Match Report: 'Solid' Chelsea Display Leaves Villa in Desperate Position

Despite Chelsea's recent woes it was a predictable outcome at Stamford Bridge on Saturday as they ran out 2-0 winners against Tim Sherwood’s struggling Villa side. It was a game that won’t live long in the memory but one that Jose Mourinho will be hoping can reverse his team’s fortunes as they bid to compete with the league’s frontrunners once more.

The visitors will again be bemoaning costly errors and bad luck, with Chelsea’s opening and ultimately decisive goal a gift courtesy of Guzan and Lescott, prior to Alan Hutton's unfortunate second half own goal. The American keeper, not for the first time this season, put his defender under pressure with a risky pass out in the first half that Lescott failed to deal with, allowing the ball to roll under his foot and into the path of Willian. The Brazilian, who picked up the WhoScored man of the match award (8.44 rating) unselfishly squared for the returning Diego Costa to slot home into an empty net and Villa never really looked like getting back into the game thereafter.

It was frustrating for Sherwood, who admitted that the opening goal was always likely to be crucial having matched their hosts to that point and arguably had the better chances. Alan Hutton powered past Baba Rahman - who had a tough Premier League debut in the opening period - before firing at Begovic from a close angle, while Rudy Gestede could only steer Jordan Ayew’s centre over the bar having beaten John Terry to the ball from close in.

The big news going into the game, however - with both managers making a number of changes to their respective sides - was Mourinho’s decision to leave out Eden Hazard. It was a choice he clearly felt was vindicated following what he claimed as a ‘solid’ rather than great performance.

The Chelsea boss went on to intimate that if the 2014/15 Player of the Season is to regain a place in the the team he will have to replicate the defensive work rate of Pedro and Willian, who ‘allowed the midfielders to concentrate on the centre of the pitch’ rather than being concerned with covering the full-backs. Between the two wingers they completed 6 tackles on the day - Hazard, who was introduced late on, has made just 3 all season.

Ramires, who Villa will feel was lucky not to be booked having committed 4 fouls in the first half alone, also received praise from his boss having effectively broken up play in the middle of the park. Meanwhile the decision to replace Ruben Loftus-Cheek at half-time was a tactical one, with Mourinho again highlighting the teenager’s lack of tactical discipline.

Overall though, the Blues manager wanted more desire from his players and he got it, from front to back. Costa’s return was always likely to be a boost, suitably riling the defensive duo of Lescott and Richards in particular, with Chelsea ending the game having made 30 tackles to Villa’s 19 - considerably up on their average of 20.4 for the season.

Mourinho spoke after the game that he never expected a ‘fantastic’ performance from a side so low in confidence - and it certainly wasn’t one - but that his team put in the effort required to ensure they picked up all three points. With the likes of City and United recording comfortable victories of their own the 3 points has done little for Chelsea’s feint title hopes, with Mourinho reluctant to suggest that this result would be the turning point, but it’s a start.

For Villa, meanwhile, it was an expected defeat but one that - following the wins of rivals West Brom and indeed their hosts, leaves them further in the mire.

Will this be the result that kickstarts Chelsea's season and how long does Tim Sherwood have to save his job? Let us know in the comments below