampard.
And history tells us that when Super Frank is in business, then the Blues are in business.
If anyone needed any further proof of that - other than three league titles, three FA Cups, two Carling Cups and 161 goals - then this season has delivered it in huge capital letters.
Frank has been sidelined for 3½ months this season and boy has he been missed.
The England star, 32, helped Chelsea get off to a flier in August before he tore a tendon in his groin.
Then he had to sit back and, along with the rest of us, watch in amazement as the Double winners imploded.
Remember this was only Chelsea's third win in 12 games - the Blues' worst run of results for 15 years.
That's no blip, that's a full-blown crisis.
It has seen the Londoners slump alarmingly from five points clear at the top to fifth in the table and out of the Champions League places.
Had the Cup holders suffered a humiliating defeat at home to managerless Ipswich, it could have ended with Ancelotti following Roys, Keane and Hodgson, through the managerial exit door.
Now it may be the first step to recovery - with Lampard leading, as always, from the front.
For once this term, it was a day when just about everything went right for Ancelotti.
He promoted Daniel Sturridge to the starting line-up and the youngster performed well and scored twice.
He played Nicolas Anelka through the middle and he responded with a goal and an assist. And he kept faith with the infuriatingly inconsistent Salomon Kalou - and even he scored.
For the first 30 minutes, it appeared as if this might be yet another uncomfortable afternoon for Chelsea.
Ipswich actually started brightly before capitulating spectacularly.
Two goals in a minute shattered the Tractor Boys and it was the impressive Anelka who unlocked the door.
He dribbled into the box and unleashed a low shot that keeper Marton Fulop managed to get a hand to but could not stop rolling towards goal.
Just for good measure, Kalou slid in to nudge the ball over the line. The home fans were still celebrating when the lively Sturridge cleverly flicked home Jose Bosingwa's low cross from the right.
And when the unfortunate Carlos Edwards nodded a Lampard free-kick into his own net just before the break this tie was all over as a contest - with Chelsea heading to Everton in the fourth round.
Anelka made it four with a fine shot across Fulop into the far corner of the net and, moments later, Sturridge was on hand to seize his second.
The icing on the cake was a late double from Lampard.
With 12 minutes to go, he crashed home from inside the box and his huge grin told the world how much that meant to him.
Soon afterwards he was guiding in a driven cross from Branislav Ivanovic to show he is back in full flow and - just maybe - the champions are back on track.

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Star:

CHELSEA 7 - IPSWICH 0 - CARLO ANCELOTTI'S STILL PICK OF CROP
By David Woods

IT WAS men against ­Tractor Boys as Chelsea harvested seven goals to help lift Carlo Ancelotti out of the muck.
Ipswich – 19th in the ­Championship and without a manager following Thursday’s axeing of Roy Keane – proved the perfect lambs to the slaughter for the son of a farmer.
Doubles from Daniel Sturridge and Frank Lampard, strikes from ­Salomon Kalou and Nicolas ­Anelka and a Carlos Edwards own-goal boosted the worried west ­Londoners.
Prior to this clash, the Blues had won just two out of 11 matches, with Ancelotti, not surprisingly, ­declining to say this Sunday stroll meant all his problems were over.
“We have to give the same ­performance next week against Blackburn,” said the Italian.
“We have some things we can do better. There were differences in the first 30 minutes to the other 60. We were a bit worried, less ­confident in that first period.
“When we scored the first goal, everything was OK, but we have to play more games to say the bad moment has gone.”
You had to pity Ipswich keeper Marton Fulop. ­Yesterday’s match came just a week shy of a year since he last played at Stamford Bridge – a 7-2 mauling with ­Sunderland.
That he was the visitors’ best player said something about the performances of those in front of him!
It had looked like another ­dubious day for Double ­winners Chelsea when ­out-of-sorts Anelka leaned back too far and lofted over with the goal gaping.
But the Frenchman was hugely instrumental in the opening goal in the 32nd minute, surging into the box after a pass from ­Sturridge ­before producing a low ­sidefooted shot which Fulop ­managed to half-stop.
However, Kalou was alert enough to follow up and tap into the ­unguarded net.
A minute later Sturridge burst in front of Darren O’Dea at the near post to flick home Jose Bosingwa’s cross before Edwards glanced a Lampard free-kick into his own net.
In the 49th minute Anelka at last got in on the act, arrowing a low shot into the far corner after ­Sturridge had set him up in the box.
It was the former Arsenal ­striker’s first goal since he notched, also in the same minute, against Spartak Moscow on November 3, though that strike was followed by 10 blanks.
Sturridge claimed his second in the 52nd minute when Ipswich’s ­defenders stood off him, allowing the hitman to send a dipping drive over the unprotected Fulop. They did exactly the same in the 78th minute, giving Lampard bags of room to rifle high into the net from the edge of the box following a Bosingwa corner.
A minute later Lampard claimed his second, this time poking home from close range after Branislav Ivanovic’s ball across the box.
Fulop did well late on to keep out a close-range effort from Gael Kakuta and a fierce drive from Anelka.
Ipswich face Arsenal in the first leg of their Carling Cup ­semi-­final on Wednesday, with Paul Jewell ­expected to be in charge by then.
“The new manager’s got a very tough job and I hope he’s in by Wednesday,” said caretaker boss Ian McParland.
Ancelotti’s job got a bit easier ­yesterday … but not by much.

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wolves 0-1

Mail:

Wolves 1 Chelsea 0:

Ancelotti future in grave doubt after Bosingwa own goal inflicts yet more damage to title defence
By Neil Moxley


Clad from tip to toe in black, Carlo Ancelotti had obviously dressed for the occasion.
Save for a very dark blue shirt and matching tie, the Italian's sombre attire reflected Chelsea's mood as the champions of English football trudged dejectedly away from a tumultuous Molineux. The colour of his clothing may be symbolic, too, as the Italian's weakening grasp on his job matched that of his side's hold on their Barclays Premier League crown.Never mind beating Manchester United in March. Defeating a Wolves team that was bottom of the pile proved beyond Ancelotti and his increasingly disillusioned bunch, who look anything like title contenders.Short of confidence, lacking in defence and attack, there was none of the swagger that has been the trademark of Chelsea sides of the past.Passes went astray, chances were missed and offered up more in keeping with teams in relegation trouble. And now it just remains to be seen just how long and how deep the slump is.
The title has surely been conceded.
Nine points behind leaders United, who have a game in hand, and Sir Alex Ferguson would have enjoyed his claret last night as the final score filtered through.Not that Wolves didn't deserve it. Given the fillip of Jose Bosingwa's fifth-minute own goal after defending at a corner that would have embarrassed schoolboys, Mick McCarthy's side chased down these points as a starving dog would trail a juicy bone.Ancelotti trotted out the normal platitudes. Yes, he was convinced about the character of the players. Yes, he thought that quality would shine through.But as must be pointed out, after one victory in nine and 10 points from the last 11 games, it looks as though the only place it is being demonstrated is on the training fields at Cobham. This is the club's worst run since 1995-96.
Why, Chelsea's boss even guaranteed this victory in the pre-match build-up. He looked a little sheepish after the final whistle. McCarthy wore a wry smile. 'I did mention it,' he said when quizzed.'I made a mistake,' said Ancelotti, 'but I did say that. I said it because I know this team very well. I don't see there is a problem in this squad. They are working hard with a good spirit but I think it's not enough. We have to maintain confidence.'I'm sure that this moment will change and we will be able to fight for everything. But it's not a good season. We can still fight for a lot of things . . . it's difficult to come back in the Premier League. But we still have the FA Cup and the Champions League.'Asked about his own situation he added: 'What can I say? I would be surprised (to be sacked) but it is not my decision. I hope I can continue in this job because I'd like to stay here because I have a good relationship with the players and the club.'For the visitors, it was a similar defeat to that suffered in November at St Andrew's. At least, the scoreline was similar.
There were chances. At least three in the second half that, when the confidence is flowing and finishing is instinctive rather than considered, would have been put away.But Wolves keeper Wayne Hennessey only really enjoyed one hairy moment towards the end of the first half, fortunately sticking out his right boot to deflect a slowly rolling ball around the post.Three opportunities - good ones - came and went as two one-onones ended with shots being screwed wide. Didier Drogba smacked a post with the other.It took more than a regulation stop from Cech as early as the fourth minute to prevent Ronald Zubar, Wolves' right back, finding the net with a 30-yard drive off his less favoured left foot.
The defender controlled Branislav Ivanovic's header clear from a weak corner before swinging a shot that took a deflection and forced Chelsea's keeper to push the ball for another corner.If that was slack, what followed was even worse. Hunt's corner kick carried just about enough strength to reach the near post. Somehow it evaded Ashley Cole, who appeared to jump out of the ball's way.It bounced before deflecting into the net off the knee of Bosingwa, no more than a yard from goal. McCarthy was scarcely able to believe his luck.'Look, we are more than likely only going to have 10 really good days in a season,' said the Wolves boss. 'The rest of the time we are going to have to put up with feeling absolutely rubbish in the morning. So let's enjoy this. It was a fantastic effort and fantastic result for us. John Terry said we shouldn't be in the bottom three as we were coming off and I happen to agree with him.'But let's have it right. We go to Manchester City next. That should be a piece of cake, shouldn't it?'

