Chelsea - 0  Everton - 0 Favouritism does not suit Claudio Ranieri as dignity does. But Chelsea are in Monaco tomorrow for their Champions League semi-final first leg tipped as champions.

"Look," said Ranieri, quirkily expressing his logic after denying his side already had eyes on Monaco while failing to crack an adamantine Everton. "If Monaco beat Real Madrid and Madrid are one of the favourites, something there is. It is the same with Porto who beat Manchester United and Deportivo La Coruna who beat Milan. We beat Arsenal who were not one of the favourites." He implied: "So there."

He went on: "I have a lot of respect for Monaco. They play football champagne. This team find goals easy. They have four wonderful strikers and a wing, Giuly, who is a wizard like Zola. It is another good crunch for us. It is a tactic match."

Everton presented a tactic match of a different kind. They played football plonk, first trying three up but eventually defending so deep they would have been in the Shed if they were playing the other way. David Moyes admitted he needs "a new set of players, two, three, four. I'd like us to be a better all-round footballing team with quality and guile."

For the moment Everton are nothing if not resolute, pulling all but clear of the relegation quicksands through one defeat in nine games. Joseph Yobo epitomised their spirit, hitting clearing headers as if each had to beat his previous best. Kevin Kilbane was tireless up and down the left. "Everton are in good condition," said Ranieri.

Chelsea should be but, since that victory over Arsenal, have had two goalless home draws and defeat at Villa. Guile could serve them too. For all the midfielders foisted on the coach, be it by Russian dictatorship or Swedish mischief, many remain on the fringe. The spine of the first-choice side was already present before Roman Abramovich arrived. Five of the newcomers played on Saturday. Only Wayne Bridge looked to have progressed.

Geremi was too wide to do damage. Joe Cole's eye for cul-de-sacs was sharper than ever. Scott Parker made simple passes with swagger but could not find a killer one. All might have cost more than they are worth. Juan Sebastian Veron was laughably "rested". Chelsea have scored away in all six European ties this season. They may need Damien Duff to keep up the record.

Only one part of the spine played, Frank Lampard, and he always does. He hit the woodwork twice, his invention undimmed by workload.

Adrian Mutu and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink might have missed even more sitters if the early crossing had been better.

Chelsea, for all their spending, need a leading scorer to complete a backbone that includes Carlo Cudicini and John Terry. Eidur Gudjohnsen, missing with a virus and only a goal behind the unreliable Hasselbaink, is a lieutenant striker. He should be fit tomorrow, as should Terry who, even on the bench, brought Ranieri to a rarely seen state of fury over "a problem with an ankle" and was seemingly rebuked for risking a touchline warm-up.