The Times

Frank Lampard lights up Chelsea

Joe Lovejoy at Stamford Bridge

CHELSEA celebrated their victory in stoppage time as if they had won
the Premier League, and who knows? Frank Lampard’s decisive header,
with 91 minutes on the clock, lifted his team into second place in the
table, and they could trim Manchester United’s lead at the top to four
points if they win again at Portsmouth on Tuesday.

At the final whistle Didier Drogba gleefully booted the ball into the
crowd and Lampard and John Terry, the Chelsea goalscorers, embraced in
recognition of another restorative result which makes it three wins
out of three under Guus Hiddink’s revivalist management. Would it have
spelled the end of Chelsea’s title hopes if it had finished 1-1?
Smiling, Hiddink said: “I’m glad it’s an if and not a fact.”

Wigan thought they had gained a draw, which would not have flattered
them, when Olivier Kapo equalised in the 82nd minute, but Lampard
exemplified Chelsea’s never-say-die spirit in looping a header over
Chris Kirkland after Michael Ballack had set him up from Terry’s long
punt. The midfielder has now scored five times in his past seven
league games and, with 15 in all, is set to pass the 20 mark in the
season yet again.

Terry is no less important to the Blues’ cause, and talk of the
captain leaving for Manchester City, in exchange for Robinho, was
ridiculed after his opening goal, in the 25th minute, made him the
highest scoring defender in Chelsea’s history, with 35.

Luiz Felipe Scolari, sacked last month, might have countenanced such a
swap. The new regime most certainly would not. The fans would lynch
anybody who dared to part them from their hero. Wigan, who have been
punching above their weight under Steve Bruce, contributed in full to
a competitive match, and continue to reflect great credit on their
manager, who has had to cope with the sale of his two best players,
Emile Heskey and Wilson Palacios, and was without the influential
Antonio Valencia here. They had not conceded for over five hours when
Terry finally beat Kirkland with a left-footed volley from 18 yards.

For most of the first half Wigan were the better team, and they would
have had a commanding lead after 20 minutes but for a notable save by
Petr Cech from Paul Scharner, and goalline clearances by Ashley Cole
and Terry to thwart Titus Bramble and Kapo.

It was against the run of play when Chelsea took the lead, Terry
scissor-kicking home from a central position on the edge of the
penalty area for a goal that was an embarrassment for Emmerson Boyce.
First he headed Lampard’s corner straight to his opposite number, then
Terry’s shot parted his hair on the way in.

Chelsea then enjoyed a purple patch. Lampard, who was outstanding,
might have scored twice before half-time. Drogba, who created the
second of these, has been invigorated by the change of management and
is back to something approaching his powerful, intimidating best.

In the second half he demanded a last-ditch clearance from Wigan’s
best player, Bramble, with a crisp shot, then out-muscled both
centre-halves in the same belligerent run. Inspirational stuff from
the big man. It had the look of Hiddink’s third successive 1-0 win
until, with 10 minutes left, Maynor Figueroa’s left-wing cross enabled
Kapo to dart in front of Nicolas Anelka at the near post and steer the
ball home at nudging range.

Roman Abramovich looked on, stony-faced, as time ticked away, then
joined in the cavorting when Lampard, after holding off Mario Melchiot
with what Bruce insisted was a foul, nodded the ball over Kirkland
from eight yards. The Wigan manager was unhappy with the referee, Lee
Probert, and entered the time-honoured plea that the big decisions
always favoured the big clubs, but it was a classic case of poacher
turned gamekeeper.

Bruce the Bruiser routinely got away with much worse in his playing
days. “We deserved something and we didn’t get it,” he said. “The same
thing happened to us at Old Trafford and Liverpool.” The £1m bonus
question for Hiddink was: Can you still win the title? With a
mischievous look, he said: “I’m rather realistic. We have to win our
games — preferably more comfortably than we did today — and then ask
my Dutch friend, Edwin Van der Sar, if he’ll have the ball in the back
of his net to help us. I know him well, and I don’t think he will.