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Sun:

Wolves 1 Chelsea 0
By DEAN SCOGGINS

CARLO ANCELOTTI'S cocky statement Chelsea would WIN at Wolves backfired as the champions' title hopes went up in smoke.

Jose Bosingwa's early own goal sent the Blues to a woeful defeat against Mick McCarthy's side, who were bottom at kick-off.
Italian boss Ancelotti said before this match: "We will not lose. We will win. There's no more pressure on me."
Well, Rafa Benitez once guaranteed a fourth-place finish at Liverpool just over a year ago - and we all know what happened to him.
Ancelotti is now hanging on by a thread, after all, his predecessors were sacked with better records.
Chelsea are bottom of the form table and have won only once in nine games. Hardly the stuff of champions.
What on earth did they do in sacking Ray Wilkins?
The last time Chelsea triumphed away from home was at Blackburn in October - 10 days before No 2 Wilkins' shock axe - and they are nine points behind Manchester United having played a game more.
But perhaps more relevant now, they are three points behind Spurs who occupy the fourth spot.
It is not only the fact they lost to Wolves that will worry owner Roman Abramovich and the Chelsea fans but the manner in which they went down.
Wolves were hungrier, worked harder and showed more togetherness than a side that looked like they would swagger their way to another title earlier in the season.
Frank Lampard was anonymous, John Terry wasteful in possession, Ashley Cole awful and Didier Drogba outmuscled.
And as for Ramires, Brazil must be struggling in midfield for him to get capped.
But credit must go to Wolves who did exactly what was required.
Home fans have been used to seeing early goals - usually against their team. This time McCarthy's side were rewarded for their frenetic start.
Right-back Ronald Zubar, who bounced back from an own-goal last week in impressive fashion, bounded forward on to Terry's headed clearance and brought a fantastic save from Petr Cech.
The Chelsea keeper was wrong-footed by a slight deflection off Ramires but managed to push round the post to his left.
But from the corner, Wolves led - and both Chelsea full-backs were hanging their heads.
Cole missed Stephen Hunt's low corner to the near post and as Cech could only watch on, Bosingwa poked into his own net under pressure from Steven Fletcher.
Chelsea were all over the place, the body language was terrible and Wolves were winning all the one-to-ones.
Kevin Doyle, who never stopped running, then fired at Cech after the seemingly possessed Zubar robbed Cole of possession.
Keeper Wayne Hennessey was the next Wolves player to excel. Florent Malouda crossed low and Salomon Kalou poked an effort at goal from six yards.
The Wales No 1 was heading across goal but somehow managed to stick out a leg to deflect it wide.
Blues skipper Terry was very fortunate to avoid a card for shoving Hunt on the back of the neck as he held up play by carrying the ball in hand after a foul.
Chelsea were out at least three minutes before Wolves for the second half - obviously after some harsh words from Ancelotti.
Michael Essien fired over from 30 yards before Kalou brought a comfortable save from Hennessey.
And on 53 minutes, Kalou should have levelled.
Lampard's back-heel split the Wolves defence but the Ivorian striker fired across goal.
Drogba did hit a post just after the hour as Chelsea upped the tempo. But Wolves then hit the woodwork themselves with Hunt's whipped free-kick.
Wolves looked dangerous on the break while Chelsea failed to break them down.
Drogba's free-kick that hit feet in the wall in added time summed up Chelsea.
Wolves, however, epitomised their boss - stubborn, hard working and with quality to back it up. And their first Prem win over the Blues lifted them out of the drop zone.
Ancelotti stood waving his hands on the touchline wearing what looked like an undertaker's jacket.
Chelsea's title hopes can now rest in peace - or should that be 'in pieces'?

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Star:

BOSINGWA HAS ANCELOTTI CHOKING ON HIS WORDS

Wolves 1 - Chelsea 0

By Dave Armitage

COCKY Carlo Ancelotti must have been wishing he’d kept his mouth shut just minutes into this game.
The under-pressure Chelsea boss was in no doubt that his men would win this match and didn’t mind who knew about it.
So goodness knows what was going through Ancelotti’s mind after his ­out-of-form side did the unthinkable – conceded early on and lost against the basement boys.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich can only be thinking of one thing after such a nosedive in form for the Premier League champions.
The fact that the Blues were playing a Wolves side who had started the night at the very bottom of the table only heaped more pressure on Ancelotti.
The Italian tried to quell the storm ­raging around him by publicly ­declaring that Chelsea would see off Wolves.
But five minutes into the proceedings against a side rooted at the bottom of the table, he was left choking on his words.
The unthinkable, suddenly became ­reality and a Jose Bosingwa own goal in the fifth minute had his struggling ­champions on the back foot.
What a difference a couple of months can make.
When Chelsea beat Wolves 2-0 at ­Stamford Bridge back in October it gave Ancelotti’s men a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
But they were absolutely rocked on their heels right at the beginning of this must-win match when Bosingwa ­ deflected the ball into his own net from a corner.
Chelsea were in a panic right from the very second Ronald Zubar decided to take a pot-shot from 25 yards.
He ripped it towards goal and Petr Cech did well to go full length to his left to tip Zubar’s scorcher around the post for a corner.
That was only the start of their ­troubles as Stephen Hunt whipped an ­inswinging corner towards the foot of the post. ­
Ashley Cole missed it as it bounced no more than a yard out and as Stephen Fletcher moved in to pounce, Bosingwa intervened.
Unfortunately for him, he only managed to shin it into the net and though Fletcher peeled away with arms raised, replays showed that he hadn’t got a touch.
Wolves weren’t bothered about the finer points of who actually scored, the goal had given them a dream start against a side with good reason to be experiencing a crisis of confidence.
They might be champions but their form is anything but – and a haul of just 10 points from the previous possible 30 available has completely undermined their title hopes.
Just one win in eight had seen them slip out of the top four and Wolves boss Mick McCarthy didn’t need to tell his side that there might never be a better time to put them to the sword.
McCarthy’s men had already enjoyed some success against bigger sides in the Premier League having grabbed wins against Manchester City and Liverpool.
Despite Ancelotti’s cocky pre-match prediction that his side would win, the Wolves boss had told his squad that the Londoners would be nervy – and how right he was.
Chelsea tried to hit back immediately after Wolves’ goal, Didier Drogba tracing his way across ­the length of the 18-yard box in his efforts to get a shot in.
Eventually he found the gap he needed but Dave Edwards dived in to the rescue with a superb block.
In the 10th minute, Ramires had a strong appeal for a penalty after tumbling in a challenge with Hunt, but referee Mark Halsey waved them aside and gave a foul in the home side’s favour. Then it was Cech in action again, ­making a fairly ­routine save to stop a 20-yard angled drive from Kevin Doyle.
Chelsea were unlucky not to get ­themselves level on the half hour when only keeper Wayne ­Hennessey’s studs saved the day.
Florent Malouda cut Wolves open with an incisive cross across the box which was met by Salomon Kalou who dived to reach it.
He sent the keeper the wrong way with his shot but the Wales international ­managed to re-adjust, sticking out his foot to get a crucial faint touch which stopped it going in.
Chelsea’s urgency to get back on level terms was plain for all to see and ­Hennessey was forced to save low down soon after half-time when Ashley Cole sent in a low shot from the left.
Wolves had a real let off in the 53rd minute when Frank Lampard split them open with the deftest of back heels which sent Kalou clear.
Kalou managed to take Hennessey out of the equation but, unforgivably, he sliced it wide of the target and a great ­opportunity ended up being wasted.
Chelsea were pressing hard as Wolves struggled to maintain any sort of decisive possession and the warning signs were there for an equaliser.
Kalou had ­another attempt at goal in the 53rd minute, meeting Bosingwa’s cross but failing to get enough power behind his header and, again, Hennessey was ­allowed to make a routine save.
But the more Wolves found themselves under pressure, the more Chelsea risked being hit on the counter-attack.
Nonetheless, Drogba gave them another scare when he hit the foot of the post with a shot on the turn in the 68th minute.


