If Claudio Ranieri spent his summer wondering how to rectify last season's failings, he must now be gritting his teeth in frustration. Then Chelsea struggled on their travels; this term they cannot win at home.
Somehow a patched-up Charlton side limped, sometimes literally, towards the most unexpected of victories, shattering an unblemished Chelsea defensive record that had lasted two minutes short of five matches.
In the 89th minute Kevin Lisbie rose to head in Paul Konchesky's free-kick to secure victory. In the process they became the first side to win at Stamford Bridge since, well, themselves, in April.
With only one league win since September, it was with green eyes that Charlton read of Chelsea's recent run.
Charlton's injury crisis shows no signs of abating - with 12 players already missing Charlton could have expected a little overdue luck in this regard; instead John Robinson pulled a muscle in the first minute and was withdrawn in the third.
Alan Curbishley's two loan signings, the Porto defender Jorge Costa and Nottingham Forest's Chris Bart-Williams, started on the bench to give their squad an altogether unfamiliar look despite the return of Jason Euell after a three-match absence.
"Only small things need to be done to make this a top, top, top European club," said Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink before the game. "It is a top club, but it's not a top, top, top club."
Top quote, Jimmy. But not quite accurate. Chelsea's wins over Leeds and Manchester United last week, like many of their best performances of late, came away from home. They spent much of the game struggling to match Charlton's work rate as the visitors fashioned chances seemingly out of nothing but desire and, on occasion, some slack passing from their opponents.
Nevertheless Chelsea would surely have taken a lead into the break but for Mark Fish. The South African centre back made a trio of first-half saving tackles to deny Hasselbaink what would have been a top, top hat-trick. Otherwise the home side suffered from the over-confidence of their strikers, both of whom were happy to shoot on sight or, failing that, on hope alone.
CHELSEA: Cudicini, Babayaro, Melchiot, Gallas, Terry, Lampard, Jokanovic, Dalla Bona, Zenden (Zola 45), Gudjohnsen (Forssell 79), Hasselbaink. Subs Not Used: de Goey, Stanic, Keenan. Booked: Dalla Bona, Hasselbaink.
CHARLTON: Kiely, Young, Powell, Fortune, Fish (Costa 81), Stuart, Parker, Jensen, Robinson (Konchesky 3), Johansson (Lisbie 64), Euell. Subs Not Used: Roberts, Bart-Williams. Booked: Fish. Goal: Lisbie 89.
Referee: D Gallagher (Oxfordshire).
