Blues must learn from 'stupid' errors

Chelsea centre-back William Gallas, sidelined with a mystery ankle injury, today demanded his team-mates cut out the “stupid errors” in his absence.

Little is known about the extent of Gallas’ problem, because the Blues will only confirm he is definitely out of tomorrow’s clash at Middlesbrough and his agent Willie McKay has refused to comment.

The French international sustained the problem in a crunching tackle in Wednesday’s 2-0 Champions League defeat against Besiktas at Stamford Bridge.

The 26-year-old was forced to play on because boss Claudio Ranieri had used all three substitutes.

He will play no part at the Riverside but insists his fellow defenders need to improve.

“We made stupid errors, and that will be our lesson,” he said bluntly.