Chelsea - 3 Newcastle - 0Newcastle's visit to Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday was supposed to symbolise the club's rise to a place among Europe's powers. Yet when Bobby Robson's team play in the Ukraine they are unlikely to feel they have arrived. Excellence is about maintaining a position as well as attaining it, and Gary Speed did not hide.
"We have to go there and make the most of it," he said, "because the way we are playing we're not going to make the Champions League again."
Newcastle have conceded seven goals in three matches, albeit to Liverpool, Leeds and Chelsea, and lack a defender of top international quality. Shay Given, often a saviour in goal, was largely at fault for giving away the third goal.
Not that Newcastle had threatened to haul themselves back after going 2-0 down in half an hour. That was partly a tribute to William Gallas and Marcel Desailly at centre back, but also a reflection of the visitors' limited attacking guile. Alan Shearer requires crosses to function but had only one of note. He offered little, while Craig Bellamy was not at his sharpest. Kieron Dyer made good off-the-ball runs from midfield but never produced the final touch.
Unbeaten this season, Claudio Ranieri's Chelsea appear to be on the road to consistency. Ranieri is pragmatic rather than adventurous, and his philosophy appears to be taking root. He expects his players to fight for every ball, give opponents no room and avoid dithering on the break.
That produced two goals, with Boudewijn Zenden quick to cross for Eidur Gudjohnsen's first and Newcastle pressed into an error for the Icelander's second. Given should have cleared a backpass but fed Aaron Hughes, who lost possession to allow Gianfranco Zola to cross. Between times Zola's free-kick went in off Speed.
A UEFA Cup tie at home to Norway's Viking on Thursday gives Chelsea a chance to show they can retain their hunger against minnows.
CHELSEA: Cudicini, Melchiot, Gallas, Desailly, Stanic, De Lucas, Morris, Lampard, Zenden (Keenan 89), Gudjohnsen (Hasselbaink 81), Zola (Gronkjaer 81). Subs Not Used: de Goey, Huth. Booked: Gallas. Goals: Gudjohnsen 14, Zola 26, Gudjohnsen 58.
NEWCASTLE: Given, Hughes, Dabizas, O'Brien, Bernard, Solano (Jenas 77), Speed, Dyer, Robert (Viana 77), Shearer, Bellamy (Ameobi 77). Subs Not Used: Harper, Bramble. Booked: Shearer, Speed, Solano, Bernard.
Referee: B Knight (Kent).