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Guardian:

Chelsea bottom out at Wolves after José Bosingwa calamity

Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 Chelsea 0
Stuart James at Molineux

Carlo Ancelotti claimed he was "lucky" to still be in a job before this game but good fortune only lasts so long. The Chelsea manager was left clinging on to his position after his side suffered a humiliating defeat that exposed the brittle confidence within their ranks and the alarming depths to which the champions have fallen. Nine points behind Manchester United and having played a game more, their title challenge looks to be over.
Ancelotti stated beforehand that Chelsea "will win" but there was no sign of that belief in his players on a sobering night for the visitors. The Italian barely had time to get acquainted with the touchline area where he spent most of the evening looking a lonely and dejected figure when José Bosingwa put through his own net. Chelsea had 84 minutes to turn the game around but there was no reprieve for Ancelotti or his beleaguered players.
They have now won one out of nine in the league and collected 10 points from their past 11 games, a run of form that would normally be associated with a club in a relegation battle and represents their poorest sequence of results since the 1995-96 season. This fixture, against a team that started the day bottom of the league, was viewed as the ideal opportunity for Chelsea to turn their season around. Instead it merely served to emphasise just how deep-rooted the malaise is at the club.
Chelsea were not without their chances but the ruthless touch in front of goal was badly missing. Salomon Kalou, who had earlier been denied by an instinctive save from Wayne Hennessey, should have scored when he was one-on-one with the Wolves goalkeeper in the second half but dragged his shot beyond the far post. Didier Drogba later struck the foot of the upright and Florent Malouda wasted a wonderful chance when he speared wide.
Yet this was no Chelsea hard-luck story. Afterwards Ancelotti's players were queuing up to tell Mick McCarthy, the Wolves manager, how well the home team had played. "Drogba said: 'Well done, you deserved it, you were better than us,'" McCarthy said afterwards. "[John] Terry said we were as good as anyone they've played home and away and shouldn't be where we are – but I don't think he knew we were out of the bottom three."
Wolves' breakthrough arrived inside six minutes and it was a shambolic way for Chelsea to go behind. Having seen Petr Cech make a splendid save to turn Ronald Zubar's 35-yard shot behind, Ancelotti looked on in disbelief as his side conceded in farcical circumstances from the corner that followed. Ashley Cole failed to cut out Stephen Hunt's inswinging kick at the near post and the ball bounced off Bosingwa's left shin and into the net.
It was a calamitous start and one that Chelsea struggled to recover from during a first half when Wolves spent long periods defending but rarely looked in serious trouble of conceding an equaliser. The visitors had no shortage of possession but it was a measure of their lack of penetration in and around the Wolves penalty area that Hennessey had only one notable save to make before the interval.
That pattern changed for a period after the restart as Chelsea began to pin Wolves back and cut through them. The best of their opportunities fell to Kalou in the 53rd minute but the Ivorian, set free by Frank Lampard's exquisite backheel, clipped the ball past the advancing Hennessey and wide. Kalou was withdrawn not long afterwards and it was no surprise that the hugely disappointing Ramires soon joined him on the substitutes' bench.
There were certainly no passengers in the Wolves team. McCarthy's players worked tirelessly, pressing Chelsea all over the pitch and chasing lost causes. "Their effort and endeavour is always there," said McCarthy. "They don't leave a drop on the pitch and I'm hugely thankful and proud of that. Sometimes there's a lack of quality and they make mistakes, but so do I. What they give me is fabulous."
The result lifts Wolves out of the relegation zone and completes a bizarre festive period during which McCarthy's players have won at Anfield and beat the champions but lost to Wigan and West Ham. "We might go up and down like a fiddler's elbow but it is nice to be out [of the bottom three]," said McCarthy. "We're probably going to have 10 good days out of 38. The rest of the time I go home feeling shite." Ancelotti knows how he feels.


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Independent:

Clouds gather over Ancelotti as Wolves dig in for famous win

Wolverhampton Wanderers 1 Chelsea 0
By Phil Shaw at Molineux

Chelsea's bleak midwinter entered an icy new depression here last night. "We will win," manager Carlo Ancelotti had promised – yet it was Wolves, who propped up the entire Premier League at kick off, who took the spoils, clinging to them for 85 minutes after Jose Bosingwa's unwitting own goal.
This latest catastrophe for last season's Double winners effectively ended their title challenge. After taking just 10 points from 11 matches – their worst run since 1995-96 – Chelsea stand nine adrift of Manchester United and have played a game more. Sunderland, whose victory at Aston Villa helped Wolves out of the relegation zone, lie only two points behind Chelsea, threatening the top-four spot they have long taken for granted.
Afterwards, Ancelotti insisted "nothing is lost" at this stage, though he added grimly:
"Obviously it is going to be difficult to come back in the League, but there's still the Champions' League and FA Cup. We have to keep fighting but the gap is not so good."
Asked whether he would be surprised if he was sacked, the Italian replied: "Yes. But it's not my decision. I hope I can continue in the job. I have a good relationship with the players and they have the skill and character to move on."
As for his rash prediction, Ancelotti shrugged and conceded: "I did a mistake." His Wolves counterpart Mick McCarthy admitted he "did mention it" in his pre-match talk. He added: "We'll probably have only 10 good days out of 38 in a season. The rest of the time we have to put up with feeling bad."
McCarthy, who had to separate Didier Drogba from Chelsea bête noire Stephen Hunt at the final whistle, also savoured an unexpected compliment from the losers. "John Terry told me, 'You're as good a team as we've played all season and you shouldn't be where you are'. I don't think he knew we were out of the bottom three!"
The goal arrived before Chelsea could show the renewed vigour Ancelotti detected against Villa and Bolton. Petr Cech had already been forced to make a desperate save from a long, swerving drive by Ronald Zubar. From the corner, driven low to the near post by Hunt, Steven Fletcher flicked the ball on, whereupon it hit Bosingwa on the shins and shot into the net.
Hunt's role added to the chagrin of Chelsea's followers. Their booing indicated they have not forgiven the Irishman for his involvement in the incident at Reading which resulted in Cech sustaining a serious head injury in 2006. Nor, it seemed, had Terry. After Hunt was penalised in the first half, he picked the ball up as he protested his innocence to referee Mark Halsey. The Chelsea captain, never to be outdone in the petulance stakes, grabbed at the scruff of Hunt's neck before Mr Halsey called them together for a ticking off.
For Wolves, the challenge once they had scored was to keep a clean sheet, which they had managed only twice previously. However, Birmingham had also struck early against Chelsea, holding on to win 1-0 in November, and the contest swiftly began to resemble the one at St Andrew's, the visitors piling forward and the home crowd cheering every tackle and clearance.
As the pressure intensified, Salomon Kalou came close to an equaliser midway through the first half when he connected with Florent Malouda's cross at the near post. Wayne Hennessey somehow kept the ball out with an outstretched foot.
Hennessey, like Ben Foster at Birmingham, appeared inspired by the task of defying Chelsea, who resumed their territorial dominance after the break. In the 53rd minute a one-two between Kalou and Frank Lampard led to the England player playing in his team-mate with a back-heeled pass. Faced by the onrushing keeper, Kalou angled his shot narrowly wide.
Drogba's contribution to Ancelotti's cause had not been conspicuous, but in the 66th minute he turned sharply and beat Hennessey from 10 yards. To Wolves' relief, the ball struck the base off the post.
Chelsea's anguish would have been deeper still had Hunt scored, and it almost happened in the 70th minute. This time, as his 20-yard free-kick smacked the angle of post and bar, the woodwork rescued Cech. Whether Ancelotti can save himself remains to be seen. It appears Roman Abramovich will either have to back him, funding some big spending in the transfer market, or send him the way of Jose Mourinho and Big Phil Scolari.

Wolverhampton Wanderers (4-4-2): Hennessey; Zubar, Stearman, Berra, Elokobi; Hunt, Foley, Edwards, Jarvis; Doyle (Ward, 70), Fletcher (Ebanks-Blake, 69, Milijas, 82). Substitutes not used Hahnemann (gk), Jones, Batth, Doherty.

Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole; Ramires (Sturridge, 72), Essien, Lampard; Kalou (Anelka, 66), Drogba, Malouda (Kakuta, 79). Substitutes not used Turnbull (gk), Ferreira, Bruma, McEachran.

Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire).
Match rating 7/10.
Man of the match Hunt.
Attendance 26,432.

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aston villa 3-3

Telegraph:

