Chelsea FC

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• Founded:1905
• Manager:Carlo Ancelotti

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Rampant Chelsea batter Wigan

21 Aug 2010 - 19:18:09

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Chelsea have cruised back to the top of the Premier League table with a thumping 6-0 victory at Wigan Athletic on Saturday evening.

The reigning champions have started the season in emphatic fashion, scoring 12 goals in two games following last week's 6-0 trouncing of West Bromwich Albion and they look the team to beat again this term.

On the contrary, Wigan have now leaked ten goals in two home games and they look set for a season of struggle as they sit rock bottom at this early stage.

In a hard-fought opening, Chelsea absorbed Wigan's early pressure as Hugo Rodallega threatened from distance and strike partner Mauro Boselli caused some problems for visiting defenders John Terry and Alex.

The hosts enjoyed plenty of possession in Chelsea's final third, but their lack of creativity meant their dominance led to nothing.

Carlo Ancelotti's side grabbed the lead in the 34th minute, showing the Latics how it's done in the process.

The marauding Ashley Cole was fed on the left by Didier Drogba and the full-back found Frank Lampard in the penalty area.

His sharp effort was parried by goalkeeper Chris Kirkland, but as the ball rebounded away from the shot-stopper, Florent Malouda reacted quicker than Maynor Figueroa to slot into the unguarded net.

Soon after, powerful defender Branislav Ivanovic was cautioned for a blatant body-check on Rodallega and the Blues looked comfortable going in at the break with a 1-0 advantage.

Just three minutes after the resumption, the Blues' second half massacre started as Nicolas Anelka notched their second.

The Frenchman hammered a well-executed angled drive past Kirkland after picking up John Obi Mikel's pass and, within five minutes, the striker bagged his second.

A long clearance from Peter Cech found Malouda on the left and his cross was helped on by Drogba, allowing Anelka to nod home, despite appearing to be in an offside position.

Wigan had the ball in the back of the net as Boselli followed in James McCarthy's strike that was deflected against the post, but the linesman's flag ended any hope of a comeback.

Michael Essien charged through with 20 minutes remaining only to be thwarted by Kirkland and, from the rebound, Ivory Coast star Drogba fizzed an effort wide.

A fine break by Drogba on the halfway line led to the visitors' fourth of the day 12 minutes from time. He easily skipped past a static Athletic defence before sliding in compatriot Salomon Kalou, who rolled the ball into the empty net.

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez cut a frustrated figure on the sidelines and he was handed a further headache when Figueroa was stretchered off after a tangle with Kirkland and Drogba.

In the 90th minute, a sumptuous delivery from Drogba was glanced home by Kalou and the rout was completed in the final minute of added time as substitutes Paulo Ferreira and Yossi Benayoun combined with the latter slotting home the former's pin-point cross from the right.