“Manchester United are in a good seat, but as long as there is the
possibility for us, as long as it’s not decided, we’ll keep going. We
showed that at Aston Villa last week and again today.” Ominously for
Hiddink and Chelsea, Van der Sar is obliging nobody, having kept 16
clean sheets this season.

CHELSEA: Cech 6, Mancienne 5 (Quaresma 81min), Alex 6, Terry 8, A Cole
6, Kalou 5 (Belletti 75min), Mikel 6, Ballack 5, Lampard 9, Drogba 7,
Anelka 6

WIGAN: Kirkland 6, Melchiot 6, Boyce 5, Bramble 8, Figueroa 6, Kapo 6,
Scharner 6, Brown 5, Cattermole 6 (Rodallega 69min), N’Zogbia 6, Zaki
6 (Sibierski 90min)



-----------------------------------------------------


Telegraph:

Chelsea show last-gasp resilience again at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea (1) 2 Wigan Athletic (0) 1

By Jonathan Wilson at Stamford Bridge

Three games played, three games won by a single goal, and Chelsea are
up to second. It would be deeply misleading, though, to suggest that
Guus Hiddink has transformed his side. There was, rather, a deeply
familiar feel about yesterday afternoon, as Chelsea huffed and puffed
unconvincingly.

To their credit, they showed the character, having conceded late, to
go on and steal a last-minute winner through Frank Lampard, but then
his previous goal for the club had also been a last-minute winner
against opposition they would have expected to brush aside, against
Stoke in January.

The winner was not without controversy, with Steve Bruce, the Wigan
manager, angered that the referee Lee Probert had not penalised
Lampard for a supposed push on Mario Melchiot as he looped his header
over Chris Kirkland. “The referee made a poor decision,” he said.

“Frank’s obviously got his hand on Mario’s back and turned him round
as he’s gone to head it. He’s got that one wrong and it’s gone against
us. We played very very well. But you need the referee to be strong
and see what he sees and not get influenced, but it doesn’t seem to
happen for little Wigan, which is very frustrating.”

“Not a lot of contact,” was Hiddink’s verdict, and he pointed out that
Ballack had probably taken just as much of a shove as he flicked the
ball on for Lampard. He was more concerned with praising the “fighting
spirit” of his side. “We reacted well,” he said. “But what I like to
see is when you are dominating, to have the game killed.” It’s not
entirely clear, though, when that period of domination was.

Chelsea certainly had the bulk of the chances, but it took them a
while to assert themselves, and a five-minute spell of Wigan pressure
in the middle of the first half suggested Chelsea’s problems run too
deep to be solved in a week, even by a manager as charismatic as
Hiddink. First Paul Scharner, laid through by a deft touch from Amr
Zaki, saw his finish touched wide by Petr Cech. Then, more troublingly
for Chelsea, the familiar fallibility defending dead-balls re-emerged.

An unmarked Titus Bramble was denied on the line only by a stretching
Ashley Cole, and then it took a combination of Cech and Terry to deny
Maynor Figueroa.

Given time, the anxiety might have germinated, but within three
minutes Terry had scored his first league goal of the season. His
leaping scissors-kick to meet Emerson Boyce’s headed clearance may
have been uncharacteristic, but there was typical force behind the
shot, and Boyce’s attempt to clear succeeded only in diverting the
ball past Chris Kirkland.

Wigan remained bright, particularly down their left, where Figueroa
and Charles N’Zogbia combined well, but it seemed they would be
frustrated when Hiddink chose to withdraw Michael Mancienne. Juliano
Belletti dropped in to right-back, but he hadn’t even touched the ball
in his new position when he allowed Figueroa to cross, and Olivier
Kapo stole across the near post to jab in.

It would be unfair to say it was undeserved, for Wigan’s enterprise
had been impressive, and Titus Bramble, in particular, had been
outstanding in an exemplary defensive display, but equally Chelsea
would have felt deeply aggrieved had they not gone on to win. Bramble
had made one stunning block from Didier Drogba, and Kirkland had
pulled off excellent first-half saves from Mikel Jon Obi and Lampard.

