The Premier League game between Aston Villa and Chelsea at Villa Park on Saturday Oct 17, 2009.
Another mistake by Petr Cech led to Chelsea slipping to a second Premier League defeat of the season – and the second in a row away from Stamford Bridge – with Aston Villa coming from behind to claim victory through two headed goals.
Both came from ! their central defenders – Richard Dunne with the first and James Collins with the second – and both from set-pieces. While Frank Lampard inadvertently flicked on Ashley Young's corner, directing it straight to Dunne who headed in from four yards, Cech flapped at another corner in the second-half to allow Collins to also head home. Cech had erred recently against Stoke City, again mis-judging a cross.
On both occasions the Villa goal-scorers had evaded their markers with Chelsea's defence showing a worrying fraility – similar to the frailties that had afflicted them last season under Luiz Felipe Scolari.
It was at Villa Park that Guus Hiddink had re-focussed Chelsea last season but although they played the more attractive football, they deservedly slumped to a defeat that, although it leaves them still at the top of the table, means they could be overtaken by Manchester United later this afternoon. Vi! lla, meanwhile, move up to fifth place.
For both sid! es the l ine-ups were unaltered from their last league matches before the international break – except for the return of Jose Bosingwa, fit again, to the Chelsea defence although he was later replaced by Branislav Ivanovic, hobbling off injured. The whole Chelsea team had featured in midweek internationals and did appear affected by fatigue.
They could have fallen behind when Bosingwa appeared to catch Gabriel Agbonlahor as he shaped to shoot but the appeals were waved away by referee Kevin Friend, a late replacement for Steve Bennett after the official had felt unwell prior to kick-off which meant the start of the game was delayed by five minutes.
Soon after the penalty appeal, Chelsea scored with Didier Drogba superbly turning Collins and striking a shot from 30 yards that kicked up horribly in front of Brad Friedel and spun into the net. It was Drogba's seventh league goal of the season. Undoubtedly the goalkeeper was culpable a! lthough he also went on to make fine saves from Deco and Nicolas Anelka – denying both players in one-on-one opportunities – and beating out a powerful drive by Florent Malouda. Friedel also clawed out a wonderful chip by Deco, just as it had appeared to have looped over him as Villa held on for a landmark win.
