Chelsea booed off after draw

Ranieri's side endured a poor afternoon

Chelsea 0-0 Blackburn
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Chelsea's stuttering run of form continued with an unimpressive performance against an industrious Blackburn.

With Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink misfiring up front and the midfield pairing of Frank Lampard and Emmanuel Petit offering little creatively, Blackburn were good value for their away point.

With a touch more help from referee Graham Poll, the visitors could have taken away all three points.

Twice in the first half they had good appeals for a penalty turned down, while Matt Jansen and David Dunn both went close in the second period.

It may not have had people on the edge of their seats, but we have come here and got a point against a team full of top international players

Graeme Souness

Cries of "Vialli, Vialli," echoed around Stamford Bridge as Chelsea's expensive collection of players failed to justify their price-tags.

They created few clear-cut chances and looked anything but Premiership contenders.

Hasselbaink went down in the box under Henning Berg's challenge with 15 minutes to go, but the decision rightly went the defender's way.

Dunn's thumping free-kick sizzled just wide of the post as the youngster once again impressed in front of watching England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Clear penalty shouts

With Jansen playing as a mobile lone striker supported from midfield by Dunn and Duff, Blackburn disturbed a ponderous Chelsea with their hard work.

Chelsea dominated the early possession but it was Blackburn who went closest, having two clear penalty shouts turned down.

Chelsea stand-in skipper Le Saux got away with a handball in the box in the second minute after Jansen had broken clear.

Then Mahon chased onto Jansen's deflected pass, poked the ball past Cudicini and was clattered to the ground.

Matt Jansen ran the line well for Blackburn

Jansen went close again with a hooked volley from Duff's pull-back and Gillespie drove a shot across goal that had Cudicini scrambling.

Chelsea battled back. First Hasselbaink, presented with a clear pot at goal, mis-hit his shot so horribly that it went for a throw-in.

Zola sent in a pile-driver that Friedel palmed down before Hasselbaink repeated his embarrassing feat.

Claudio Ranieri sent on Eidur Gudjohnsen for Zola and Sam Dalla Bona for Zenden at half-time, and the switch nearly paid immediate dividends.

Gudjohnsen came inside and found Dalla Bona in space, but the Italian's rasping shot went straight at Friedel.

On 54 minutes Hasselbaink dinked a ball over the top for his strike partner Gudjohnsen to run onto, but again Friedel was there to palm away the attempted lob.

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Chelsea: Cudicini, Melchiot, Gallas, Terry, Le Saux, Stanic, Petit, Lampard, Zenden, Hasselbaink, Zola.
Subs: de Goey, Babayaro, Gudjohnsen, Dalla Bona, Forssell.

Blackburn: Friedel, Curtis, Short, Berg, Bjornebye, Gillespie, Dunn, Tugay, Mahon, Duff, Jansen.
Subs: Filan, Hughes, Johansson, Hignett, Taylor.

Referee: Graham Poll (Tring).