Chelsea 3 Aston Villa 3

By Henry Winter


They thought it was all over. But Chelsea celebrated too soon. It’s never over until the final peep from the man in black: not in the Premier League, not in this division of relentless commitment, and certainly not with Aston Villa sensing the champions’ enduring vulnerability.When Carlo Ancelotti had finished revelling in John Terry’s 89th-minute goal, cavorting on the pitch like a better dressed David Pleat, Villa simply stormed back. Chelsea’s defence had dozed off, seemingly still basking in the glow of Terry’s goal, allowing Ciaran Clark to steal in and prise a deserved point. Chelsea’s stop-start season was held up again in stoppage time.Now it was Villa dancing a jig, leaping up and down in front of their jubilant support. This was a match of extraordinary scenes, of Villa racking up a £25,000 fine for six bookings before the break, of hapless performances by the likes of Paulo Ferreira, whose eventual replacement by Jose Bosingwa felt like a mercy subbing by Ancelotti. Such was Ferreira’s relief that he planted a kiss on Bosingwa’s face.This was the sort of electric, mistake-riddled game that makes the Premier League drama so intoxicating for the global viewing audience, loving all the thrills, spills and hissy-fits. Even after the final whistle, the spectacle continued with Terry and Didier Drogba arguing and then making up. Again. Terry and Drogba are fast becoming the Taylor and Burton of west London.Terry actually rallied Chelsea well in the second half, but the best displays could be found cloaked in claret and blue. Brad Friedel was exceptional in goal, conceding three goals but saving as many with some remarkable stops.Richard Dunne’s return to the back line brought organisation and defiance. The versatile Clark excelled at left-back. Stewart Downing was tireless up and down the right, tracking Ashley Cole’s runs and contributing to Villa’s forward momentum. In attack, Emile Heskey was immense, scoring and providing.Although the points were shared, this felt like a triumph for Villa, and in particular their manager, Gérard Houllier, who has been criticised for recent poor results and displays. Not here. Villa fans sang his praises. Houllier successfully preyed on the weaknesses in Chelsea’s defence, unleashing Heskey on Jeffrey Bruma, and targeting Ferreira with Gabriel Agbonlahor and Clark.Houllier’s approach worked, particularly the recall of Dunne. The Frenchman has had issues with certain players, including the Irishman, but there was no sign of any lack of team unity here. Villa looked very much together as they responded to Houllier’s game plan. They have some terrific youngsters, and Marc Albrighton again confirmed his promise with a lively late cameo, but the older heads such as Dunne were vital on Sunday.Being positive, Chelsea are now unbeaten in two but a clearer picture is provided by a league run that reads L L D D D L W D, seven points from 24 for a side hailed before the game by Terry as “the best team in the country”. Chelsea lie fifth, six points behind Manchester United, who boast a game in hand and have yet to find top gear. Unless Chelsea stir sharpish, that March 1 game at the Bridge will come too late, let alone May 7 at Old Trafford.Myriad reasons have been ventured for Chelsea’s travails, from Ray Wilkins’s ludicrous sacking to the loss of Ricardo Carvalho to Real Madrid. Chelsea have so missed the centre-half and Alex’s long-term injury and Branislav Ivanovic’s one-game ban left them vulnerable in the air.Chelsea started brightly enough, taking the lead on 23 minutes. After Ramires and Frank Lampard had combined, Florent Malouda contested an aerial ball with James Collins. The Villa defender undoubtedly fouled Malouda, who milked the contact. Lampard drove the penalty past Friedel: 1-0.This was a “roller-coaster of emotions”, according to Houllier, whose team responded well. Shortly before the break, Ferreira dithered in possession and Clark closed him down, deflecting the right-back’s attempted clearance into the box. As Nigel Reo-Coker sought to address the ball, Michael Essien brought him down and Ashley Young calmly converted the penalty: 1-1.Villa maintained their confident form after the break. When Young worked the ball to Downing out wide within two minutes of the restart, Chelsea failed to man the barricades. Downing eluded Cole and crossed right-footed for Heskey to leap above Bruma and score: 1-2.Chelsea urgently needed galvanising. The fans responded, loudly reminding the players they were champions. Drogba’s effort was blocked by Dunne. Ramires shot wide. Villa’s resilience was superb. Dunne denied Malouda, whose ensuing corner was headed clear by Collins. Friedel was magnificent, thwarting Lampard and Malouda. Clark denied the disappointing Nicolas Anelka.But the pressure told six minutes from time. After Friedel had saved from Salomon Kalou, Drogba pounced on the loose ball, driving it in: 2-2. When Essien crossed in the 89th minute, Drogba’s header caused chaos and there was Terry driving Chelsea ahead: 3-2.Villa refused to yield. A minute into injury time, Albrighton cleverly worked a yard of space and lifted the ball towards the far post. Cole was too busy appealing for offside rather than following Clark, who stole in to head Villa level: 3-3.
And soon it really was all over


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Independent:

Chelsea revival halted as Villa discover their fighting spirit

Chelsea 3 Aston Villa 3

By Sam Wallace at Stamford Bridge


By the time Carlo Ancelotti emerged from the huddle of Chelsea players celebrating their third goal yesterday he was 10 paces past the touchline and about five minutes from one of the most important wins at the club. He patted his hair back into place, took a moment to compose himself and then watched as his team threw it away all over again.It was a wonderful match and a very early contender for the best game of 2011 but for Ancelotti it must have felt like he was trapped in a recurring nightmare. It turns out that Wednesday's victory over Bolton Wanderers was not the moment that Chelsea exited their twilight zone of bad results; they are still capable of tossing away points as the title race heats up.Judging by his players' reaction to John Terry's 89th-minute goal, Ancelotti remains popular among his players, although history will tell him that does not guarantee Chelsea managers longevity. What he needs now is a run of wins and none more important than when the leaders Manchester United visit west London on 1 March.It was in the bag at 3-2 to Chelsea just before the fourth official put up the board to announce five minutes of injury time at the end of the match. Didier Drogba had battled his way back from a miserable performance to score the equaliser with six minutes left. Then when Chelsea's Captain Collision scored the third goal it looked like they had nailed that famous win to climb closer to United.That they did not was a testament to a Villa team who looked badly short of anything that might loosely be described as fighting spirit in their defeat to Manchester City last week. But they had it yesterday, in outstanding performances from Brad Friedel, Emile Heskey and Ashley Young, right through to assistant Gary McAllister who spent the aftermath of Villa's celebrations offering to fight a member of the Chelsea staff.It is rare to see a game in which one team wants to win so badly that even in an indifferent run of form, and amid continued setbacks, they score a crucial goal in the last few minutes. But to watch both teams do it was one of those occasional privileges that the Premier League offers up to remind us how much we love it – in spite of all its faults.It was a performance that did more for the Villa manager, Gérard Houllier, than it did for Ancelotti who came out later wearing that slightly shell-shocked expression that accompanies Chelsea's more careless performances. Houllier had the puffed-up demeanour of a man who thinks that he is on the brink of being proved right.Villa still have a long way back after a run before yesterday of five defeats in six games although it was impossible not to be impressed by the way in which they took the match to Chelsea. Heskey went through one of those temporary transformations when he plays more like Drogba than the Heskey who was such a frustration for all those years – although his form has been much better under Houllier.Young took the game to Ashley Cole down Villa's right and was the outstanding player of the first half, scoring Villa's equaliser four minutes before the break. With a 2-1 lead and Chelsea coming at them in the second half it was the likes of Friedel and Richard Dunne who rose to the occasion and it was right that they went home with a point at least.When Ciaran Clark, another fine performer for Villa, flicked his 91st-minute equaliser past Petr Cech, the cameras at Stamford Bridge picked out Randy Lerner, the Villa owner, jumping into the embrace of his chief executive Paul Faulkner. It was a great moment that showed football's power to make even billionaires behave like beery teenagers – just a pity we do not see a bit more of it from Chelsea's Russian custodian.If Ancelotti was looking for signs that his team are gearing up for the last 18 league games of the season then there was an encouraging performance from Frank Lampard in just his third start since August, while Terry, coaxing Jeffrey Bruma through the 19-year-old centre-half's first league start, did not win everything against Heskey but his was an influential display nonetheless.Villa picked up six bookings in the first half, seven in the entire game, which means they get an automatic £25,000 fine from the Football Association. They earned two arguing with referee Lee Mason when he awarded a penalty against James Collins on 23 minutes for jumping on top of Florent Malouda in the area. It looked marginally the right call. Lampard smashed in the penalty.Despite that Villa had the best of the first half although they might have had a couple more bookings including Heskey, subsequently cautioned in the second half, for a late challenge on Terry. No arguments about Paulo Ferreira's clumsy tackle on Clark that earned Villa a penalty, Young putting it away.A combination of his earlier foul on Cole, and then an exuberant goal celebration, earned the Villa winger the recognition of the home crowd. "Whose the w***** in the snood?" was the chant – the first time, but surely not the last, we will hear that one. It was Young's ball from left to right to Stewart Downing two minutes after the break that was crossed to Heskey, who beat Bruma to head in Villa's second.At 2-1 down we saw the best of Chelsea and were it not for Friedel they would have overwhelmed Villa. He saved brilliantly from Lampard after the hour and stopped a shot from substitute Salomon Kalou in the build-up to Drogba's goal. When it rebounded to the striker in the 84th minute he drilled in a low shot that eluded four Villa players.Terry's goal in the 89th minute originated when substitute Marc Albrighton lost the ball but it was Albrighton who subsequently crossed for Villa's dramatic equaliser. Chelsea misjudged their offside line and Cole allowed Clark to sneak in and score. It was a breathtaking end to a great game, although as Chelsea's players left amid recriminations that looked like no consolation to them at all.


