Clattenberg's Clangers

Chelsea beat Blackburn because they had an extra dimension – Mark Clattenberg. The home team had dominated the first half and deserved to be ahead, but three minutes after the interval when Lampard floated a free kick into the box and England captain John Terry crumpled to the ground, the referee awarded a penalty for a piece of blatant simulation that deserved more time at rehearsal. The victim was Rovers debutant Andre Ooijer and under normal circumstances he might be flattered to appear able to bring a man of Terry’s physique to the ground so easily. All that remained was for Lampard, Chelsea’s strolling player, to squeeze in the spot kick under Freidel’s body to give the Champions a lead they didn’t merit.

Worse was to follow. In the 72nd minute, Blackburn fans – not to mention their manager – were incensed when Carvalho yanked Roberts’ shirt so blatantly and so hard you could have got another player into it - and Clattenberg did nothing. If he saw it, his refusal to award a penalty can only be described as gutless. If he did not, the clamour which greeted the incident should have been enough to persuade him to consult his linesman.

All that remained was for the hapless Ooijer to fail to check substitute Didier Drogba who went on to wrap up the game ten minutes from time. It was a magnificent goal, but no-one will convince Blackburn’s fans that Chelsea deserved to win on a day when they were dull and unconvincing – or that they could have done so without the benevolence of the referee.