DURING two years of Carlo Ancelotti's reign at Chelsea, the Blues huffed and puffed but failed to beat Everton. Today his successor showed how it was done.
There was no sign of the impregnable defence, or the dangerous Louis Saha dashes that Chelsea have had so much trouble with in recent seasons: and Chelsea crushed their average-looking opponents.
The week had been dominated by talk of Chelsea's potential move away from Stamford Bridge, and outside the ground fans groups were handing out leaflets calling for a vote against Chelsea's plans to buy back the freehold of the ground.
Through leaflets and printed t-shirts, they made a plea for more information on a proposed new home ground to be given shareholders, most of them fans.
Inside, however, supporters got behind their team. Any dissent took a more subtle form, with a lone banner bearing the words 'this is our home' fluttering across the West Stand before kick off.
After two weeks with no Premier League football, there was a hope for something special here.
Most hopes were lost when, 25 minutes in, it became difficult to remember a single decent moment or convincing challenge on goal. Certainly, visiting goalkeeper Tim Howard had had little to do.
Chelsea looked marginally more capable, with Juan Mata the most threatening; whereas Everton looked a bit more up for the challenge, despite their lack of penetration.
The half hour brought the opener, and it was Mata who created the chance. From the centre, he passed out to Ashley Cole on the left of the box, who hooked a volley back over to Daniel Sturridge – charging into the right of the box like a steam train.
Sturridge headed, Howard dived, Chelsea celebrated. The goal added weight to those calling, since the imposition of Wayne Rooney's three-game Euro 2012 ban, for Sturridge to get an England call-up.
John Terry made it two right on the break, when he headed a free kick past a flapping Howard.
The second half started in much the way of the first: a torpid affair with little to bother the Match of the Day editors.
But on the hour Mata again found himself at the centre of the action. This time moving down the left, he centred for Ramires, who side-footed past the keeper.
Chelsea were cruising against Everton. Until...
Everton threw on striker Apostolos Vellios in the 82 nd minute and, after just 18 seconds on the pitch, he had carved through Chelsea's dozing defence and found the back of the net. It was the perfect example of how this Chelsea side can be so threatening in attack, yet so docile in defence.
The win keeps Chelsea third in the league: three points behind leaders Manchester City, one off second placed United.
