Wolves 1 Chelsea 0: CARLO ANCELOTTI claimed he was "lucky" to still be in a job before this game but good fortune only lasts so long.
The Chelsea manager will do well to hold on to his position after his side suffered a humiliating defeat that exposed the brittle confidence in their ranks and the alarming depths to which the champions have fallen. Nine points behind Manchester United having played a game more, their challenge looks over.
Ancelotti had stated beforehand that Chelsea “will win” but there was no sign of that belief in his players. The Italian had barely had time to get acquainted with the touchline area, where he spent most of the evening looking a lonely and dejected figure, when Jose Bosingwa put through his own net. Chelsea had 85 minutes to turn the game around but there was to be no reprieve for Ancelotti or his beleaguered players.
They have now won one out of nine in the league and collected 10 points from 11 games, a run that would normally be associated with a club in a relegation battle. Roman Ambramovich’s patience must be close to breaking point.
To put Chelsea’s slump into context, Wolves came into this game bottom of the table but with a better record over the last six games than the champions.
Having seen Petr Cech make a splendid save to turn Ronald Zubar’s speculative 35-yard shot behind, the Chelsea manager looked on in disbelief as his side conceded in shambolic circumstances from the corner that followed. Ashley Cole failed to cut out Stephen Hunt’s inswinging kick at the near post and the ball drifted into the six-yard box where it bounced off Bosingwa’s left shin and into the net.
It was a calamitous start and one that Chelsea struggled to recover from during a fractious first half when Wolves spent long periods defending but rarely looked in serious trouble.
The visitors had no shortage of possession but it was a measure of their lack of penetration in and around the penalty area that Wayne Hennessey had only one save to make before the interval.
That chance came after Zubar, who was otherwise impressive, tried to take a short throw-in close to the byline. Didier Drogba read the full-back’s intentions and nodded the ball into the path of Florent Malouda, whose fine centre picked out Salomon Kalou.
His prodded shot wrongfooted Hennessey and looked to be heading for the bottom corner but the Wolves goalkeeper managed to instinctively stick out a right-boot to block. It was a fine stop.
Otherwise Chelsea huffed and puffed but made few inroads.
Chelsea were struggling to keep their discipline at times and John Terry was fortunate not to be penalised when he clipped Hunt around the head as the two quarrelled off the ball. Hunt, who has history with Chelsea after his clash with Cech during his Reading days, should also have been cautioned for a poor challenge on Malouda.
Wolves’ only other decent opportunity before the break came when Zubar picked Cole’s pocket with embarrassing ease – a moment that epitomised Chelsea’s travails here – and released Kevin Doyle. The Republic of Ireland international has been sidelined for three weeks and it showed in his tame shot.
Chelsea should have equalised eight minutes after the restart. Frank Lampard’s exquisite backheel set Kalou free on the left-hand side of the area but with only Hennessey to beat the Ivorian dragged his shot wide.
Guardian Service
WOLVERHAMPTON:Hennessey, Zubar, Stearman, Berra, Elokobi, Jarvis, Foley, Edwards, Hunt, Fletcher (Ebanks-Blake 69), Doyle (Ward 70), Ebanks-Blake (Milijas 82). Subs not used: Hahnemann, David Jones, Batth, Doherty.
CHELSEA: Cech, Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Ramires (Sturridge 72), Essien, Lampard, Kalou (Anelka 66), Drogba, Malouda (Kakuta 79). Subs not used: Turnbull, Ferreira, Bruma, McEachran. Booked: Ivanovic.
Referee:Mark Halsey (Lancashire).
