Chelsea ruin Bassett's day

Gudjohnsen gets in another shot at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea 2-0 Leicester

Dave Bassett was given an instant demonstration of the size of Leicester's survival task as Chelsea comfortably maintained their unbeaten start to the season.

First-half goals from in-form strikers Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Eidur Gudjohnsen brushed Bassett's team aside with the minimum of fuss.

After Chelsea's dynamic duo had done the damage before half-time, it was a case of damage limitation for a Leicester side beaten 6-0 in midweek and with only one Premiership win to their name this season.

  Stamford Bridge goals

20 mins: Hasselbaink fires home from the penalty spot following Rowett's foul on Gudjohnsen

45 mins: Gudjohnsen makes it 2-0, firing home from a Zola pass

Bassett resisted the temptation to make wholesale changes, despite inheriting a side that could not have been lower in terms of morale or league position.

Instead, he settled for just one, bringing in Ade Akinbiyi for the injured Jamie Scowcroft.

Akinbiyi had failed to score in the Premiership since April, but Bassett would have been more concerned by the sight of Hasselbaink.

The Dutch striker shrugged off a niggling injury to take his place in the side and, having scored in his previous five Premiership games, was soon in the hunt for another.

I am not depressed with our performance

Dave Bassett

With only nine minutes gone, Hasselbaink looped a shot wide then, from Chelsea's next attack, he saw a snap-shot well saved by Leicester keeper Ian Walker.

But Hasselbaink was finally gifted the opening he needed on 20 minutes when Gary Rowett tugged back Eidur Gudjohnsen to concede a penalty.

Walker, acting on advice from Leicester's former Chelsea star Dennis Wise, got a hand to Hasselbaink's powerful spot kick but could not keep the effort out.

Leicester, despite the agonies of a painful season weighing heavily on their shoulders, did not appear overawed.

Former Chelsea captain Dennis Wise receives an award from Ken Bates

But their chances were few and far between, with an Akinbiyi header that was saved by Carlo Cudicini as close as they came.

Chelsea, though, were fluent.

Hasselbaink and Gudjohnsen continued to ensure Walker was the busier of the keepers, and when the former Spurs man was beaten again on the stroke of half-time, the game looked beyond even Bassett's healing hands.

Wise was robbed by Zenden, whose run and back-heel allowed Gianfranco Zola to create the opening for Gudjohnsen to shoot low past the helpless Walker.

The fact that Walker comfortably remained Leicester's best player spoke volumes as the home side continued to dominate in the second half.

Overall, I think Chelsea are improving and I am very happy with that

Claudio Ranieri

But Muzzy Izzet, another former resident of Stamford Bridge, finally gave the travelling fans something to smile about with a dazzling run to set up Matthew Jones, only for the midfielder to ruin the move with a hopeless shot.

Twenty minutes from time, Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri replaced Gudjohnsen, who left to a standing ovation, with Mikael Forssell.

That meant something of a reprieve for Bassett's side as the second half descended into a training session.

Akinbiyi and substitute Arnur Gunnlaugsson briefly threatened to pull something back for Leicester, but that would only have papered over the gaping cracks that Bassett is clearly faced with.

---

Chelsea: Cudicini, Babayaro, Terry, Desailly, Gallas, Petit, Zenden, Jokanovic, Zola, Hasselbaink, Gudjohnsen. Subs: Bosnich, Lampard, Le Saux, Melchiot, Forssell.

Leicester: Walker, Rowett, Elliott, Marshall, Davidson, Wise, Jones, Izzet, Savage, Sturridge, Akinbiyi. Subs: Royce, Gunnlaugsson, Benjamin, Impey, Lewis.

Referee: J Winter (Stockton-on-Tees)