In the end, though, the goalkeeper was caught in no-man’s land for
Lampard’s winner. A win salvaged, and their title challenge still —
just about — alive, but the more relevant fact for Chelsea is probably
that they now look rather more secure in the Champions League places.


-------------------------------------------------------


Independent:

Lampard shows perfect sense of timing for Blues

Chelsea 2 Wigan Athletic 1: Last-gasp goal breaks Wigan hearts and
moves Chelsea above Liverpool

By Steve Tongue at Stamford Bridge

Last April Emile Heskey stunned Stamford Bridge with an equalising
goal for Wigan in the final minute that effectively ended Chelsea's
hopes of winning the Premier League. Yesterday, although Heskey is
long gone, they appeared to have pulled off a similar trick when
Olivier Kapo scored nine minutes from the end, only for Frank Lampard
to defeat them with a header right at the start of added time.

So Guus Hiddink, having overseen 1-0 victories against Aston Villa and
Juventus, watched his new team produce something altogether more
dramatic and move into second place in the table ahead of Liverpool.
He has placed the necessary rocket underneath Didier Drogba, who has
often looked jet-propelled in those three matches. Nicolas Anelka
unselfishly worked the left flank again and behind that pair, Lampard
was once again exemplary. Michael Mancienne, deputising for Jose
Bosingwa in only his second start at this level, endured a difficult
first 20 minutes like the rest of his team but settled down
thereafter, even though he regards central defence and not right-back
as his best position.

Wigan, 18th at the end of October, have risen to seventh place and are
among the small group no longer worried by relegation. After losing
Heskey and Wilson Palacios in the transfer window, they are
nevertheless facing a tricky period and Kapo's goal was only the
second in seven games, none of them won. Steve Bruce was delighted
with the performance here and felt Lampard's goal should have been
disallowed for a push on his former Chelsea team-mate Mario Melchiot.
"You need the referee to be strong and not be influenced," he said.
"We've seen it happen all the time against little Wigan."

Hiddink, who felt a penalty might just as easily have been given to
Chelsea in the build-up, said: "We reacted well after the equaliser.
Playing after a Wednesday game in Europe is always difficult and Wigan
are a hard-working team who played decent football." They certainly
did so in that early period, and the home side had to overcome a muted
atmosphere and then a series of Wigan chances before exerting any
control and taking an undeserved lead.

It was symbolic of the pressure they came under that both
centre-halves, Alex and John Terry, received yellow cards in the first
20 minutes for heavy tackles and had to tread carefully thereafter.
Florescent lime shirts flooded forward in a manner not expected of a
team who had just played three successive goalless draws. Petr Cech
saved from Paul Scharner, who was clear on goal, and from one of
several corners Titus Bramble placed a firm header past the goalkeeper
that Ashley Cole hacked off the line. Before the ball was cleared
Maynor Figueroa forced Cech to save with his foot.

A surprising game was midway through its first half before Chelsea,
and with them the crowd, suddenly came to life. In the 24th minute
Wigan were caught out by a short corner on the left that allowed
Lampard to take Cole's pass and cross into a crowded penalty area.
Emmerson Boyce headed out straight to Terry, whose smart left-footed
volley took a slight deflection off the unfortunate Boyce on its way
past Chris Kirkland. OPT CUTThe captain will claim it as his 35th goal
for the club, not least because that takes him past Peter Sillett's
record as the highest scoring defender in Chelsea's history.

Before half-time the increasingly busy Kirkland saved from Alex,
Drogba and Lampard. Bramble cleared off the line from Ballack, who was
given offside, and then again from Drogba, who had made a fine run
onto Lampard's pass. There were no clear chances for a long spell
after that, which made the dramatic denouement all the less
predictable as Wigan found a second wind. Scharner at the far post
headed Figueroa's cross over the bar and Amr Zaki curled a 20 yard
shot wide. Then Figueroa crossed from the left and Anelka, tracking
back, was unable to prevent Kapo stealing in to score from close
range.

There was still time for further heroics from Chelsea's England
contingent, who have served them so well this season. Terry lofted the
ball upfield and Lampard was far enough forward to send his header
from Ballack's flick arcing gently over poor Kirkland.



