Whether or not Chelsea are about to be managed by the greatest Roman of them all will only be discovered when Claudio Ranieri takes charge of them for Saturday's visit to Manchester United. All that can be said for the moment is that to judge from yesterday's home defeat by Leicester City the spirit at the club owes more to Edward Gibbon, who knew a Latin decline when he saw one.
Even if Gianluca Vialli had not been sacked as Chelsea manager last Tuesday, it was always going to be a bad time for Chelsea to encounter Leicester, who under Peter Taylor have retained the passionate approach of Martin O'Neill and found fresh enterprise besides.
Once Muzzy Izzet had nodded them in front after eight minutes, Leicester's swift, simple hardworking approach dominated the match. For a time in the second half Chelsea discovered a greater sense of urgency, but their recovery fell away once Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink had headed against the bar, whereupon Stan Collymore came off the bench to complete Leicester's first league victory at Stamford Bridge since 1965, a win which has brought them level on points with Manchester United at the top of the Premier League.
Chelsea are now last but three and the reaction of their supporters, who three nights earlier had voiced their initial disapproval of Vialli's abrupt departure, was predictable. Frank Leboeuf was not around to be booed - he had a stomach strain, a gut reaction perhaps - but the generally listless approach of the team still had the fans chanting the name of Vialli.
Ranieri watched the game from the directors' box. According to Ray Wilkins, left in joint charge of the side along with Graham Rix, he was not displeased with what he saw. This seemed unlikely but was, on second thoughts, a logical reaction. After yesterday, under Ranieri, Chelsea can only get better.
Certainly the new man is an optimist. "Mr Ranieri popped in before the game and explained how he liked the team to perform," said Wilkins, "that is with the maximum spirit and to give 150 per cent effort".
Presumably something was lost in translation. Ranieri got what he wanted all right - but from Leicester rather than Chelsea, who were inclined to argue among themselves.
Throughout the game Taylor's five-man midfield worked assiduously to exploit the advantage in numbers that the opposition's decision to use Gianfranco Zola between a middle three and a front two provided.
Izzet and Neil Lennon remain one of the most consistent midfield partnerships in the Premier League and were solidly supported by Robbie Savage. His pass led to Leicester's early goal. Lennon, found in space on the right, provided the centre from which Izzet, timing his run astutely, surprised the Chelsea defence as he headed past the keeper Carlo Cudicini.
Leicester always did the simple things well, Chelsea even complicated throw-ins, but had Hasselbaink's header, from Graeme Le Saux's cross, been a fraction lower, the scores would have been level after 65 minutes.
With eight minutes remaining, Collymore - who had replaced Darren Eadie - nipped in to drive Leicester's second goal past Cudicini from Guppy's cross.
"Mr Ranieri felt that from what he saw today there was something he could work with" said Wilkins. "I think he'll kick a few backsides but only in a very pleasant manner."
Just now, though, Chelsea would appear to need a touch of Julius Caesar, not Syd Caesar.
CHELSEA: Cudicini, Panucci (Melchiot 90), Desailly, Bogarde, Hasselbaink (Gudjohnsen 78), Wise, Le Saux, Di Matteo, Flo, Morris, Zola. Subs not used: Hitchcock, Terry, Harley. Booked: Wise, Morris, Hasselbaink.
LEICESTER: Flowers, Rowett, Izzet, Lennon, R. Savage, Eadie (Collymore 69), Guppy (Davidson 84), Gilchrist, Elliott, Akinbiyi (Cresswell 70), Impey. Subs not used: Sinclair, Royce. Booked: Izzet. Goals: Izzet 8, Collymore 82. Attendance: 33,697.
Referee: G Barber (Tring).
