Aston Villa 2 - Chelsea 0 09/03/2007

MATCH REPORT: Aston Villa 2 - Chelsea 0

The Villa Park difficulties continue as Mourinho's men go down to a first defeat of the season, conceding goals just after half-time and a few minutes before the final whistle.

A disjointed performance left the Chelsea side struggling to create genuine chances in the box and despite a whole host of set-pieces in our favour, Scott Carson in the Villa goal had too little to do.

It is loss that raised memories of the game at Middlesbrough early last season and questions will inevitably be raised about the team's ability to function without Frank Lampard. A two week break now awaits before positive answers to those can be given on the pitch.

Mourinho reacted to this rarest of circumstances, his missing vice-captain, by changing the shape of the side.

Chelsea lined-up in 4-3-3 formation with Wright-Phillips and Malouda pushed forward alongside Drogba and Makelele coming into midfield for his first action of the season. Essien and Mikel would also patrol the centre ground.

There was a fresh look to the defence with full debuts for Belletti and Alex whose height would hopefully prove useful against the skyscraping John Carew.

Villa drafted in one of their two new signings, Zat Knight at the back, but there was no involvement for Curtis Davies.

With a minute gone, Chelsea had ever right to feel aggrieved when Wright-Phillips slipped goal side of Laursen and attempted to head for the area with the defender practically hanging off his back. Surely a free-kick on the edge of the box at the very least but referee Clattenburg waved play on.

Malouda had an on-target shot deflecetd wide after Belletti had made his first advance down the wing and seen his cross half-cleared.

That had been a promising start but on six minutes Agbonlahor received Young's pass, turned Terry and smacked a shot in from 15 yards out that Cech beat away with superb reflexes.

Malouda had a second effort saved down low and Terry headed a corner over at the far post as Chelsea steadied the ship.

Wright-Phillips continued the pressure by evading a tackle and spinning a shot across the turf that was tipped wide by Carson.

That was with 12 minutes gone. A minute later there was a nervous moment when the ball ricocheted around the box off the boots of Terry and Alex but Agbonlahor planted a good chance straight at Cech.

Wright-Phillips was seeing plenty of the ball in the early stages. On 19 minutes when he found himself on the left and tricked his marker onto the seat of his pants, the England winger disappointing dragged his shot wide.

Villa were not slow to play the ball forward high to where Carew was locked in a physical tussles with Alex and Terry. A couple verdicts in quick succession went the Chelsea defenders' way, raising just a few complaints from the Holte End.

As half-time approached, Wright-Phillips snatched at a shot after good work by Mikel and Cole but although the away team were getting behind the Villa defence frequently, options were proving limited or weren't being spotted.

The corner count at the break was 8-0 to Chelsea although good chances were more evenly matched.

Chelsea survived one more Villa attack just before the break when Agbonlahor kicked air with an acrobatic effort after Cole had cleared away a Young cross.

Villa were fastest out the blocks after the break, Young curling in a shot which Cech tipped over. It might have been clearing the target anyway.

From the corner, Knight climbed above Drogba, headed down and for once, Cole on the line couldn't pull off a clearance.

The home side were one ahead and the former Fulham defender had a debut goal. After the multitude of corners Chelsea had taken, Villa had scored from their first.

The reaction from the bench was quick with Pizarro introduced for Mikel. The young midfielder appeared to be feeling the effects of a first half kick on the foot. Malouda moved to play deeper and more central. Reo-Coker became the game's first booking for a late challenge on Chelsea's repositioned Frenchman.

Searching for the equaliser, the team stayed pushed up through a series of corners and throw-ins although the delivery was not always up to standard.

A double substitution came on 62 minutes with Joe Cole and Salomon Kalou on for Wright-Phillips and Makelele. Kalou was asked to patrol the flanks.

Cole assumed corner taking duties and from his first attempt, Terry headed over.

Barry was booked on 70 minutes for holding on to an escaping Joe Cole and then Drogba became a first Chelsea caution for showing the mildest disagreement with a free-kick decision against him.

Almost immediately two Villa players followed into the book - Carew for a foul on Essien; Agbonlahor for dissent of his own.

It took a special last ditch tackle by Terry to dispossess a goalbound Carew after an Essien slip as time began to run out. There were 14 minutes left on the clock.

Villa were increasingly a claret and blue wall across their penalty area and were defending as if their lives depended on it. When Chelsea did find a gap after a mistake by substitute, Petrov, Essien found Kalou but the young striker's shot rolled wide.

With two minutes remaining, the killer blow was struck. A pass down the wing was taken up by Young whose driven ball into the area cannoned off Agbonlahor and past a helpless Cech.

Joe Cole rolled a shot onto the post into injury time but by that stage, the end of the 18-game unbeaten Premier League run was unpreventable. The day didn't get any better with the sight of Drogba hobbling away after the whistle, aided by the medical staff.

Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Belletti, Alex, Terry (c), A Cole; Essien, Makelele (Kalou 62), Mikel (Pizarro 52); Wright-Phillips (J Cole 62), Drogba, Malouda.
Booked Drogba 68

Aston Villa (4-4-2): Carson; Mellberg, Knight, Laursen, Bouma; Agbonlahor, Reo-Coker, Barry (c), Young; Moore, Carew (Petrov 78).
Scorers Knight 47, Agbonlahor 88.
Booked Reo-Coker 55, Barry 70, Carew 70, Agbonlahor 70.