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Guardian:

Aston Villa's Ciaran Clark claims dramatic draw against Chelsea


It is not only the Premier League title that is being removed from Chelsea. Their very identity is being stripped from them. Having come from behind to take a 3-2 lead in the 89th minute they were still incapable of winning.At present the principal ambition for Carlo Ancelotti's side is to overtake Tottenham Hotspur and seize the last of the Champions League places. Aston Villa, far more spirited than anticipated, always had cause for hope since their opponents' defence was uncertain.That fallibility would verge on the absurd in the first minute of stoppage time as an ummarked Ciaran Clark headed in a cross from Marc Albrighton. The notion of a Chelsea side unable to attend to the basics confounds every assumption associated with the club since the appointment of José Mourinho as manager.Even so, this outcome also reflected a spiritedness on Villa's part that was remarkable considering they were taking only their fifth away point of the campaign. The manner in which that outcome was reached angered Chelsea as much as it dismayed them, with Didier Drogba and John Terry arguing with each other at the end.Such a scene could never have been predicted. The centre-half Richard Dunne was reinstated in Gérard Houllier's line-up for a first appearance since 6 December but, while that amounted to an upgrade of the Villa defence, it is still true that three goals at home should suffice for a win. Chelsea could cite mitigating circumstances since they were without Alex and Branislav Ivanovic in defence but this fallibility could never have been anticipated, even though the 19-year-old centre-half Jeffrey Bruma was given his first start in the Premier League.Chelsea's flaw lay in an inability to impose themselves on visitors whose away form has been so fruitless. Given that context, Villa ought to have been devastated when their 2-1 lead was overhauled late in the game. There was an onslaught in progress by then and, after Brad Friedel had made an outstanding save, Drogba still threaded the loose ball past several opponents in the 84th minute.Momentum then appeared to be sweeping the match towards a Chelsea win. Five minutes later there was still no prize for excellence by Friedel and, after he had denied a Drogba header, Terry followed up to convert with precision.The lapse that let Villa recover from that was baffling in its lack of the rigour that we take for granted in Chelsea. Presumably they had an offside trap in mind yet the effect was to let the visitors do as they pleased without any interruption. That ought to wound the pride of Ancelotti's line-up but flaws of one sort or another are no longer so startling, even if the course of this particular fixture was beyond anticipation.This outcome will incite further speculation over Ancelotti's future at Stamford Bridge. This should be absurd, given that his Chelsea side did the Double last season, but managers never feel secure under the Roman Abramovich regime, which saw even Mourinho reaching a point where he thought it best to leave. When they are actually dismissed, there is compensation to be paid but the process is still less expensive than acquiring the young equivalents of footballers such as Frank Lampard and Drogba. And few proprietors are ever keen to embark all over again on the sort of exorbitant purchasing of their early and enraptured days with a club.Abramovich's opposite number at Villa, Randy Lerner, also has self-sufficiency in mind as a long-term target, even if costly contracts make it impossible for the moment. His side opened here with much enterprise even with Emile Heskey alone in attack. The visitors played well and with some ambition but they had already conceded 22 goals away from home in the league and were sure to reveal that fallibility again. The brittleness, even so, took a strange form.At the opener James Collins leapt for a high ball by Lampard, made no contact and then collided with Florent Malouda. Lee Mason awarded the penalty, and after the saved effort from Drogba that prevented a win at White Hart Lane, Lampard resumed duty, converting in the 23rd minute. Villa's disquiet was witnessed, too, in seven bookings.They merited their equaliser, although Paulo Ferreira's poor clearance caused danger that continued with Michael Essien fouling Nigel Reo-Coker for a penalty that Ashley Young slotted home while sending Petr Cech the wrong way in the 41st minute. The visitors took the lead two minutes after the interval. Stewart Downing made space to cross from the right and his cross went beyond Bruma for the excellent Heskey to head home.Chelsea must have later thought they had put down an uprising by Villa but the old Stamford Bridge dominance had not been re-established.


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Mail:

Chelsea 3 Aston Villa 3:

Ciaran Clark keeps his head to score dramatic late leveller and inflict further damage on Chelsea's title bid

By Matt Barlow

Carlo Ancelotti was not expecting Ciaran Clark’s equal iser. Otherwise he would never have been tempted into such a frenzied celebration when John Terry fired Chelsea ahead two minutes earlier.Terry struck with 89 minutes on the clock and all the momentum was with the Barclays Premier League champions after they had fought back from behind.With six minutes to go, they had been trailing but Didier Drogba scored and Terry grabbed what looked sure to be the winner.Ancelotti skipped on to the pitch in his black trench coat, with his coaching team trailing behind him.This was a David Pleat moment. Arms aloft, he was mobbed by his players and seemed reluctant to retreat again.The Italian paused to savour the feeling and had to be reminded to go back to his bench so the game could restart. Minutes later, after Clark had nodded Marc Albrighton’s cross in at the back post, Ancelotti looked crushed and empty as he offered his hand to Gerard Houllier and turned down the tunnel.Some players couldn’t wait for the sanctuary of the dressing room before Terry and Petr Cech were locked in animated conversation, then the captain and Drogba.Fingers were pointed, voices were raised. How did it happen? More points dropped in the defence of the title, this time to a team in a rut of form as bad as their own.Chelsea have won twice in 10 Premier League games, they wake this morning in fifth place and the scrappy win against Bolton last week already seems a distant memory.Ancelotti admits the confidence has drained from his team and it showed as they struggled against a team they hit for seven at Stamford Bridge only nine months ago.They were flat from the start, failing to create anything and always looking vulnerable at the back, but were gifted the lead from the penalty spot when James Collins climbed clumsily over Florent Malouda, who collapsed theatrically.Villa’s players were incensed by Lee Mason’s decision. ‘It was harsh,’ said Houllier.‘Malouda bent forward and Collins couldn’t jump. The reaction of all my players showed it was a very harsh penalty.’Collins and Brad Friedel were booked for dissent but Frank Lampard made no mistake from the spot, reclaiming the responsibility from Drogba, who missed one at Tottenham last month.It was Lampard’s first goal since August and it provoked an angry response from the visitors and a flurry of yellow cards. Emile Heskey was booked for crashing into Terry’s standing foot as the Chelsea defender cleared the ball and tensions simmered.Ashley Cole squealed and leapt into the air in reaction to what seemed a fair challenge from Ashley Young. Houllier’s assistant Gary McAllister was furious with Cole.By half time, Villa had six in the book and a £25,000 FA fine heading their way. Heskey’s name was added in the second half but somehow the game finished with 22 players on the pitch.‘They felt frustrated at the penalty but the ref did OK,’ said Houllier.‘I was nervous because I was thinking, “Oh my God, if we get a man sent off this could be very difficult”. Despite the brief disciplinary meltdown, Villa were always composed in possession. Heskey dominated in the air and Young supported him well.‘When Emile is in form, not many defenders can cope with him,’ said Houllier.Gabriel Agbonlahor impressed wide on the left, where he gave Paulo Ferreira a torrid start to the year. On the other flank, Cole struggled to contain Stewart Downing. Chelsea’s narrow midfield does not protect their full backs.It is irrelevant if they dominate possession but Houllier’s team managed to cause them problems in those areas. Lampard’s penalty ought to have settled nerves but Ancelotti’s team continued to surrender chances.Clark headed over a corner from Young and Richard Dunne smashed a volley over from close range. Villa levelled from the spot after Clark charged down a clearance from Ferreira and Nigel Reo-Coker beat Michael Essien to the loose ball.Young scored the penalty and taunted Chelsea fans by cupping his hand to his ear and sliding joyfully into the corner in front of the Matthew Harding Stand.Cech denied Collins in first-half stoppage time but Villa were ahead within two minutes of the restart. Downing wriggled free on the right and lofted a cross to the back post, which Heskey buried after springing high above Jeffrey Bruma.Travelling fans suggested Ancelotti might be sacked in the morning, which prompted a brief response from Chelsea fans in support of their manager.‘Carlo, Carlo,’ they sang. His players responded by finding a better rhythm. Ramires dragged a shot across the face of goal and Friedel saved brilliantly from Lampard and Malouda.Salomon Kalou made an impact from the bench, running at the Villa defence. Clark and Dunne denied him twice, then he was thwarted by another Friedel stop but this time the ball spilled kindly.Drogba seized on it, took a touch and rammed a low shot through a congested goalmouth and into the net. It was the first time since October the Blues had scored more than once in a Premier League game and they kept coming forward.Match ZoneAgbonlahor had performed well, out of position on the Villa left, but he hobbled off and was replaced by Albrighton, who was caught in possession by Essien as Chelsea took the lead.Drogba threw himself at Essien’s cross but Friedel sprang to his right to keep the header out. Terry collected the rebound and drove it into the corner of the net.Cue bedlam at the Bridge, Ancelotti’s rare display of emotion and the final act of a thrilling game. It was Albrighton, keen to make amends for his mistake, who retrieved the ball on the Villa left, turned inside on to his right foot, took another touch and then curled it to Clark, who glanced a header past Cech from close range.This time it was Randy Lerner losing his cool. High in the posh seats, the Villa owner punched the air and hugged his chief executive


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bolton 1-0

Independent:

Malouda lifts cloud hanging over Ancelotti

Chelsea 1 Bolton Wanderers 0

By Sam Wallace at Stamford Bridge

It was the narrowest, most nerve-racking of victories but for Carlo Ancelotti, Chelsea's win last night looked just about enough for him to appease his exacting Russian master. It took a controversial goal that Owen Coyle said should not have stood, it required a certain good fortune in their own penalty area but Chelsea have finally won their first Premier League game since 10 November. Ancelotti can only hope that somewhere in the Caribbean, Roman Abramovich considers a tight win over Bolton Wanderers as an acceptable result. The game turned on a very tight decision by World Cup linesman Darren Cann who ruled that Didier Drogba was not off-side when Michael Essien played him through on goal on the hour to cross for Florent Malouda to score. "Ultimately, we've been done with a huge decision that I believe was off-side," said Coyle who, like most in the stadium, had not had the benefit of a replay.

