Chelsea's assistant manager, Graham Rix, was the victim of the crowd's wrath at the City Ground on Saturday after admitting at Knightsbridge Crown Court in London on Friday that he had unlawful sex with a minor. He faces going to prison for two years when he is sentenced next month.
The player-manager, Gianluca Vialli, has credited Rix with helping produce much of Chelsea's success since the Italian took over a year ago. If Rix is sent down it would be a severe blow to the Blues' championship hopes. The fear among Chelsea's players and fans is that the dual job of combining playing with coaching would be too much pressure for Vialli.
The signs are that Vialli is already plotting for the day when he has to do without his trusted general. Ray Wilkins has been at Stamford Bridge recently helping with coaching duties. For all the storm clouds gathering over Stamford Bridge, Chelsea again demonstrated on Saturday that they have the strength in depth to sustain their championship challenge to the wire.
Deprived of Roberto Di Matteo, Dennis Wise, Graeme Le Saux and himself, Vialli threw in Mikael Forssell and Bjarne Goldbaek to help plug the gaps. They ended up stealing the show.
The 17-year-old Finn Forssell marked only his second Premiership appearance with an easy goal in the sixth minute before Goldbaek doubled Chelsea's advantage 19 minutes later.
Pierre van Hooijdonk pulled one back for Forest in the 40th minute before Goldbaek wrapped up the points for Chelsea with his second seven minutes from the end.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST: Beasant, Jean, Quashie (Porfirio 70), Rogers, Chettle, Stone, Johnson (Gemmill 89), Bonalair, Darcheville (Shipperley 86), Palmer, Van Hooijdonk. Subs Not Used: Crossley, Hjelde. Booked: Quashie, Palmer. Goals: Van Hooijdonk 39.
CHELSEA: De Goey, Petrescu (Newton 45), Babayaro, Leboeuf, Desailly, Goldbaek, Ferrer, Lambourde, Zola (Flo 61), Morris, Forssell (Nicholls 86). Subs Not Used: Hitchcock, Terry. Booked: Morris. Goals: Forssell 6, Goldbaek 25, 83.
Referee: J Winter (Stockton-on-Tees).
