CHELSEA v ASTON VILLA - 31/12/11

MATCH REPORT: CHELSEA 1 ASTON VILLA 3

Summary
Having taken the lead through a Didier Drogba penalty, it is a bad end to 2011 as Aston Villa level only minutes later before scoring twice late in the game.

Stephen Ireland made it 1-1 at the break but the Blues were looking the more threatening in the second half, particularly after the introduction of Frank Lampard and Fernando Torres, who hit the bar, but when Stiliyan Petrov gave the visitors the lead with eight minutes remaining it was always going to be an uphill task. Darren Bent scored the killer third goal three minutes later and the points were secure for Villa.

For Chelsea, we are now without a win in our last four Barclays Premier League matches and this slump will need to be arrested as soon as possible. Wolves away on Monday is our first chance to do so.

Best moment
Not many to choose from given the result, but Drogba's 150^th goal for the club is a fantastic achievement and deserves recognition. Also impressive was his reaction to the goal, publicly paying tribute to Peter Osgood whose urn is under that penalty spot and who also scored 150 goals for Chelsea.

Team news
Paulo Ferreira came in at right-back for the Blues with Jose Bosingwa dropping to the bench, while in midfield Ramires returned to the side following his one-game suspension, replacing Frank Lampard. Having started the Fulham game on the bench, Drogba was restored to the starting line-up at the expense of Fernando Torres, who was named as a substitute. In news that will please all Chelsea supporters, Sam Hutchinson was involved for the first time since coming out of retirement, starting the game on the bench.

Emile Heskey missed the game for the visitors through injury meaning Stephen Ireland came into the side, while Bent had to be content with a place on the bench after recovering from his injury problems.

First half
A lively start by the Blues saw Daniel Sturridge tee up Juan Mata inside the opening 30 seconds, but the Spaniard was unable to get the ball under control and had to settle for a corner which was easily headed away by Richard Dunne.

Mata was soon called into action at the other end of the pitch, heading behind a Gabriel Agbonlahor cross as Villa broke quickly.

Agbonlahor almost opened the scoring for Aston Villa in the seventh minute, meeting Marc Albrighton's cross at the back post, and it was only a late intervention by David Luiz which sent the ball behind for a corner.

Chelsea were on the front foot during the opening exchanges but while we were enjoying plenty of possession, clear-cut chances were proving hard to come by.

Villa had failed to score in five of their previous seven Barclays Premier League encounters and with both Heskey and Bent missing from the starting line-up, it was the pace of Agbonlahor which they appeared to be looking to utilise in order to provide an attacking threat.

The visitors should have been in front in the 17^th minute when Ireland broke from deep, but his pass had a little too much weight on it and the advancing Albrighton was unable to bring it under control before Ashley Cole cleared the danger.

Sturridge came close for the Blues barely a minute later, cutting in from the right before sending a rasping effort inches over the bar. Drogba had his first slice of the action shortly after, shooting wide from just outside the penalty area.

We were awarded a penalty in the 22^nd minute when Richard Dunne brought down Drogba after some neat build-up play between Sturridge and Ramires. The Ivorian stepped up to take the resulting kick himself and calmly slotted the ball under the dive of Bradley Guzan to score his 150^th goal for the club.

In what was a lovely gesture, Drogba took the applause of the Shed End while acknowledging club legend Peter Osgood whose ashes were scattered on the penalty spot.

Villa were looking threatening on the counter attack though, and it required another expertly timed tackle by David Luiz to halt Stephen Warnock as he looked to pull the trigger.

A minute later and they were level. The impressive Ireland exchanged passes with Charles N'Zogbia, before seeing his effort cleared off the line by Terry, but as the ball fell back into his path the midfielder stabbed home from close range.

Nobody could deny the warning signs had been there and it was the second game in succession that we had gone in front only to surrender the advantage a few minutes later.

As the half wore on it was Alex McLeish's side who began to grow in stature and their tactics of sitting deep, soaking up the pressure and hitting on the break were being carried out to the letter.

A Drogba free kick in the 39^th minute never really looked like troubling Guzan, and it took an inspired burst from Oriol Romeu to force another free kick on the edge of the Villa box minutes later. This time Drogba attempted to place his strike in the bottom corner but the wall did its job and blocked the effort.

Second half
Neither manager opted to make any changes at the break and the Blues were almost in front inside two minutes of the restart when Mata fired across the face of the Villa goal, but with nobody coming on to it the ball rolled harmlessly away.

Mata and Cole then linked up well down the left but the defender's cross was well blocked.

A minute later Agbonlahor missed a glorious chance to put Villa in front. A slick interchange between N'Zogbia and Albrighton released the striker but as Petr Cech advanced off his line he could only fire straight at him before David Luiz arrived to clear.

Frank Lampard was introduced to the action in the 56^th minute, replacing Romeu in an obvious attacking switch with Raul Meireles switching to a slightly deeper role.

Some great footwork from Mata which saw him evade two defenders resulted in a lovely flighted ball to Sturridge, but the youngster was under pressure and was crowded out in the box.

It would prove to be Sturridge's last involvement in the game, as he was replaced by Fernando Torres with just under half an hour left to play.

Torres was involved instantly, hitting an absolute thunderbolt from 25 yards with his first touch, only to see it crash against the cross bar with Guzan stranded.

A delightful crossfield pass from David Luiz then released Drogba who was brought down by Carlos Cuellar. Mata's delivery from the resulting free kick was a decent one but both David Luiz and Torres appeared to get in each other's way as they rose to meet it.

Lampard and Torres combined to release Drogba in the 73^rd minute but with time on his side, he rushed and dragged his shot wide when he really should have done better.

With our third and final substitution of the game, Villas-Boas replaced Ferreira with Jose Bosingwa, and the right-back was almost an instant hero, seeing an impressive long-range effort tipped over by Guzan.

With just over ten minutes remaining McLeish made a double substitution, replacing N'Zogbia and Albrighton with Bent and Gardner.

McLeish was incensed when Villa appeared to have a clear penalty appeal waved away, but his anger soon turned to delight when his side took the lead with only eight minutes remaining.

Petrov latched on to an Agbonlahor through ball with the Blues' defence leaving a big gap and as Cech raced off his line, the midfielder drove his effort into the bottom corner to put Villa in front.

Three minutes later and the game was over; Lampard's pass to Ramires was intercepted by Ireland and as the midfielder raced away in acres of space he teed up substitute Bent for the easiest of finishes.

Chelsea (4-3-3) Cech; Ferreira (Bosingwa 74), D Luiz, Terry (c), Cole; Ramires, Romeu (Lampard 57), Meireles; Sturridge (Torres 62), Drogba, Mata.
Unused subs: Turnbull, Hutchinson, Malouda, Kalou.
Scorer Drogba pen 22
Booked Terry 31

Aston Villa (4-4-1-1) Guzan; Cuellar, Collins, Dunne, Warnock; Albrighton (Gardner 77), Petrov (c) (Bannan 83), Clark, N'Zogbia (Bent 77); Ireland; Agbonlahor.
Unused subs: Marshall, Hutton, Weimann, Delfouneso.
Scorers Ireland 27, Petrov 82, Bent 85.
Booked Cuellar 66

Referee Mark Halsey
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