There's been little flair, gusto or cohesion in attack from last season's Champions at Stamford Bridge against a staunch Bolton side. Chelsea's stutter looks to be continuing while it's been Bolton, with the long ball to target men up top, who've looked the more likely of the two teams to find a breakthrough on what looks to be a foggy London night.
Chelsea Vs. Bolton, Halftime: Lackluster First Half Ends Scoreless
With limited options on the bench, Carlo Ancelotti will have to inspire what he's got out on the pitch, a who's who of first teamer's including Frank Lampard, Florent Malouda, Didier Drogba and even the return of Nicolas Anelka. So while the personnel remain largely the same, what's happened to Chelsea? Where's the team who put up 14 goals in their first three Premier League matches of the season without conceding one?
For Bolton, they've returned slightly to the kind of play that caused football fans to yawn during matches of yesterday. Long balls hoofed up to target men have largely been their way forward, but the fact of the matter is that it's working, well kind of. A right sided cross into the box that Jose Bosingwa failed to deal with left Bolton's Matthew Taylor with the best chance of the night - the midfielder just missing Petr Cech's far corner with a low, well struck shot witnessed Bolton nearly take a deserved lead while Chelsea's back line were left scratching their heads.
As the second half commences, Ancelotti, with Chelsea’s dominance in possession, will be forced to make a tactical change in order to create better opportunities or this post-Christmas match is destined for 0-0 and as Owen Coyle’s Bolton have lost their last two matches away from home, the visitors just may settle for a point.
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