Ranieri's Roundheads lack sparkle without Zola

Think of some words that are not historically associated with Chelsea. Let's settle for 'consistent' and 'reliable'. Hardly descriptions to set the football pulse racing but words to which Chelsea's supporters are warming. "It will do for us," says a relative whose regular family visits to Stamford Bridge do not leave much change from £200. Given a necessary choice between watching Chelsea and a holiday, they unanimously voted for the former.

Take away the ageless genius of Gianfranco Zola (rested until the 77th minute on Saturday) and what have you got? Well, players who appear to understand that there is a damn sight more to the game than artistic merit. Applying the old Bill Shankly principles of not letting attackers turn, tracking them down quickly if they do, and always supporting the man on the ball, Chelsea are unbeaten in 10 successive league games, seven without conceding a goal.

Dare they think about emulating the class of 1955, and repeat their only Championship win? "The next two weeks will be very important," the Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri said, pointing out that inconsistency over the holiday period last season blew a hole in their league ambitions. Here they are, though, breathing down Arsenal's necks, just two points adrift and with identical goal difference. It should be some game at Highbury on New Year's Day.

That Ranieri was not greatly pleased with the performance that brought Chelsea's 2-0 victory over Aston Villa tells us something about him. Not so much a perfectionist as a man easily irritated by lapses in concentration. "We could have been behind very soon in the game," he said, referring to the shock of Villa's early assaults and the room that was given to Mustapha Hadji. "It is not what I expect from my team." He wants defending from front-to-back, fewer opportunities for Carlo Cudicini to demonstrate his widely acknowledged pre-eminence among the Premiership's goalkeepers.

Category 'B' on Chelsea's home fixture list (£10 cheaper), Villa eventually lived up to the rating. Energetic for an hour, too many players capitulated when the bounce of Frank Lampard's centre eluded their goalkeeper Peter Enckelman to put Chelsea two up in the 57th minute. You could read more than disappointment on the face of Villa's manager Graham Taylor. You could see anger. "In the end you had too many 'promisers' out there," I said. He agreed, shaking his head in frustration.

To begin with, Taylor's team competed. Before Chelsea could settle down on a grey, damp afternoon, Hadji cut in from the right, providing Lee Hendrie with an opportunity that was snuffed out for a corner. When that was only half cleared, Olof Mellberg smacked a shot against Chelsea's cross bar. Hadji cleverly got in again, causing Cudicini concern with a low shot that went narrowly wide of the far post.

Chelsea ground out their response, closing Villa down in midfield, fully conforming to Ranieri's work ethic. "If I'd known Zola was going to be on the bench I wouldn't have bothered," a neutral said before the game. But for all his remarkable zest at 37 years of age, Zola cannot start every game. "I think sometimes about putting him in the refrigerator," Ranieri said when we recently spoke at a dinner.

Without Zola's artful prompting, his ability to create something out of nothing, Chelsea's football is more wellington boots than dancing shoes. Lampard's effectiveness in midfield stems from intelligently applied industry not inspiration. Morris grafts.

In the 42rd minute, the restored partnership of Eidur Gudjohnsen and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink finally produced. The Dutch striker delayed his pass long enough for Gudjohnsen to find space, and the resultant shot went in off the foot of the far post. Lampard's goal finished Villa off.

At Arsenal a few weeks ago, Villa never lost the sniff of a point. Here, they simply gave up.

Goals: Gudjohnsen (42) 1-0; Lampard (57) 2-0.

Chelsea (4-4-2): Cudicini 7; Melchiot 6, Gallas 7, Terry 7, Le Saux 6; Stanic 5 (Gronkjaer 5, 54), Lampard 7, Morris 6, Zenden 6 (Babayaro 6, 67); Hasselbaink 6 (Zola, 77), Gudjohnsen 7. Substitutes not used: De Goey (gk), Ferrer.

Aston Villa (4-4-2): Enckelman 6; Samuel 6, Mellberg 5, Staunton 6, Barry 6; Leonhardsen 5 (Kinsella 5, 61), Hitzlsperger 6, Hendrie 6, Hadji 6; Dublin 6 (Angel 5, 61), Vassell 5 (Allback 5, 61). Substitutes not used: Postma (gk), De la Cruz.

Referee: M Riley (Leeds) 6.

Bookings: Aston Villa: Dublin, Staunton, Hendrie.

Man of the match: Lampard.

Attendance: 38,284.