In real time, Drogba looked onside and it should be said that Cann is the best in the business when it comes to the tough calls. His mistakes are rare although there was one in Bolton's 1-1 draw with Wigan Athletic in October in the build-up to Hugo Rodallega's goal and Coyle had not forgotten it. Coyle said "I've just seen it [last night's decision] in real time. But if I'm wrong, I'd be the first to hold my hands up. I know who he [Cann] is because I had him earlier in the season at Wigan and their goal was clearly offside. There you go. He is a fantastic official." For Chelsea the details did not matter, it was enough that they moved back to fourth place and, for all those dreadful results this month, they are just four points off the leaders Manchester United, who have played one game fewer. Most importantly it lifts the cloud over Ancelotti who has looked like a man tap-dancing on the brink for some time. Booed off at half-time by some elements in the crowd – more frustration than derision – Ancelotti's players showed great character to turn the game around. Drogba hit the post four minutes after half-time and rather than that moment derailing Chelsea, it proved the stepping stone to their win. Ancelotti acknowledged that his team are a long way from their best. "We know the game was not easy. We needed to fight the long ball, we did very well to control [Kevin] Davies and [Johan] Elmander. We lost some passes in the first half. We were a little bit afraid but this is normal because there was pressure in this game.

The second half was better. "It is normal [to be nervous] when the moment is not good. It is impossible to stay calm. If you are a little bit nervous, you have motivation to win the game. We are not at our best: the best condition, the best confidence, the best atmosphere. We can improve. We have to improve and I hope 2011 will be the same as 2010 [in terms of trophies]." In the first half, the nerves showed. The nadir was a dreadful free-kick hit by Drogba that was so off target it did not even go out for a goal-kick. Nicolas Anelka, back in the side having missed the Arsenal game, could not get in the game. Coyle's team had the better chances in the first half. Then after the break Frank Lampard threaded a beauty of a ball through to Drogba on the right and his shot hit the post. In the build-up to the goal, Essien bulldozed through Elmander and Stuart Holden before splitting the Bolton defence with a pass. It was a very marginal decision to call Drogba onside but it looked right. He crossed to Malouda to score. Holden had a shot against John Terry's arm which would have been a very harsh penalty. Coyle thought it was. "I was here last year and we had two stonewall penalties. I think one of them, Didier Drogba was playing volleyball with it so I certainly wasn't going to get that one [last night]." Holden had a header tipped over by Cech. The goalkeeper dropped the subsequent corner and Drogba dribbled Elmander's shot off the line. Dramatic stuff, but not half as dramatic for Chelsea as it could have been had they not won this game.

Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Bosingwa (Ferreira, 90), Ivanovic, Terry, Cole; Ramires, Essien, Lampard; Anelka (Kalou, 90), Drogba, Malouda. Substitutes not used Turnbull (gk), Van Aanholt, Bruma, Kakuta, McEachran.

Bolton Wanderers (4-4-2): Jaaskelainen; Ricketts, Cahill, Knight, Robinson; Moreno (Klasnic, 72), Muamba, Holden (M Davies, 82), Taylor (Petrov, 78); K Davies, Elmander. Substitutes not used Bogdan (gk), Blake, Alonso. Referee M Jones (Cheshire) Attendance 40,982.

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Telegraph:

Chelsea 1 Bolton Wanderers 0

Henry Winter

After the big chill, a welcome thaw spread through the Bridge shortly after 9pm on Wednesday. After all the frustrations, the six Premier League games without a win, and too many misplaced balls here, Chelsea finally escaped the icy grip of a midwinter crisis of confidence. They may never find Didier Drogba’s almost comically bad first-half free-kick, last seen hurtling towards Parsons Green, but they found some things far more precious on Wednesday night: a goal, a belief, a brighter future. Florent Malouda supplied the moment of nirvana on the hour, stroking home Drogba’s cross to howls of “offside” from Bolton, and suddenly Carlo Ancelotti’s team resembled more the Chelsea of old. Suddenly there was a greater purpose in their movements, greater precision in their passing. Bolton, who will play worse and win, tried to equalise, pressing hard, but Chelsea stood firm until a final whistle greeted wildly by the home fans. If this was a victory for the players, it was also a deserved triumph for the supporters, who seemed intent from the very first whistle to lift the spirits of nervy players who had not won in the League since Nov 10. A few boos seeped out at the break but the mood was one of unity, the terraces showing their backing for the team throughout. When Ramires, occasionally castigated for failing to settle quickly in the Rollerball world of the Premier League, made a vital clearing header shortly before Malouda’s goal, the Bridge erupted in a huge cheer. You could see the Brazilian grow in confidence, finishing strongly. If this was a success for players and supporters, it was of particular poignancy for Ancelotti. For the past few weeks the Chelsea manager has cut an increasingly isolated figure, losing his No 2 Ray Wilkins and seemingly undermined. People have forgotten too quickly that Ancelotti masterminded the Double last season, has won the Champions League twice as a coach and has had to work within straitened times at Chelsea this season. A dignified man, the Italian has never complained about the closing in of the walls around him but these past few weeks have been dispiriting, testing his character. For an hour on Wednesday night, Ancelotti resembled a man with all the woes of the world on his shoulders. As his defence struggled to keep Johan Elmander and Kevin Davies at bay, as passes were overhit, Ancelotti stood there, arms folded, looking helpless at the stuttering performance unfolding in front of him. The Italian’s body language was unconvincing, echoing his programme notes in which he thanked fans “for your support in a year I will never forget”. Here is a man who needs more support from on high, who had needed senior players like Malouda and John Terry to stand up for him on Wednesday night. They did. Frank Lampard made a welcome return to Bridge duties, his mere presence drawing a delighted response from Chelsea fans, one of whom waved a banner declaring “Lampard Is A Legend”. Still short of sharpness, still shaking off the rust following injury, Lampard is feeling his way back to fitness but the eye for a pass remains. Lampard and company had to negotiate an awkward hour first.

Sensing the uncertainty, Coyle’s side played slightly more direct than usual. At one point, Bolton really sped down Route One. Jussi Jaaskelainen drilled a long ball forward, Davies beat Branislav Ivanovic in the air and Elmander suddenly had the ball. Only Terry’s refusal to yield any ground rescued Chelsea, the centre-half throwing his head in where Elmander’s studs were glistening under the floodlights. Still Bolton kept pressing Chelsea, kept forcing mistakes. Sam Ricketts’s angled delivery to the far post completely bemused Jose Bosingwa, gifting a chance to Matthew Taylor, who shot just wide. Still Chelsea struggled. Ivanovic was cautioned for tugging back Elmander, although Bolton were hardly shrinking violets. Paul Robinson went in late and hard on Michael Essien, catching the midfielder’s trailing leg. Another sign of Bolton’s belief came when Ricketts ran at Ashley Cole and calmly nutmegged the England left-back. Chelsea had to improve. A hint of their raised tempo came when Drogba struck a post shortly after the re-start. Chelsea fans willed their players on, giving that vote of confidence to Ramires and others.

Finally, they stepped up a gear. Nicolas Anelka released Essien through the middle, the Ghanaian swapping passes with Lampard before unleashing a low shot saved by Jaaskelainen. And then a moment of pure joy for Chelsea. Lampard ushered Essien to charge through the middle again. Essien released Drogba as Bolton screamed for offside. Darren Cann, the World Cup final linesman whose reading of offsides was hailed by Fifa in South Africa, kept his flag down. On Drogba raced before playing it across for the unmarked Malouda to tap home. As Chelsea celebrated, Bolton’s players vented their anger at Cann. Taylor and Robinson raced across to berate the linesman. Coyle, hiding his frustration, reacted with dignity, nipping down the touchline to wave his players away. Bolton soon channelled their anger more legitimately, pouring forward towards Chelsea’s goal. Cech tipped over a header from Holden, whose shot then appeared to hit Terry’s hand. Chelsea responded. Essien’s powerful header was cleared off the line by Zat Knight. Ivanovic, usually so deadly in the air, headed the loose ball over. Cole then forced Jaaskelainen into a sprawling save. And then came the final whistle, allowing Chelsea to look forward more confidently to 2011.

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Sun:

Chelsea 1 Bolton 0

IT was not pretty and it certainly was not convincing. But it is any port in a storm for Chelsea right now and a case of 'never mind the quality, look at the scoreline'. Even if the winning goal did come with a slice of good fortune. Florent Malouda's 61st-minute strike brought some much-needed breathing space for Carlo Ancelotti and ended any idea of Roman Abramovich cutting short his New Year celebrations in the Caribbean. It was just about enough to secure Chelsea's first win in seven games and end their worst run of results since Gianluca Vialli was sacked back in 1999. But it certainly was not the resounding victory the club were crying out for as they edged their way back into the top four. Ancelotti's men are still four points behind leaders Manchester United and have now played a game more than their rivals. That is by no means an unassailable lead considering all the crazy results we have seen already this season. Yet it will still be a huge test of Ancelotti's managerial skills to retain the Blues' Premier League crown from here. It was not so long ago that this fixture would have been a guaranteed home win. After all, Bolton had not won in their previous 14 games against Chelsea and had lost their last five in a row. But there is no such thing as a foregone conclusion at Stamford Bridge any more and the days when opponents were beaten before Chelsea even kicked off are a distant memory. No wonder Ancelotti's neck is on the block and it is hard to feel too much sympathy for the Italian.

