ASTON VILLA  V  CHELSEA

Saturday 22nd January 2000

KICK OFF

3pm

DATE

AT

FA Carling Premiership

Villa Park

FIXTURE

MAN OF THE MATCH

ATTENDENCE

SCORE

George Weah

0-0

33,704

SCORERS

CHELSEA

ASTON VILLA

REFS PERFORMANCE

8/10

REFEREE

Alan Wilkie

TEAMS

CHELSEA

Ed De Goey, Bernard Lambourde, Frank Leboeuf, Emerson Thome, Jon Harley, Jody Morris, Dennis Wise, Didier Deschamps, Gustavo Poyet, George Weah, Chris Sutton

SUBSTITUTES

Hogh 53 (Leboeuf) Flo 74 (Poyet) Zola 74 (Sutton) Ambrosetti, Cudicini

BOOKED

ASTON VILLA

James, Watson, Southgate, Ehiogu, Barry, Wright, Taylor, Boateng, Merson, Joachim, Carbone

SUBSTITUTES

Delaney 60 (Watson)Vassell 46 (Joachim) Stone 63 (Vassell) Thompson, Cutler

BOOKED

MATCH REPORT

Chelsea yet again without the injured Marcel Desailly earned a point against a improving Villa side.

Chances were few and far between, but Weah possibly had the best chance to seal the points as early as 10 minutes when he was through on goal after beating Boateng's challenge and shot wide.

He had another chance when beating Ehiogu and flicking a shot onto the post following a great ball by Morris.

Chelsea rode their luck a bit and thanks to rising star Jon Harley we would have gone into the break behind, he somehow managed to clear the ball off the line and save our blushes from a shot by Merson.

Villa continued to look dangerous and Chelsea's defence looking all at sea trying to deal with Villa's corners and set pieces.

Chelsea were unlucky not be awarded a penalty when Sutton's fierce shot hit Barry in the hand but Referee Wilkie was unimpressed with Chelsea appeals and waved play on.

The second half started as cagey as the first as both sides kept very tight in defence.

Bad news followed on the 54th minute when following a clash with Vassell, Frank Leboeuf was stretchered off for what looks like a thigh strain.

Chelsea were momentary in dissaray and had to whether the storm particulary from Merson who gave Chelsea problems all afternoon.

Chelsea did not sit back for the point and Jon Haley's thunderous shot which hit the bar would have been enough to seal all 3 points.

Sadly the game never really took off and even the late substitutions of Flo and Zola could not change the outcome of this match, and a draw was a fair result.


Viva Vialli