----------------------------------------------------

Observer :

Last-gasp Lampard proves Chelsea mean business again
Chelsea 2 Terry 25, Lampard 90
Wigan Athletic 1 Kapo 82

Amy Lawrence at Stamford Bridge

Guus Hiddink has been around enough blocks to know that football can
just as easily warm your heart as rip your guts out. In a gripping
finale, Chelsea surrendered a lead delivered in breathtaking style by
John Terry, and then wrestled back the points with a 90th-minute Frank
Lampard header.

It was a compelling way for Hiddink to familiarise himself with
Chelsea's penchant for late flourishes. "If the boys give me that
guarantee, I can suffer on the bench for 90 minutes," he said. "But no
one can give that guarantee in sport. I am satisfied for the win, but
the way we gave away control in the second half was not super
satisfying."

And there, in that typically shrewd response, was the difference
between Hiddink and his predecessor. Not so long ago Luiz Felipe
Scolari's blushes were saved by a stoppage-time Lampard strike against
Stoke City. The Brazilian was happy and a bit of an emotional wreck.
The Dutchman was analytical and cool.

Aside from results, he has made a notable difference in Chelsea's
willingness to express themselves. Consider the way the captain was
transformed into a strange and wonderful amalgam of himself and
Robinho on a good day. No wonder Manchester City are reportedly so
keen on buying him. They would, it seems, get two players for the
price of one.

Terry gave Chelsea the lead in the 25th minute with a balletic,
scissor-kick volley that was stunning in more ways than one.
Centre-halves are not meant to play quite so prettily, and he was
mobbed by his team-mates. Not many of them would dare to mention that
his goal took a crucial nick off Emmerson Boyce, without which Chris
Kirkland was well placed for the catch. The watching Roman Abramovich
allowed himself a jovial laugh.

But in fairness, Wigan could have been 2-0 up by then. Paul Scharner,
having got into a splendid position, shot too tamely to trouble Petr
Cech. Then a double-chance at a corner saw Titus Bramble's powerful
header hooked off the line by Ashley Cole, and a cross shot from
Maynor Figueroa cleared up by Cech and Terry.

Chelsea had that air of confidence for most of the second half, and a
re-motivated Didier Drogba would have caused some damage but for
crucial tackles from the excellent Bramble and his accomplice Boyce.
But Wigan's equaliser exposed a chink in Hiddink's tactical approach.
Chelsea appeared confident of closing out their third successive 1-0
win, when Hiddink substituted his right-back to give Ricardo Quaresma
10 minutes' playing time.

Immediately Chelsea were exposed where their right-back should have
been covering. Figueroa breezed past Quaresma and whipped in a
delicious cross, Olivier Kapo appeared unmarked to strike, and Wigan
thought that they had upset their more illustrious hosts for the
second season in succession.

Steve Bruce complained that Lampard had climbed on Mario Melchiot to
gain leverage for his winner. "The referee was 15 yards away and made
a poor decision," he lamented. "It was a big shame because the team
deserved to get something out of the match."

Naturally Hiddink was unperturbed, suggesting the referee could have
given multiple penalties for both sides during a passionate
conclusion, and preferring to concentrate on his players' reaction to
a disappointing leveller.

Lampard ensured Stamford Bridge emptied in celebratory mood. They
roared their approval as news flashed down of Liverpool's slip at
Middlesbrough, which means they eased into second place on goal
difference ahead of Rafa Benítez's side. Chelsea mean business again.

And what of the title? "It's rather realistic," mused Hiddink. "We
have to win our games – hopefully more comfortably than this – and ask
Edwin van der Sar if he'd like to have the ball in the back of his
net. I know him and I don't think he is willing to do so. But as long
as we have the possibility, we will keep going."