Ancelotti has made a very lucrative career out of never rocking the boat, surviving eight years under the overbearing Silvio Berlusconi at AC Milan before signing his £6million-a-year contract at Chelsea. And he has adopted a similar line of passive resistance with Abramovich, barely raising an eyebrow when the Russian decided to decimate his squad in the summer, then sack assistant manager Ray Wilkins last month. But if Ancelotti thought he was settling for the easy life, he is now paying the price as he tries to get his team back on track with the weakest squad of all the title challengers. For even with the likes of Michael Essien, Didier Drogba and Malouda all desperately out of sorts, Chelsea simply cannot afford to take their stars out of the firing line. Abramovich has spent an absolute fortune on the club's youth academy but, with the exception of 17-year-old Josh McEachran, the production line has been pitifully slow. So he is understandably reluctant to bankroll a return to the crazy days of spend, spend, spend - particularly with a new World Cup stadium to pay for in Russia. With such a pall of gloom enshrouding the Bridge, it was no wonder the Trotters could hardly wait to roll up their sleeves and get stuck into the fading champions. And Ancelotti was never going to get any sympathy from opposite number Owen Coyle, whose resources are so stretched that he could name only six substitutes last night.

If Chelsea are the Premier League's great under-achievers this season, there can be no doubt that Bolton are exceeding all expectations. They arrived in London breathing down Chelsea's necks and aiming to finish the year higher in the Premier League table than their illustrious rivals. And it was clear right from the off that they fancied their chances of snatching that fifth place. They were certainly the better team in a dreadful first half, memorable only for Drogba's comical free-kick which flew out for a throw-in on the far side of the pitch without even bouncing. But at least Ancelotti's men emerged after the interval with a renewed sense of purpose and finally got their act together within four minutes of the restart. Inevitably, it was a superb through ball from Frank Lampard which finally opened up the resolute Bolton defence. Chelsea have been pinning so much hope on Lampard's long-awaited return from injury that it is surprising the England midfielder has not buckled under the weight of expectation. But there was nothing laboured about his pass to Drogba which ended with the striker rolling a shot against the far post with Jussi Jaaskelainen beaten. It was the sort of blow which could have crushed Chelsea's fragile confidence. Yet, to their eternal credit, they refused to accept their fate and finally took the lead just after the hour mark with a touch of fortune that could just turn around their own luck. Essien shrugged off two meaty challenges in the middle of the park and threaded a ball through for Drogba to chase. Bolton's defence momentarily paused in the hope of an offside flag - and TV replays showed they had a point. But the linesman kept his flag down and the Ivorian had time to calm himself and roll a pass across goal for Malouda to thump home.

The roar of relief almost lifted the roof off the Matthew Harding Stand but there were still plenty more anxious moments before Chelsea could celebrate a long-overdue victory. Petr Cech was forced into a flying save to keep out Stuart Holden's header and Drogba scrambled the ball off the line from Johan Elmander. Gary Cahill headed just wide and the visitors also had a late penalty shout rejected when Holden's shot struck John Terry on the arm. But Chelsea could also have had more in the closing minutes, with Fabrice Muamba clearing off the line from Essien and Jaaskelainen saving well from Ashley Cole. It might not be crisis over. But at least it is crisis delayed.
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Mail:

Chelsea 1 Bolton 0:

Carlo Ancelotti gets lucky as Florent Malouda ends the champions' year on a winning note

By Matt Barlow

Offside? Who cares. That was the look on Carlo Ancelotti's face after Chelsea stopped a run of six winless games with a very streaky victory. Owen Coyle and his Bolton players cared quite a lot, judging from their furious reaction to Florent Malouda's 61st-minute winner. World Cup final linesman Darren Cann might have raised his flag to halt the attack which led to the winner because Didier Drogba looked offside as he burst clear and crossed for Malouda. Instead, he kept it down by his side. Paul Robinson, booked as he disputed the goal, was still ranting about the decision after the final whistle and Gary Cahill was busy in the referee's ear as the teams came off the pitch. On such tense occasions the tiniest fractions can prove significant and, when things are starting to look desperate, you need an element of fortune.On a high: Florent Malouda skips over Bolton keeper goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen after scoring the only goal of the game at Stamford Bridge As the visitors fumed, relief washed around Stamford Bridge. Chelsea had won in the Barclays Premier League for the first time since November 10. They were back in the Champions League places, four points behind leaders Manchester United, and Arsenal had been held at Wigan. There were also signs in the final half-hour that Ancelotti's team were starting to find their stride again and they finished the game with a flurry which could have brought more goals. Nevertheless, he reacted with caution. 'We have to wait for the next game,' said Chelsea's Italian manager. 'This victory was a very important step but I am not sure everything will now be OK. We have to improve. We have to play better. We needed the win. The most important thing was to change the atmosphere, to change the trend, get back to winning. The League is open again.

'I try to give confidence to the players. They are fantastic players. They have done fantastically here. This was the last game of this year. We have to have very good memories of this year. We did a fantastic job and it is good to finish this year with a victory.' Despite the encouraging signs, Ancelotti can reflect on a first-half struggle against Bolton, when nerves plagued his players and the performance was littered with errors. They were jeered off at half-time when they were lucky to be level. John Terry had made two brave interventions in his own penalty area to thwart the visitors and Jussi Jaaskelainen had barely had a save to make. One moment from Didier Drogba summed it all up when he took aim with a free-kick on the left, intending to curl it at goal, but fired it out of touch on the opposite flank.
Added pressure comes from a yellow card for Branislav Ivanovic, his fifth of the season, which means he will be suspended against Aston Villa on Sunday. Ancelotti will have to choose between teenager Jeffrey Bruma and full-back Paulo Ferreira to fill the void.

He is right to fear his problems may not end with 2010 and it is hard to believe it is only seven months since the Blues won the title by thrashing Wigan 8-0 at Stamford Bridge. But Ancelotti will be heartened by the consistent form of Terry since his return from injury and signs last night that Frank Lampard and Michael Essien were finding some rhythm again. It was Lampard, on his first appearance at Stamford Bridge since August, who brought Chelsea to life with his wonderful vision and precision pass to release Drogba early in the second half. It looked a certain goal as the Ivory Coast striker side-footed the chance first time past Jaaskelainen but the ball thudded into the base of the post and Zat Knight hoisted it clear.
Ancelotti looked to the sky but the near-miss injected his team with greater urgency, a quicker tempo and more control. Then his luck turned when Drogba darted on to Essien's pass and Malouda converted his low cross at the back post. Malouda raced down the touchline in frenzied celebration as Bolton went berserk. 'Ultimately, we've been done with a huge decision that I believe was offside,' said Coyle. 'My players were frustrated by the decision. I had to go down to the touchline to get them away because the decision had been given. We had to concentrate.'
The Bolton manager had left Stamford Bridge after a 1-0 defeat in April in similar mood, branding Drogba 'a world-class volleyball player' after two strong penalty appeals had been turned down. His frame of mind did not improve when Stuart Holden crashed a shot into Terry's arm and referee Mike Jones played on. Then Holden was denied by a fingertip save by Petr Cech in the final minutes. 'I thought the shot was going in,' said Coyle. 'All I would say is that sometimes they are given and sometimes they are not. Did John Terry intentionally try to handle the ball? I'm not so sure but what I do know is that if that had happened at the other end, it might very well have been a penalty.'

Coyle had criticised Cann after disputing a decision in a 1-1 draw against Wigan in October. 'I know who he is because I had him earlier in the season and their goal was clearly offside,' said the Bolton boss. 'He's a fantastic official. And I don't envy them their jobs but the reason they are in charge of World Cup finals and everything else is because they are believed to be real quality. 'But I just look at the progress we have made. If somebody had said to me that we'd be coming to Chelsea with a chance to leapfrog them, they'd have probably taken me away in a straitjacket. There's a lot to be pleased about.'

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Guardian:

Florent Malouda lightens Chelsea's mood with winner against Bolton

Chelsea 1 Bolton Wanderers 0

David Hytner at Stamford Bridge

The nightmare is by no means over for Carlo Ancelotti but at least the cold sweats might not have gripped him tonight. Having said that his faltering Chelsea team needed to "wake up", in light of their dismal recent run, he watched them sleepwalk their way through the first half of what was a must-win game. When the boos grumbled around the ground at half-time, it was easy to fear the worst for Ancelotti, despite the club's desire to stand four-square behind him. His team had looked creatively bankrupt, their confidence seemingly in tatters. Yet a second-half revival cut through the tension. Florent Malouda's tap-in sparked fury in the Bolton Wanderers camp, who argued that Didier Drogba had been offside in the build-up. Yet it was priceless to the champions as it provided a first league win in seven and lifted them back up to fourth place. There had been wobbles before the goal and there was time for a few more after it, with Bolton claiming they should have had a penalty for a handball by John Terry following Stuart Holden's shot, but Chelsea got the job done. The convincing performances can wait. This was a night when the result meant everything. "Obviously we needed to win because we needed to change the atmosphere, change the trend," Ancelotti said. "We were a little bit afraid but this is normal because there was a lot of pressure on the players. We are not at our best in terms of condition, performance and atmosphere. We can improve and we have to improve. "The victory was a very important step but I am not sure that everything will now be OK. We have to wait. The important thing was to come back to winning. The goal took a weight off our shoulders. I don't know if it was offside and I am not interested." Bolton's manager Owen Coyle felt that his team had "controlled the game for periods", and there was little doubt that they had been in charge for the bulk of the first half. Terry, the man of the match and an inspiration for Chelsea when the chips were down, was required to make last-ditch interventions to deny Kevin Davies and Johan Elmander while Matthew Taylor dragged a clear-cut chance wide of the far post.

