Chelsea and Aston Villa have the worst scoring records in the top-half of the
Premiership table and it was painfully evident why as they again misfired in a
goalless draw at Villa Park.
Chelsea used their fourth different strike partnership in as many games but
after a handful of early chances, with George Weah hitting the post, it was not
until the final stages that keeper David James had to produce two top-class
saves to deny the centre-forward again.
Otherwise, they largely flattered to deceive as they have done all too often
this season in the Premiership and suffered yet another setback to their hopes
of finishing in the top three.
This is a ground where they have won on their four previous visits without
conceding a goal but a fifth victory would have been an injustice to a Villa
side who battled hard and wasted their own fair share of clear chances.
At least both sides stretched their unbeaten runs but, then again, given their
paltry goalscoring records in the League this season - Villa have scored just 22
times in 23 games while Chelsea have just nine more goals - a goalless draw was
hardly surprising.
Weah apart, none of the seven players who played up front at some point during
the game looked like breaking the deadlock, although Paul Merson's approach work
and set-piece delivery did cause Chelsea problems.
Having been desperately searching for the right strike partnership over recent
weeks, Blues boss Gianluca Vialli this time opted to pair Weah with Chris Sutton
from the start for the first time.
Just in behind them was Gustavo Poyet, yet it was Jody Morris who set up the
Liberian international - clad in white boots to complement Chelsea's white kit -
to drift past George Boateng only to scuff his shot wide.
In a scrappy opening spell, the closest that Villa came to scoring was when
Blues keeper Ed De Goey allowed a pass-back by Emerson Thome to slip under his
foot.
The Dutchman only just recovered in time to stop the whole of the ball
crossing the goal-line and he was also indebted to promising youngster Jon
Harley for deflecting a close-range shot by Ugo Ehiogu over the bar.
The normally reliable keeper was having a torrid time as his weak punch then
fell to Paul Merson, whose drive deflected to Benito Carbone but the striker
shot wide from just four yards out.
At least Chelsea full-back Harley, who is supposedly seeking a large increase
to a meagre wage packet, was strengthening his case though as he also clipped
the Villa bar with a long-range lob.
That was the second time that Chelsea hit the woodwork for Weah had also gone
round the challenge of Ehiogu and placed his shot wide of keeper James only for
the ball to strike the outside of the far post.
However, even though there was increasingly more space to capitalise upon,
neither side able to put the finishing touch to the isolated chances that were
being created.
Sutton struck a half-volley with some venom but it was blocked by Gareth Barry
- with the centre-forward's appeals for handball going unheeded - and Sutton was
himself hit in the face by a ferocious shot from Gareth Southgate.
Indeed, there was an element of shadow-boxing about the proceedings and Darius
Vassell's most immediate impact as a half-time replacement for Julian Joachim
was to catch Frank Leboeuf's thigh.
The Frenchman, never one to keep quiet about his feelings that the Premiership
is too violent, limped off to be replaced by Jes Hogh while Steve Watson also
went off after injuring himself as he headed a free-kick just wide.
Vassell was himself the next casualty as he was stretchered off with a
hamstring injury and any semblance of quality was disappearing as quickly as
players to the treatment room.
Gianfranco Zola and Tore Andre Flo were therefore called upon with 16 minutes
left but after Merson had volleyed wide, it was Ehiogu who had a practically
open goal in front of him only to head into the ground and wide.
Ian Taylor also claimed a penalty late on but Dennis Wise felt he had dived
and had an angry confrontation with the Villa midfielder before he was dragged
away by Merson.
While Villa continued to press forward in the final stages, it was actually
Chelsea who came closest to snatching a late win as James needed to be at his
most agile to tip a header from Weah over the bar.
The keeper also produced a wonderful reaction save to deny the forward as he
bore down menacingly on goal.
It was just one of those days in front of goal - and Chelsea and Villa are
having too many of them.
Teams
Aston Villa: James, Ehiogu, Southgate, Barry,
Watson (Delaney 60), Taylor, Boateng, Merson, Wright,
Joachim (Vassell 46), Carbone, Vassell (Stone 63).
Subs Not Used: Thompson, Cutler.
Chelsea: De Goey, Lambourde, Leboeuf (Hogh 53), Thome, Harley,
Morris, Wise, Deschamps, Poyet (Flo 74), Weah, Sutton (Zola 74).
Subs Not Used: Ambrosetti, Cudicini.
Att: 33,704
Ref: A Wilkie (Chester Le Street).
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