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CHELSEA FC: REACTION: WE THOUGHT GAME WAS OVER - AND IT WASN'T!

/noticias.info/ Arjen Robben's last gasp winner at Wigan may have been the perfect early Christmas present for all Chelsea fans but it did not leave his manager in a festive mood.

It certainly wasn't a merry Jose Mourinho who analysed the 3-2 win at the JJB Stadium after the final whistle, having seen his side 'mug' the home team at the death for the second season running.

Last year's win thanks to Hernan Crespo's goal came in a game that had been difficult throughout pointed out Mourinho. That had not been the case this time round.

'We didn't deserve this win,' he admitted.

'When you have an easy game to play, you must catch it with both hands and play an easy game for 90 minutes. We had an easy game for 30 minutes.

'It was 2-0 with complete control of the game, more chances to score, and I think my players thought the game was over. And the game was not over.

'The last 15 minutes of the first-half were very bad. We were losing the ball, making mistakes in defence, no concentration at set pieces and we had attacking players without movement.

'So it gave Wigan chance to get back into the game. They are an emotional side and when they scored before half-time, the game is open and they dominate until they score the second goal.'

Despondent Wigan manager Paul Jewell gave a similar assessment.

'That is possibly the toughest second 45 minutes Chelsea will have this season but that again is why they are champions.

'They are never out of the game. Though we are disappointed we conceded the goal, you have to take your hat off. That is what champions do.'

Mourinho was less convinced his players had shown championship qualities on this occasion.

'We scored in the last minute but imagine if Wigan score on the counter attack - because in the last ten minutes, we played with just Carvalho and Cole at the back.

'Imagine they score. At that moment we would have lost a big, big chance in an easy game to play.

'At least my team showed a reaction when Wigan scored had their second goal and were not afraid to play an attacking game in last 10 minutes.'

There was one member of his side that Mourinho was careful to exempt from the collective criticism.

'When the game was finished, I went on the pitch to say to Carvalho he was the best player and without him, it was not possible to win because we made too many mistakes.

'He was the only defensive player completely 100 per cent with no mistakes, playing brilliant and he had to make cover for the mistakes other people made.'

It was an individual performance made all the more importantby the absence of back injury victim John Terry. Whether the skipper will return for the Boxing Day game, his manager was unable to confirm.

'Maybe he can play against Reading in three days time. Maybe he will have to be out for three weeks. I cannot say with this injury.' notas_de_prensa_archivo