Chelsea groped for ideas and inspiration in the first half. It was not pretty. With Gary Cahill standing up strongly to Drogba, and Nicolas Anelka and Malouda peripheral, Ancelotti endured that helpless feeling. Chelsea's first-half efforts were summed up by a Drogba free-kick, close to the left-hand corner of the area. He ballooned it high and so wide that it rolled out for a throw-in on the far side. Chelsea stepped on to the front foot as the half wore on, but they were one-paced and laboured. Jussi Jaaskelainen was a virtual spectator in the Bolton goal. Darkening the mood further was Branislav Ivanovic's booking for a foul on Elmander, his fifth of the season. He will be suspended for Aston Villa's visit on Sunday. But Ancelotti could take heart from the showing after the interval. He and his players were desperate for any sort of touchstone. The fervent hope at Stamford Bridge was that the second 45 minutes contained one. Chelsea sparked when Frank Lampard released Drogba and he sent a low, first-time shot against the far post. Shades of purpose and urgency returned as Chelsea's midfielders imposed themselves, particularly Michael Essien.

Then it happened. Essien bulldozed through two challenges and rolled the ball through for Drogba. As Darren Cann, a World Cup final linesman, kept his flag down, Drogba squared low across the box and Malouda stabbed home. His frenzied celebrations highlighted the relief. "Ultimately we've been done by a huge decision that I believe was offside," said Coyle, who also felt Cann had wronged him in October by allowing Hugo Rodallega's goal in a 1-1 draw at Wigan Athletic, despite claims that there had been an offside in the build-up. "We could also have had a penalty," Coyle continued, "but we were here last season and we had two stonewall penalties [turned down]. Drogba was playing volleyball on one of them so I certainly wasn't going to get that tonight …" Sam Ricketts skied a glorious chance to equalise and Holden forced Petr Cech into a finger-tip save while at the other end Fabrice Muamba cleared an Essien header off the line and Ivanovic headed the rebound over.

Chelsea had done enough.

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Mirror:
Chelsea 1-0 Bolton:

By Darren Lewis

Chelsea were desperate for a win, any kind of win, to remind them of what it felt like to emerge from a Premier League contest as the better team. That run of just six points from an available 24 - eight games - was their worst since December 1999 and had chipped away steadily at their title chances. Suddenly, however, they are just four points behind leaders Manchester United with a home game against Aston Villa - the side that everyone likes to beat - to come on Sunday. And if that doesn't continue the Blues' resurgence then nothing will. Boss Carlo Ancelotti spoke after this win of the victory being like a weight being lifted off his shoulders. The Italian, one of only two managers to have survived an entire season in charge of Chelsea since Roman Abramovich took over in 2003, spoke of needing the points to change the atmosphere around the club. He also stressed the importance for his players of remaining calm and staying focused to continue their recovery. The failure of both United and Arsenal to pile on the pressure over the past 48 hours will have placed a greater emphasis on what would be a remarkable comeback if - having dropped so many points - Chelsea seize on this lifeline to reel in the leaders. Not since United in the 1992/3 season has a team stumbled so many times and yet gone on to lift the coveted trophy.

Victory last night, however, has given Chelsea at least a sliver of a chance of doing so with Ancelotti almost certain to go into the January transfer market to sign a defender and another striker. It is incredible to think that Ancelotti's men hit 21 goals in five fantastic games to kick off the season yet had scored just 11 in their subsequent 13 going into this contest. Ancelotti must now move for the quality up front that will give his squad the depth and the competition they need not to make this another false dawn. Bolton's Gary Cahill remains a live candidate to reinforce the backline that has dropped five points at home in the League so far - as many as they did in the whole of last season. The 25-year-old was again polished last night and was unlucky to end up on the losing side as Bolton fell victim to a controversial decision that cost them the match. Didier Drogba looked miles offside as he was found by Michael Essien's through ball on 61 minutes. Linesman Darren Cann kept his flag down. Drogba raced clear and squared the ball for Florent Malouda to tap into an empty net. Cue pandemonium. The Bolton players remonstrated with Cann and refused to calm down. TV replays, however showed Drogba to be marginally on. Malouda's celebration, meanwhile, said it all. Wild and impetuous, he raced to the Blues' bench, hugged anyone that threw an arm around him then punched the air. Yet there was still work to do for him and his fragile team-mates. Indeed, Sam Ricketts would have equalised from inside the box had he kept his composure on 63 minutes.

Stuart Holden should have had a penalty two minutes later when his goal-bound effort hit the arm of John Terry with the Chelsea captain turning away. Cahill headed a Taylor free-kick from the left wide of the post shortly after that. And minutes later Petr Cech pushed a spectacular Holden header over the bar. Drogba was even forced cleared off the line from striker Johan Elmander after Cech flapped at the resulting corner. But this was one occasion on which Chelsea stood firm. Their relief at full time, at their first win in seven games was palpable. Ancelotti later declared the title race wide open. It remains to be seen whether Chelsea can return to the side that made it a procession early on.

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Star:

CHELSEA 1 - BOLTON 0 -

CARLO ANCELOTTI GETS LIFT AS BLUES SNEAK HOME

By David Woods

FLORENT MALOUDA brought some desperately-needed cheer to Chelsea last night. The out-of-touch Frenchman struck in the 61st minute with the Blues’ first serious attempt on goal. It was also Malouda’s first league goal in 10 games – and how boss Carlo Ancelotti needed this first win in seven league games since the November 10 victory over Fulham. Winger Malouda tapped in after Michael Essien sent Didier Drogba bursting clear down the right. Angry Bolton felt Drogba was offside, but replays suggested he timed his run to perfection. His square ball for Malouda to sidefoot home was spot-on, too. Until then Chelsea had been pretty dismal. Ancelotti has had trouble sleeping lately and for long periods last night watching his team was enough to send you into a deep slumber. This is one Italian with a real job on his hands – to bring some colour back to the Blues. The mental scars from Monday’s 3-1 humbling by Arsenal were apparent as the champs continued to play like chumps. Having dropped out of the top four 24 hours earlier after Tottenham beat Newcastle, John Terry and Co knew a defeat by Owen Coyle’s Bolton would send them down to sixth. You would never have guessed it as Ancelotti’s team produced a tepid first-half display in which they failed to trouble Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen. Christmas is a time for big-production mysteries on TV.

It would take the combined talents of Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot to get to the bottom of what has happened at Stamford Bridge. How can a Double-winning team start the season scoring 21 goals in five league matches, then manage just 11 in the next 13 going into this game. Ancelotti made three changes to the team who lost at the Emirates, bringing in Ramires, Jose Bosingwa and Nicolas Anelka for John Obi Mikel, Paulo Ferreira and Salomon Kalou. But Chelsea were unimpressive from the start, with their nerves being typified by a sliced Terry clearance in the 12th minute which was perilously close to teeing up Stuart Holden. Terry had to be at his alert best to stoop down to block Johan Elmander after he looked set to pounce on a Kevin Davies knock-on. In the 18th minute their awful football was illustrated perfectly by Drogba trying to bend in a free-kick from an acute angle on the right. Instead he sliced it away from goal, with the ball soaring high to the other side of the pitch for a throw-in. With nothing going right it was easy to see the champions as a side packed with ageing talent with their best days behind them – Drogba, Terry, Anelka, Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard are all over 30. Chelsea were fortunate to escape in the 23rd minute when Sam Ricketts delivered a cross from the right and Bosingwa’s attempted clearance was woeful, glancing straight to Matt Taylor. The midfielder had a sight of goal and drilled just wide. Seconds later another Jaaskelainen punt found Davies’ head. He set up Elmander, who only half- connected with an attempted volley, allowing Essien to block. Branislav Ivanovic was booked for pulling back Elmander, giving the home support a little something to shout about.

The atmosphere was so quiet it was easy to hear Terry telling a team-mate to be ‘on his heels’ for a Bolton throw. Ricketts nutmegged Cole, with the move leading to another chance for Taylor, whose left-foot curler would have proved difficult for Petr Cech had it dropped earlier. A second Malouda pass went for a goal-kick sparking more groans. Ancelotti, wearing a black raincoat, kept his hands dug into his pockets and more resembled a mourner at a funeral, rather than a manager on the touchline. Taylor was booked for a foul on Ramires, sparking a cheer by Chelsea fans. In the 49th Chelsea did at least look dangerous. A defence-splitting Lampard pass put Drogba in the clear and his side-footed shot looked all over a goal. Instead it clipped the inside of Jaaskelainen’s right post and was booted clear by Zat Knight. After Malouda struck Chelsea still looked jittery and Bolton had claims for a penalty when a Holden shot hit Terry’s arm.

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