CHELSEA’s opening to the new season fell as flat as their latest plans to celebrate being crowned world champions.
Problems with a new ticketing system delayed the unveiling of two rather underwhelming banners.
And the big reveal of the new-look Blues was also a big disappointment.
Just five weeks after being crowned kings of the world, their bid to be serious contenders for the Premier League title took an early knock.
Winning a glorified invitational event in mid-summer is one thing.
Taking three points from a competitive game against most teams in the English top flight is quite another.
Boss Enzo Maresca warned as much before the game, reminding everyone that Crystal Palace had beaten Manchester City and champions Liverpool in two showpiece occasions.
Palace might even have won but for a VAR intervention.
By the letter of Law 13 – unlucky for some – Marc Guehi had been too close to the Chelsea wall when he cleared out Moises Caicedo.
Tottenham target Eberechi Eze smashed the free kick past Robert Sanchez and celebrated like it might be his last goal for the Eagles.
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Then referee Darren England was called to the monitor and agreed it should be ruled out.
Neither side did enough to deserve to win, creating few chances between them.
But Chelsea will be the more disappointed that a third game in the row between the two teams ended in stalemate.
After the disappointment of the Club World Cup banners, genuine joy almost arrived inside three minutes when Marc Cucurella headed a corner goalwards, but Palace’s Ismaila Sarr nodded the ball off the line.
Meanwhile the away fans were in no mood to celebrate their own recent success, in the FA Cup and Community Shield.
And no wonder. Although cup final matchwinner Eze and captain Marc Guehi both started the game, both may be gone before the transfer window closes.
What is certain is that the Europa League place they played such a big part in earning, has already been taken off them.
The Palace supporters soon launched into a loud, foul-mouthed chant cursing Uefa, former owner John Textor, whose involved with French club Lyon caused the issue, and Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, whose complaint led to his club being promoted from the Conference League at Palace’s expense.
Within 13 minutes, the travelling support could add VAR to the list of those conspiring against them.
Eze thought he had given his team the lead with a thumping free kick.
But VAR Hames Bell advised referee England to take a look at the monitor.
Most neutrals will feel it was a clever, legitimate goal. Or no less legitimate than the set-piece routines that involved blatant blocking of opponents, with zero intention to play the ball.
But Guehi’s shoulder-barge on Caicedo led to the goal being ruled out.
Palace were encouraged, though, and a fine move ended with Jean-Philippe Mateta drawing a save from Robert Sanchez.
Chelsea lacked any kind of attacking flow, with Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro in particular denied space by a well-drilled Palace defence.
Blues defender Trevoh Chalobah should have scored, rather than ballooning the ball over the bar when it fell to him after some penalty-area pinball.
But otherwise the home team created precious little.
Was the lack of fluency caused by the absence of Levi Colwill?
Maresca had complained pre-match about the club’s reluctance to buy him a new ball-playing centre back and said Tosin Adarabioyo was the only fit central defender capable of playing the Colwill role.
Tosin was then injured in Saturday training, so rookie defender Josh Acheampong made only his third Premier League start.
The biggest Chelsea cheers of the half were for Acheampong’s crunching tackle on Daniel Munoz, and for his brave follow-up challenge which drew a foul from Mateta that earned the Palace striker a booking.
Palace, too, struggled to fashion chances and looked most dangerous from set-pieces.
Little changed early in the second half and Maresca had seen enough after less than nine minutes.
Neither of his wingers had been effective, but it was Jamie Gittens who came off, with Pedro Neto swapping to the left side.
On came teenage sensation Estevao to huge acclaim.
Moments later Mateta should have been sent off. His foul on Caicedo was spiteful and fully deserving of a second yellow card.
Estevao’s first action was to rinse Guehi and cross just too high for Neto to head in at the far post.
Chelsea began to take a firm grip on the game, camped in the Palace half.
When a Palmer cross was deflected into Estevao’s path, he first miscontrolled the ball, then sent it flashing high and wide.
With 17 minutes to go, Maresca sent on Liam Delap to be the hero, to no avail.
Eze forced a save from Sanchez late on but neither side deserved to win.
