New year but Blues face same old failings

SOME of Chelsea’s players left the field arguing, others shook their heads in disbelief while colleagues sunk to their knees in despair; but every single one headed for the dressing room knowing a new year will now bring new problems, new difficulties and new inquests.

Of course this match will be remembered for its sheer drama as Chelsea came from 2-1 behind to lead 3-2, only to concede an injury-time leveller to Ciaran Clark, but it was far more than a six-goal thriller to fill up an end of season DVD of Premier League highlights.

For Villa it could prove a real turning point in a season that has been little short of disastrous, such was the energetic and inventive nature of their football which in the end earned them a deserved and hugely welcome point; but for Chelsea it encapsulated everything good about the old Blues of 2010 and everything bad about the new version of 2011.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti can at least reflect on the positives of a second half that saw his team, at 2-1 down, rediscover the spirit of days gone by to roar back from the dead and celebrate two crucial goals — and in particular the second from captain John Terry in the 89th minute — as if they had won the championship itself.

But the way his side then switched off in injury time to allow defender Clark a completely free header from a Mark Albrighton cross was not the mark — or the marking — of champions and it leaves Chelsea in fifth place in the Premier League, six points behind leaders Manchester United who also have a game in hand.

“I’m disappointed because I think we used a lot of energy in the second half to come back in the game,” said Ancelotti. “We had a fantastic reaction, we played with a lot of spirit. And when we thought the game was won we lost two points.”

Ancelotti maintains his team are improving after a miserable December that saw them slip from top of the table to outside of the Champions League places but it’s fair to say the recovery is a slow one on this evidence.

There was a feeling before the game that Chelsea could repeat the rout of last season, when they beat Aston Villa 7-1 at Stamford Bridge, such was the confidence boost received from a crucial 1-0 victory over Bolton at Christmas. But perhaps pundits who made that particular prediction had been unaware of just how poor Chelsea’s performance really was against the Wanderers, despite celebrations at the eventual outcome.

For that reason, home fans were less certain their team’s mid-season blip, which has seen Ancleotti’s side win only one league game in eight now, was really over — and their caution proved to be prudent.

Although Chelsea went into the break level at 1-1 there would be few dissenting voices at the suggestion that Villa were the better side for long periods and, despite the drama that was to follow, it would be a cruel man to suggest Gerard Houllier’s men deserved to go back to the midlands with nothing.

In fact Villa, themselves on a miserable run of one victory in seven games that had seen them slip to 16th in the Premier League, looked bright and combative, with Ashley Young and Stewart Downing forcing Petr Cech into smart saves while Clark should have scored from a Young corner and there was a terrible miss from the recalled and otherwise excellent Richard Dunne.

Chelsea’s opening goal was fortunate, too, because James Collins’ clambering challenge on Florent Malouda was little more than clumsy, and didn’t deserve the penalty awarded by fussy referee Lee Mason who also booked seven Villa players in the opening hour of the game.

Frank Lampard converted from 12 yards — his first goal for Chelsea since August 14 — but even then Chelsea looked unconvincing, giving the ball away with alarming regularity until finally finding their feet in a pulsating last half hour.

By then, however, Villa were 2-1 up. First they equalised when Michael Essien clattered into Gabriel Agbonlahor from behind for a 41st-minute penalty that was thumped home by the excellent Young; and the second came after 47 minutes when Young spread a superb ball out towards Downing on the right wing. The winger easily beat Ashley Cole before crossing right-footed for Emile Heskey to head past Cech.

Only then did Chelsea remember they are champions and start to reproduce the energy, character and skill that won the league in 2010. Lampard and Malouda were both superbly kept out by Brad Friedel before Didier Drogba eventually found a way through, forcing home a shot off Clark on the line with six minutes to go.

At 2-2 you always suspected the old Chelsea would find a way of winning it, a point proven when Friedel saved Drogba’s header and Terry swept home an excellent finish to spark frantic and heartfelt celebrations. But, with only injury time left to play, Villa responded.

Winger Albrighton, who had given the ball away in the build up to Chelsea’s equaliser, made amends with a clipped cross to the far post where Clark headed home an astonishing equaliser.

“It was a game of character,” said Villa manager Houllier. “We showed character, we showed bravery. I think this can be a turning point, a new start.”

Not so for Chelsea, of course, who are looking backwards not forwards. Can they ring in the old and ring out the new in 2011?