18/11/2001  Everton 0 Chelsea 0

Chelsea's designs on this season's Premiership title looked 
hollow after a dismal display at Goodison Park where a 
hard-working Everton justifiably claimed a point.

Had the home side taken their first-half chances, Chelsea 
would have been further embarrassed.

But as it was they struggled enough trying to contain the 
gutsy running of Tomasz Radzinski and full-back Steve Watson, 
thrust into the attack as an emergency striker.

Chelsea may be multi-talented and expensive, but they 
lacked the work rate of an all-action Everton side.

With Chelsea at times were overrun in midfield by the sheer 
guts of Thomas Gravesen and Scot Gemmill it was hard to 
believe Frank Lampard cost £11million and that Emmanuel Petit 
was once a World Cup winner.

Everton made no pretensions to style or artistry, they just 
sweated and ran - something Chelsea rarely managed.

Everton left out Duncan Ferguson and Paul Gascoigne, while 
Mark Pembridge's recovery from a calf injury meant he too was 
on the bench.

That left boss Walter Smith with just Radzinski up front, 
with full-back Watson thrust into the attack alongside him

Steve Simonsen, the former England Under 21 goalkeeper, 
made his home Premiership debut for Everton.

Chelsea had Marcel Desailly suspended, left Graeme Le Saux 
and Eidur Gudjohnsen on the bench, while Petit passed a 
fitness test on his ankle problem. William Gallas replaced 
Desailly.

If the sight of Watson playing up front was a surprise for 
Everton fans, his effort and running certainly was not.

The Geordie battled away against Gallas and John Terry, 
chased down full-backs and made a real nuisance of himself.

That was very much the tone of the first half. Chelsea, 
with all their expensive foreigners, being given a hard time 
by grafting, running opponents.

Radzinski and Watson never gave anyone a moment's peace.

Watson, with a header over, and his Canadian colleague with 
a string of chances, warmed to their task.

Radzinski forced Mark Bosnich into two fine saves, one a 
superb point-blank effort.

Everton's belligerence was summed up by Thomas Gravesen, 
once again the Dane producing drive and effort. He got booked 
for fouling Slavisa Jokanovic, but his whole demeanour 
underlined Everton's efforts.

Jokanovic was booked before being substituted at half-time 
while Mario Melchiot was carded having clattered Radzinski 
once too often.

Chelsea had produced so little from midfield it was no 
surprise to see Sam Della Bona fail to re-emerge after the 
break - Jokanovic joining him for an early bath - with Mario 
Stanic and Boudewijn Zenden joining the fray.

Simonsen was fortunate to survive his first mistake on 51 
minutes. He spilled Zenden's shot from the left in front of 
Zola, who chose not to shot from just a few feet.

He pulled the ball wide and fired in an acute angled effort 
that hit Simonsen as he jumped up to guard the near post.

Zenden's influence was having an immediate effect and one 
run in from the left presented Hasselbaink with a chance to 
drive over from 30 yards.

But Everton, although looking more vulnerable, were soon 
back on the attack, Bosnich having to save well from a David 
Weir header following a Gary Naysmith corner.

Then Chelsea survived a reasonable shout for a penalty on 
67 minutes when Radzinski's cross-shot looked to hit the arm 
of Gallas.

Duncan Ferguson eventually came on for Alexandersson with 
17 minutes left, clearly Everton felt that was about as long 
as the Scot could handle, having spent a fortnight fighting an 
ankle injury.

Then Chelsea lost Bosnich, the Australian had struggled all 
afternoon with his kicking and pulled a muscle in his left leg 
taking a goalkick, Carlo Cudicini taking over with 10 minutes 
left.

Simonsen produced an outstanding save with five minutes 
left, touching a swerving, dipping 25-yard free-kick from Zola 
onto the crossbar.

Radzinski had never stopped running and with a minute left 
Celestine Babayaro was booked for sending the Everton striker 
spinning when confronted by another determined charge down the 
line.

That just about summed up Chelsea's exasperation. Everton 
worked hard and ran hard - the Londoners just didn't.