-----------------------------------------------------


Mail:

Chelsea 2 Wigan 1: Lampard's winner isn't kidding Hiddink
By Rob Draper

All around him, fans were celebrating and his staff were ecstatic. Yet
Guus Hiddink, Chelsea's new manager, stood impassive, arms folded and
grimfaced, a pose that has become familiar in the past 10 days.
He is Sir Alf Ramsey reincarnated, in temperament at least, keeping
his head when all round are losing theirs. Frank Lampard had just
headed home a winner over Wigan in the 90th minute and Stamford Bridge
had erupted in sheer relief.
Not Hiddink, however. He makes encouraging noises about the commitment
and the reaction of his players but he knows this Chelsea side need to
improve - and quickly. 'I'm happy and satisfied for the win but the
way we gave away control in the second half is not super-satisfying,'
said Hiddink.

'I have to be happy but also critical. We have to improve tactically
when we are on and off the ball. 'If the boys can always guarantee a
last-minute win, then I can suffer for 90 minutes on the bench. But no
one can give me that guarantee. What I like to see is that the game is
killed when you're dominating in the first period.'
Yesterday his side were labouring, stumbling towards another draw at
home, the kind that became familiar under Luiz Felipe Scolari. Chelsea
had the better of the game, the pick of the chances but had allowed
themselves to be caught out in the final 10 minutes, thanks to slack
defending.
Yet as the fourth official held up the board that indicated three
minutes of added time, John Terry played a long ball, hoping for once
to outwit Wigan's excellent defensive partnership of Emmerson Boyce
and Titus Bramble.
Michael Ballack flicked the ball on and Lampard directed a header home
to lift Chelsea to second in the table. But Chelsea were fortunate
that referee Lee Probert did not rule out the goal because Lampard
held Mario Melchiot.

Wigan manager Steve Bruce was right to be utterly dismayed, for his
team deserved better after a fine performance. As for the title race,
Manchester United remain seven points clear with a game in hand and
Hiddink is no romantic dreamer.
'I'm rather realistic,' he said. 'That's to say we have first to win
our games - and hopefully a little bit more comfortably than we did
today. And second, we have to ask Edwin van der Sar if he would like
to let the ball in the back of his net. I don't think he would be
willing to do so.
'A stable team like Manchester United are in a good seat. But as long
as we have a possibility, and as long as it's not decided, we will aim
for it and that's what the team showed last week at Villa Park and
today.'
Wigan had the best of the opening chances and Paul Scharner should
have put them ahead on 18 minutes when clear through on goal. A minute
later Ashley Cole headed off the line from Bramble's header.
'Two chances in two minutes!' reflected Bruce. 'I don't think I've had
two chances in the last two years here! But we didn't take them and we
needed to.'

Chelsea then awoke, John Mikel Obi forcing an excellent save from
Chris Kirkland before the goal came on 25 minutes.

Lampard crossed into the six-yard area, Boyce headed the ball away but
only to Terry on the edge of the area. The Chelsea captain's
leftfooted volley was impressive but it was the deflection by Boyce
that beat Kirkland.

The goal will go down as Terry's and his 35th for the club takes him
past Peter Sillett, from the Fifties, as the club's highest-scoring
defender. Lampard forced another sharp save from Kirkland in the 37th
minute and Bramble was again required to clear off the line when
Drogba finally managed to get past the Wigan keeper.

Yet Wigan kept coming and Scharner should have scored with a diving
header after Maynor Figueroa provided an excellent looping cross. Four
minutes later it seemed they had a point for their travails. Figueroa
again provided the cross and Olivier Kapo stuck out a leg to deflect
it in. They celebrated in the corner in front of their fans, though it
turned out to be premature.


-----------------------------------------------------


NOTW:

CHELSEA 2, WIGAN 1

Frank Lampard lights up Blues

From ROB SHEPHERD at Stamford Bridge, 28/02/2009

THINGS you expect to read: Frank Lampard pops up to grab a last-minute
winner and all the glory.

Things you thought you’d never read: Titus Bramble was brilliant and
deserved to be the hero.


By his standards Lampard had a nightmare, Titus Bramble played like a
dream by his. Yet, as so often in sport, there are those who seem
permanently blessed even on an off-day, while others are cursed when
they have barely put a foot wrong.


Lampard is one of those who has that unerring capacity to deliver when
the game seems up.


