The Teams: Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink took the opportunity, ahead of his side`s return leg against Liverpool, to rest Michael Essien, with John Obi Mikel replacing the Ghanaian in midfield. The only other change from the starting eleven which triumphed so joyously at Anfield in midweek was the return of Ricardo Carvalho, at centre-back, in place of Alex.
First Half: After losing the toss and being turned over to kick towards the Matthew Harding in the first half, it was a lazy start by the Blues, who surrendered much of the opening possession to the visitors. After only two minutes, Petr Cech was tested; a Matt Taylor free kick having to be palmed away at his near post. And whilst Didier Drogba replied by forcing a good save from Jussi Jaaskelainen, the truth was that the Chelsea from Anfield simply hadn`t turned up.
Kevin Davies sent a 20th-minute volley flashing past Cech`s upright, while Taylor headed over the bar at the end of a lovely Bolton move. However, just like on Wednesday, Chelsea started to settle down and click into gear after half an hour, with Frank Lampard`s dipping free-kick again testing Jaaskelainen. And on 40 minutes, Michael Ballack exchanged passes with Salomon Kalou on the right side of the penalty area, before calmly stroking the ball home for his first league goal of the season. It was greeted not only by cheers around Stamford Bridge, but also with a collective sigh of relief, from supporters that had seen 2nd-placed Liverpool comfortably dispatch of Blackburn Rovers 4-0 earlier in the afternoon.
However, there were still a few warning signs left for Wanderers to fire before the break, including Davies going close once again with a quick-fire effort, which reminded everyone inside the ground that this one was nowhere near over as a contest. As we would all shortly find out, it hadn`t even started!
Second Half: If you were willing to bet on one thing Hiddink would have said to his players in the dressing room before sending them back out for the second half, it would have been to stress the importance of getting a killer second goal, and as quickly as possible. And it was Drogba who stepped up to the plate to seemingly put this contest to bed. Kalou raced down the right and won a free kick after being uphended, which Lampard rolled into the danger area, and Drogba prodded home from close range.
On the hour mark, Lampard`s shot across goal hit Steinsson on the arm and, despite there probably not being much the Bolton defender could do about it, the referee awarded a penalty, which Super Frank then duly obliged to slot into the bottom left-hand corner, sending the keeper the wrong way.
By this point, there was an almost carnival-like atmosphere engulfing Stamford Bridge, and that was only heightened three minutes later. In a routine reminiscent of Anfield, a corner from the right was swung in and met by the head of the powerful Branislav Ivanovic, with Drogba poking home the rebound amongst a scramble inside the six-yard box. Despite some pushing from the big Serbian defender, clearly not spotted by the officials, Chelsea were cruising.
Hiddink, with one eye looking ahead to next Tuesday`s visit of Liverpool, decided to give Lampard and Drogba a rest shortly afterwards, replacing the pair with Nicolas Anelka and Deco. In hindsight, it was to be a pivotal turning point in the game.
Eight frantic and calamity-strewn minutes followed, with Bolton managing to claw their way back into the game. Firstly, Andy O`Brien, the substitute, turned the ball home after beating Cech. Then, Chris Basham, another of Gary Megson`s changes, capitalised on some dodgy Chelsea defending to toe-poke the ball into the net, after Davies had won the header at the back post. And then, incredibly, a route one attack from the visitors led to their third; Jaaskelainen`s long clearance forward flicked on by Davies, and Taylor converting. The atmosphere, much like the game, had been turned on its head, as Bolton threatened to snatch the unlikliest of equalisers.
A quick Chelsea counter-attack could have put daylight between the sides, when Anelka forced Jaaskelainen into a mistake, only for Steinsson to cover on the line. And then Bolton took hold of the dying minutes, with long balls up to Davies causing Chelsea all kinds of headaches. And, with one of the last kicks of the game, following a corner that brought about chaos inside the Chelsea penalty area, Bolton had an effort deflected just inches wide of the post.
However, the Blues managed to hold on, and keep the pressure on those above them for another weekend. Guus Hiddink will be bitterly disappointed with the way his side capitulated defensively in the latter stages of the second half, with Cech most culpable. Gary Megson`s change in tactics, with Davies operating more centrally, changed the game. Yet, as the old saying goes, it`s only really results that matter at this stage of the season! Roll on another two massive games in the next week – Liverpool at home in the Champions League on Tuesday, and then Arsenal at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-finals on Saturday. Squeaky bum time? You bet!!
Verdict
It looked like it’d be a comfortable walk in the park after 65 minutes, with Chelsea cruising into a 4-0 lead, however the decision to withdraw Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba from the action, with the midweek visit from Liverpool in mind, clearly was a turning point. Some of the players seemed to think that indicated the game was over, and their job was done. But this is Premier League football, and today showed that anything can happen if you become complacent and lazy. People suggesting our Champions League tie is all over could do well to take a look at our performance in the last twenty-five minutes, to remind themselves of the unpredictable nature of football. Liverpool supporters and players alike will certainly be taking heart from us conceding three goals; replication of that on Tuesday night could see the impossible achieved.
But, despite obvious frustrations about our defensive frailties late on and imploding in the second-half, results are the all-important factor at this stage of the season. We’ve kept the gap between ourselves and United at four points, and reminded them once again that the Chelsea challenge isn’t going to go away lightly!
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