23/12/2001  Chelsea 5 Bolton 1
 
Never mind thrashing Manchester United and Liverpool, 
Chelsea passed the real test of their progress under Claudio 
Ranieri against Bolton as they underlined their growing 
top-three pretensions.

After three goals against United and four against 
Liverpool, the five scored against Bolton indicated that the 
Blues are finally starting to discover the elusive quality of 
consistency.

Despite having trailed to Kevin Nolan's second-minute 
strike as they struggled to find any early rhythm, they did 
not capitulate thereafter like the Chelsea of old.

Instead, inspired by Eidur Gudjohnsen against his former 
club, Chelsea displayed the spirited ability to fashion out an 
impressive victory.

After the Icelandic international had shown just how much 
he has progressed since leaving Bolton with his 10th goal of 
the season, he set up Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink on the stroke of 
half-time.

And with Boudwijn Zenden also finding the target with a 
cultured lob while Colin Hendry put through his own net as 
Gudjohnsen threatened and Frank Lampard rounded off the 
scoring, Chelsea were home and dry.

Having beaten United away, they had promptly lost at home 
to Charlton. But having defeated Liverpool, they have now - 
crucially, given their inconsistency of recent seasons - 
beaten Bolton as well.

Sam Allardyce's side, who were missing the injured Gudni 
Bergsson, could feel slightly hard done by after dominating 
early on.

However, they were outplayed in the second-half and have 
never really recovered from fielding a below-strength side at 
Tottenham in the Worthington Cup and being thrashed.

Despite having similarly beaten Liverpool and United, their 
superb early form has rather deserted them of late - even if 
they seized the lead after just two minutes at Stamford 
Bridge.

Chelsea keeper Carlo Cudicini had already denied the 
visitors once when Kevin Nolan lost his marker, John Terry, to 
convert Per Frandsen's cross.

Typical Chelsea. Or so it seemed.

Only a handball spotted by referee Uriah Rennie in the 
build-up ensured that Nolan's second finish was ruled out on 
20 minutes and even Cudicini was now making uncharacteristic 
errors.

Coach Claudio Ranieri was a picture of exasperation on the 
touchline, regularly holding his head in frustration as move 
after move became shipwrecked on Bolton's defensive rocks.

When his side did regain possession, they were too often 
harried into hopeful forward balls that were easily dealt with 
by an assured Bolton side.

The irony, however, is that it was exactly by that route 
that Chelsea turned the game on its head in the five-minute 
spell just before the break.

First Zenden, on his recall to the side, sprayed a superb 
long ball to Hasselbaink and Dutchman who did well to buy time 
before playing into the path of the onrushing Gudjohnsen.

The Icelandic international made no mistake, slotting his 
first-time shot just inside the post from the edge of the 
penalty area, and the tide had turned.

Cudicini still needed to deny Gardner but then Gudjohnsen 
turned provider for Hasselbaink in the second minute of added 
time after Sam dalla Bona had transformed defence into attack 
with one raking pass.

Bolton were stung into a brief rally after the interval, 
with Jermaine Johnson curling an effort just the wrong side of 
the upright, but before long Chelsea had extended their 
lead.

Zenden was struggling to retain control of the ball as he 
advanced towards goal but after a fortunate deflection had 
enabled him to keep going, he still produced an inspired 
lobbed finish.

Bolton responded with a double substitution but, by now, 
the initiative was firmly with Chelsea and the return of 
Emmanuel Petit from injury as a replacement for Zenden 
steadied the ship.

Cudicini still needed to dive smartly to his left to tip 
substitute Dean Holdsworth's header around the post but 
Chelsea were soon out of sight.

Hasselbaink sent dalla Bona clear down the right flank and 
his cross was turned into his own net by Hendry as Gudjohnsen 
lurked behind him.

Hasselbaink spurned a glorious opening, while Jaaskelainen 
rushed out to deny Gudjohnsen but Lampard rounded off the 
match as he scored his first Premiership goal of the season 
and celebrated with immense relief.

Having beaten Leeds, Manchester United, Liverpool, 
Newcastle and now Bolton in the past month, the home defeat by 
Charlton now looks very much the exception rather than the 
rule.