His last goal at the Bridge six weeks ago was a stoppage-time winner
against Stoke which gave Phil Scolari a brief stay of execution.


Yesterday, just after the board had been raised displaying three added
minutes, Lampard headed home to win the game and maintain the new
momentum under Guus Hiddink.


It seemed Lampard got away with shoving Mario Melchiot in the process
but them’s the breaks when you have the Midas touch.


Fears that Chelsea might slip out of the top four and so fail to
qualify for the Champions League — unless they win it — have now
eased.


These three points lifted the Blues into second place above Liverpool
on goal difference and established more breathing space between
themselves, Aston Villa and Arsenal.


Hiddink’s claim that Chelsea can catch Manchester United seems
optimistic but it’s still not out of the question, as it surely would
have been had Wigan held on to the draw having equalised in the 82nd
minute.


It’s not as if Chelsea are suddenly playing so much better than in the
last days of Scolari but the spirit and drive has returned. That has
much to do with Didier Drogba, who was ridiculously cold-shouldered by
Scolari.


But ultimately it was Lampard and John Terry, the players who carried
the side when Scolari lost the support of others, that made the
difference — spoiling what should have been a memorable day for poor
old Bramble.


As a youngster at Ipswich, the burly centre-half was regarded as a top
prospect. But he became a figure of ridicule during his time at
Newcastle when he was branded Titus Shambles.


Yesterday he was more like a Titan, clearing one off the line, getting
in block after block, winning most of the aerial battles and making
sure the revived Drogba didn’t run Wigan ragged.


It was indeed tough on a Latics side who deserved a draw but now,
according to boss Steve Bruce, will have their season defined over the
next three games.


They are certainly not out of the relegation woods and the club may
yet rue the decision to let Emile Heskey and Wilson Palacios leave.


The visitors’ start was as bright as their luminous lime-green shirts
and they really should have capitalised on Chelsea’s early lethargy.


It was as if the euphoria of beating Juventus in midweek had sapped
the sharpness that has returned since the arrival of boss Hiddink.
Wigan striker Amr Zaki was quick to exploit the time and space on
offer.


In the 15th minute, the Egyptian pounced on indecision by Alex and
unleashed a fierce shot which was deflected just wide.


Three minutes later, Zaki produced an inspired back-flick to guide
Melchiot’s pass into the path of Paul Scharner. In the clear, Scharner
strode on with purpose but his confidence disappeared as Petr Cech
rushed out and saved his feeble attempt. Then, in the 21st minute,
Ashley Cole cleared an Emmerson Boyce effort off the line before Cech
and Terry combined to keep out Maynor Figueroa’s cross-shot.


That scare seemed to wake up Chelsea and in the 25th minute they went
in front. Lampard, who had barely had a decent touch and whose
free-kicks would prove wayward all afternoon, suddenly created danger
when he sent over a cross.


Boyce headed away but the ball fell to Terry on the edge of the area
and he conjured up a Samba-style finish, lashing it home with a
left-footed scissor kick.


Chelsea should have seized full control by the interval but Lampard
wasted two great chances. Wigan kept plugging away, though, and they
eventually got their reward eight minutes from time when Olivier Kapo
outsmarted Nicolas Anelka at the near post and converted Figueroa’s
low cross with a side-foot finish.

Muscles

But, once again, Lampard stole the show. Michael Ballack nodded on a
long ball from Juliano Belletti, Lamps outmuscled Melchiot then
strained the neck muscles to arc his header over Chris Kirkland.


Bruce complained: “I thought at the time Frank shoved Mario in the
back and the replay confirms it. In those situations you need the ref
to be strong but this sort of thing always seems to happen when you
come to the big clubs.”


Bruce had a point but memorably he once scored two controversial
headers during SEVEN minutes of stoppage time which enabled Manchester
United to clinch their first title under Alex Ferguson.


Lampard’s lavish celebrations were as if Chelsea had actually won
something. They may yet do under this regime — especially when you
have a talisman like Lamps.


For Bramble, the only prize was Terry’s promise to swap shirts in the
tunnel. But at least he can feel fit enough to wear it.