The irony could not have been more acute.

Sam dalla Bona, a 19-year-old Italian midfielder brought to Stamford Bridge two years ago by the vision of former boss Gianluca Vialli, scored a goal of quite stunning execution to seal a hard-won triumph for the Londoners.

It capped a quite magnificent midfield performance from the cultured Italian who moves and passes like Jan Molby at his Liverpool best and who Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri clearly hopes to build a side around.

The nods and gasps of approval around Stamford Bridge suggested that more than a few sceptical Blues fans might have been convinced that Ranieri is at last beginning to make progress in what was his 13th Premiership match in charge.

Not that Chelsea fans should get carried away, even after Gus Poyet and Eidur Gudjohnsen gave the scoreline a one-sided appearance.

This was only Bradford who languish six points behind at the bottom of the Premiership table, looking increasingly as if they have been cut adrift from the pack.

This was at home, where Chelsea have scored 22 goals in their last seven matches and where they have consistently shown the championship form which has eluded them away from Stamford Bridge.

And for periods of this match, Chelsea looked as much a soft touch as the huge cuddly teddy bear which arrives at Stamford Bridge each Christmas from an anonymous donor with instructions for chairman Ken Bates to send it to his favourite cause.

How the fans must despair of the Londoners - if only Chelsea's away form was as impressive they would surely be challenging Manchester United for the title for which many experts tipped them at the beginning of the season.

But while it was a competent, rather than an imperious Chelsea performance, Ranieri will have taken comfort from the invention and creativity on show before his men continue their festive programme at Ipswich on Boxing Day.

It was also sweet revenge for Bradford's 2-0 defeat of Chelsea back in August - a setback which was the catalyst for the demise of Vialli.

Much has happened at the Bridge since then - but not much of it to suggest that Chelsea are anywhere near adding the Premiership title to their Cup collection of recent years.

Both sides were missing star strikers through suspension - Bradford the unpredictable talents of Stan Collymore and Chelsea the more prolific Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink.

And when the first goal arrived, it was a welcome sight after 21 minutes of mediocrity which only seemed to confirm that both teams were deservedly in the lower regions of the table.

It arrived via the first pass of true precision and invention from dalla Bona.

The Italian midfielder picked out Gudjohnsen beautifully and the Icelandic striker - who used to partner Ronaldo at PSV Eindhoven - drove into the penalty area, beating the Bradford offside trap.

Bradford goalkeeper Gary Walsh smothered his first attempt and then parried away his second, only to watch in despair as Poyet followed up to crash the ball into the roof of the net.

Chelsea's relief was palpable in their prolonged and euphoric celebrations.

The Londoners might have scored at will after that as wave after wave of fine Chelsea passing movements filtered through Bradford's static defence.

Gianfranco Zola shot across goal when he looked certain to score, Mario Melchiot's first-touch control let him down in a similar position and dalla Bona blasted over when the approach work again promised more.

But while Bradford's position might well be irredeemable, they are still a side full of Yorkshire grit.

They are a team which battles for every ball as you would expect with a tenacious and inspirational captain in the shape of Stuart McCall.

Indeed, Dean Windass had the ball in the Chelsea net after 51 minutes, only for the effort to be ruled offside.

Italian striker Benito Carbone was a constant threat, snapping at the heels of Frank Le Boeuf and Marcel Desailly.

Bradford have steel, but Chelsea have the style - no better illustrated than in Poyet's superb through ball which saw Gudjohnsen gallop clear to thunder an unstoppable shot against the angle of post and crossbar.

Then came dalla Bona's goal, picking up the ball in the centre circle and gliding away before turning inside Andrew O'Brien and sliding his shot under goalkeeper Gary Walsh.

From that moment the result was never in doubt with Bradford lacking the know-how and organisation to get back into the match.

Former Chelsea defender Dan Petrescu received a standing ovation on his first return since leaving the Bridge for Bradford in the summer, but there was little other consolation for Jim Jefferies' men.

And the scoreline was given something of a flattering look in the final minute when another Chelsea wave ended with Gudjohnsen smashing a fierce shot into the net.

It was all very predictable.

Bradford look doomed - but in dalla Bona, Ranieri might just have found a route to salvation.

Teams:

Chelsea: de Goey, Leboeuf (Morris 67), Desailly, Terry, Melchiot (Bogarde 83), Wise, Harley, Dalla Bona, Poyet (Jokanovic 78), Zola, Gudjohnsen.

Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Aleksidze.

Goals: Poyet 22, Dalla Bona 68, Gudjohnsen 90.

Bradford: Walsh, Petrescu (Beagrie 74), Atherton, Molenaar, O'Brien, Lawrence, Sharpe (Nolan 11), McKinlay, McCall, Carbone (Blake 74), Windass.

Subs Not Used: Myers, Davison.

Booked: McCall.

Att: 33,377

Ref: B Knight (Orpington).