CHELSEA crashed to a humiliating home defeat in their most desperate result of Andre Villas-Boas' (pictured)reign so far.
Having taken the lead, they conceded two late goals in a performance that provoked widespread boos on full time.
John Terry, leading his Chelsea side out for an incredible 400 th time as captain, looked fraught as he traipsed down the tunnel after the performance.
Earlier, Chelsea had looked in-charge against an unambitious Villa side.
Didier Drogba, ranging forward almost at will into the opposition box, looked dangerous.
It was on one of Drogba's surges into the area, in the 23 rd minute, that he was up-ended: resulting in referee Mark Halsey pointing straight at the spot.
Drogba, starting the match with 149 Chelsea goals to his name, placed and took a rather soft shot under keeper Bradley Guzan and into the Villa net.
The goal from the spot put him level in Chelsea's goalscoring charts with Peter Osgood: and the Ivorian showed a keen understanding of club history by using his celebration to salute the final resting place of the 1960s and 70s great.
But Chelsea, as could be said so often this season, failed to capitalise on their advantage.
Having taken the lead they looked haphazard in their approach, and careless in their defence.
Less than five minutes passed before Charles N'Zogbia's hurtling run down the Chelsea right saw a squared ball to Stephen Ireland buried deep in Petr Cech's net.
Andre Villas-Boas kept with his selection until the hour mark, when Oriol Romeu and Daniel Sturridge made way for benched stars Frank Lampard and Fernando Torres.
And Torres nearly made a crucial difference with his first intervention: striking the Villa bar with a loping shot.
But for the chances created by Chelsea's changes line-up, they failed to take advantage.
And it was Villa who looked the more comfortable.
With seven minutes of the 90 to play, Ciaran Clark played on to Stilyan Petrov, who slotted past Cech. And just three minutes later Darren Bent made it three.
Results far less bad than this have seen for a number of Villas-Boas' predecessors. Who knows what happens next?
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