We are top of the League again, but our second League draw, and first non-scoring match, was something of an anti-climax.
What a strange game. Chelsea forced 17 corners without really forging any great chances from them, seemed to be able to get behind the Birmingham defence at will – especially in a one-sided second half – and yet lacked managed to create just a few genuine scoring opportunities, and yet never really played well other than in flashes.
The midfield in particular struggled to find fluency. Claudio Ranieri had opted for a diamond shape in that area. With Claude Makelele anchoring the centre, Geremi was unusually placed on the left and Frank Lampard on the right, with Joe Cole starting his first match in the apex of the diamond.
Birmingham boss Steve Bruce had selected a five-man middle, and David Dunn, in a free-ranging role, and Steve Clemence excelled in a first half that swung from end to end but lacked all but occasional quality.
Alone upfront, Christophe Dugarry showed some neat and clever touches, beating three players on one occasion but shot weakly. But Robert Huth – called out of the stands at the last minute after William Gallas apparently injured himself in the warm-up – showed much more composure and strength than he had at Boro last weekend and, despite a booking for a late tackle, was equal to the experienced Frenchman.
Down the left, apart from some early anxieties in defence, Wayne Bridge stormed down the wing, giving Damien Johnson a torrid time (one would hesitate to use the phrase ‘roasted him’ now). Too often, though, his crosses or cut-backs failed to find Chelsea players in a position to capitalise.
Other than glancing headers from Lazaridis in the first and Clemence in the second, the home side rarely threatened Chelsea, and after 50 minutes they were entirely hemmed into their own half.
Birmingham started brightly setting a first half pace that Chelsea failed to temper and the home side suffered for after the break. The swiftness of play led to too many errors and it was a slapdash game relieved by regular half-chances that were too often snatched at or blocked.
Chelsea came closest to scoring soon into the second half after Crespo – an intelligent mover and passer too infrequently fed the ball – held off Cunningham in the box for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink to sneak in and fire goalwards, only for his shot to deflect off the inside of Maik Taylor’s boot.
Taylor made many saves, but none were worth genuinely challenging. It was that sort of match. As the game wore on the extraordinary corner count – the hosts’ two to Chelsea’s 17 – looked to point to the way to unlock the goals. But Geremi’s and Hasselbaink’s deliveries, never quite produced the opening.
As the second half wore on, Dugarry became a spectator, Bridge – even after Damien Duff replaced Joe Cole on 65 minutes – had so much space and pace it was almost embarrassing.
Angled passes into the box, caused by occasionally astute interplay between Geremi, Crespo, Lampard or Makelele, caused mayhem. But it was never quite enough.
Even a 35-yard Huth free-kick, usually such a reliable pulse-raiser, scudded helplessly past the wall – for a corner, of course.
In his best moment, fed by Lampard with two facing him, Cole used a great drag back trick but shot when he should have crossed.
Crespo got slightly too much on a near-post header from a Hasselbaink corner, a Lampard shot was tipped over, and Gudjohnsen, a late sub for Hasselbaink, couldn’t quite shape to shoot from the Argentinean’s subtle header.
Hughes came on for Clemence, John for Dugarry. Cisse, Makelele, Terry and Johnson were others booked.
If there is a period before the Lord Mayor’s show, as there is after, then perhaps the weekend’s much anticipated games – us against the Arsenal and Brum versus Villa – will provide the feast we lacked tonight.
But we go to Highbury in pole position. And that feels lovely.