Chelsea 2 Schalker 0

..... But the score doesn't tell the full story and, truth be told, if the Schalker front line had a bit more luck (and could hit a cows ar*e with a banjo !!) the result could have been very different.

It all started so well. On 4mins Malouda broke down the left, cut into the box and drilled a lame effort straight at the keeper who fortunately let it slip though his legs. 1-0 and here comes the 'sexy football'. Well not really. Not if 20 square passes that never came near the opposition box counts as sexy football. To be fair, there was the odd flick from Drogba and Lamps but it never really had a cutting edge. Malouda kept coming inside way too often, Joe Cole and Essien looked pedestrian and the only bright spark was the return of Wayne Bridge and his marauding runs. So no surprise that the half ends without any more goals

Second half, no changes and it looks like its over as a contest within 2mins.. Ferreira crosses the half way line (almost gets a nose bleed being so unfamiliar with being this high up the pitch) and after what seems like an eternity, he finally crosses to where Drogba has been frantically pointing and his glancing header makes it 2-0. Surely now we'll get the sexy football - i mean AG is up on his feet and out if the dugout. But no, same old same as. Schalker huff and puff and miss sitters (they also have what looks like a good goal ruled out for offside) whilst the Blues press but with no real penetration. As the half draws to a close, Alex drags back one of their strikers on the edge of the box but miraculously the ref waves play on and the game peters out.

AG will say its early days and that the result is thats important whilst the attractive footie is developed. True enough, but it was merge fare for an almost full Stamford Bridge. Lets hope for better things on Saturday against City.