Chelsea kept their lingering hopes of retaining their league title alive with a spirited and impressive 2-4 away win against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light tonight.
The Blues are still 10 points away from Manchester United and this win does nothing more than maintain the status quo.
In the first back to back wins since the beginning of the season, four different players hit the net.
Frank Lampard (penalty) Salomon Kalou, John Terry and a lovely sublime back-heel flick from Nicolas Anelka late on was enough to avenge the horror performance inflicted on the Londoners back in November when Sunderland was rampant 0-3 winners at Stamford Bridge.
Sunderland took the lead through Phil Bardsely before Lampard equalised. Kalou put the Londoners ahead before Kieran Richardson’s cheeky free kick outfoxed Chelsea’s rearguard.
Captain Terry restored the lead before Anelka rubbed salt into the home side’s wounds with an injury time fourth goal.
One Sunderland supporting journalist texted me on the whistle to congratulate Chelsea on a deserved victory but stated Sunderland were “5-4 aggregate winners”.
Chelsea’s Achilles’ heel this season has been their poor execution of defensive set-pieces which has resulted in unnecessary goals being conceded
Since the unedifying departure of coach Ray Wilkins, Chelsea’s off-field tactical preparation for games has being called into question – the net result Chelsea going through their worst run of results in 15 years.
Wilkins must have a wry smile on his face following Chelsea humiliating and desperate entry into the transfer yesterday.
Fernando Torres and David Luiz were purchased for the best part of £75m.
Granted those payments for Torres will be spread over the lifetime of his five and a half year contract, but it does represent a massive U-turn in Chelsea’s football board footballing strategy.
Shorn of Wilkins’ high level of footballing and coaching experience, Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti was reliant of coaches who have not played at the highest level or even close to it.
When top, top players are presented with tactical, plans to “study” days before a match, there is s tendency for some of them to ask: “who the hell are these guys telling me what to do?”
The poor unco-ordinated performances and results that followed illustrated the importance of getting the coaching staff right. Chelsea failed miserably in this with Roman Abramovich’s petulant sacking of Wilkins.
He went some way yesterday in correcting that basic error by sanctioning the deals for Torres and Luiz.
Those signings sparked Chelsea into life tonight and on Sunday Torres and Luiz will find out first-hand what’s it’s like to play under Ancelotti and Abramovich.
Chelsea (4-3-2-1): Cech, Bosingwa (Ferreira 90+1), Ivanovic, JT (c) Cole; Essien, Mikel (Ramires 75), Lampard; Kalou (Malouda 81), Anelka; Drogba.
Unused subs Turnbull, Bruma, McEachran, and Sala.
Scorers Lampard pen. 14, Kalou 22, Terry 60, Anelka 90+1.
Booked Drogba 54, Ivanovic 84.
Sunderland (4-4-1-1):Gordon; Onuoha (Cook 87),Bramble (c), Ferdinand, Bardsley; Elmohamady, Henderson , Malbranque (Colback 81), Sessegnon; Richardson; Gyan.
Unused subs: Mignolet, Angeleri, Mensah, Riveros, and Reed.
Scorers Bardsley 3, Richardson 26.
Booked Richardson 84.
Referee Mark Halsey.
Crowd 37,855.