A scrappy goal from Florent Malouda was enough to hand Chelsea a 1-0 win and three points against Wigan.
Substitute Torres narrowly denied goal against Latics
A scrappy goal from Florent Malouda was enough to hand Chelsea a 1-0 win and three points against Wigan.
The Frenchman was on target during a scramble in the Wigan penalty area to fire home on a day that saw the Blues struggling for ideas.
The home side had a glorious opportunity to go ahead inside the opening minute with both Frank Lampard and Ramires fluffing shots with the goal gaping.
Wigan grew in confidence as the first period wore on, pressing the home side but unable to create chances in the final third.
Fernando Torres entered the fray on the hour mark and came within inches of breaking his Chelsea duck after a heroic save from Wigan keeper Ali Al-Habsi.
Benched
Torres' substitute role appeared to indicate he would definitely start Tuesday night's UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg at Manchester United.
Yet Wigan seemed tailor-made for the £50million man to end his now-infamous 12-hour goal drought, with Chelsea having scored 14 times in the sides' last two meetings.
It was a disjointed first 45 minutes at Stamford Bridge. Abandoning their 4-4-2 formation in favour of a 4-3-3 appeared to have little effect, as they struggled to break down the Latics.
As against United on Wednesday, Didier Drogba was their only real outlet and he created what should have been a first-minute opener when Lampard and Ramires both mis-kicked his cross.
Drogba also laid on two chances for the recalled Malouda, who was thwarted by Ali Al Habsi.
With captain John Terry rested, the home side's defence also had its wobbles, with Charles N'Zogbia controversially flagged offside after being put clean through by Ben Watson and Hugo Rodallega causing consternation before Ashley Cole blocked his finish.
The visitors could still be forgiven a bit of time-wasting, which saw Emmerson Boyce booked, while Chelsea's David Luiz was lucky not to follow for clattering into Rodallega.
Changes
Carlo Ancelotti tried to freshen things up at half-time by sending on the fit-again Yossi Benayoun for his first appearance since September in place of Mikel.
Lampard drove narrowly wide from 20 yards after a sharp turn before Luiz tested referee Howard Webb's patience once too often by bundling into Rodallega and was booked.
Nicolas Anelka was withdrawn for Torres with just over half an hour remaining, much to the satisfaction of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.
But it was Drogba who almost made the breakthrough with a deflected free-kick tipped over by Al Habsi.
Wigan threw on Conor Sammon and Franco Di Santo for N'Zogbia and a nonplussed Rodallega, who stormed down the tunnel, before Torres sent a weak finish at Al Habsi after showing good skill to break into the box.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 67th minute when Torres prevented Al Habsi claiming Luiz's flick-on from Drogba's corner and Malouda drilled home through a crowd of players.
Ramires was briefly forced from the field after taking a nasty kick to the knee from former Chelsea man Di Santo.
Chances
Torres went agonisingly close to getting on the end of Drogba's cross before failing to control a long ball which went straight through to Al Habsi.
Alex made his first appearance since November, coming on for Ferreira for the final 15 minutes.
Another miscontrol from Torres denied the striker a shot at goal before Wigan began to go for broke, Di Santo forcing a scrambling save from Petr Cech.
They also threw on Victor Moses for Diame but the final few minutes were all about Torres' increasingly-desperate attempts to find the net.
He looked certain to do so after Benayoun put the ball on a plate with a minute remaining but his strike was palmed behind by Al Habsi.
A stoppage-time Wigan surge saw Moses and Tom Cleverley thwarted and Maynor Figueroa booked for fouling Branislav Ivanovic, while Malouda had a second goal chalked off for an infringement.
| Chelsea |
Team Statistics |
Wigan Athletic |
| 1 |
Goals |
0 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 10 |
Shots on Target |
3 |
| 7 |
Shots off Target |
4 |
| 2 |
Blocked Shots |
6 |
| 10 |
Corners |
5 |
| 12 |
Fouls |
14 |
| 0 |
Offsides |
2 |
| 1 |
Yellow Cards |
2 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 82.7 |
Passing Success |
77.3 |
| 29 |
Tackles |
22 |
| 72.4 |
Tackles Success |
72.7 |
| 52.7 |
Possession |
47.3 |
| 54.7 |
Territorial Advantage |
45.3 |
|
