Mourinho's men dig out win at Birmingham

Birmingham 0 Chelsea 1

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho will settle for a 1-0 win every week if it brings him the Barclays Premiership title – but it may not come via the attractive, enthralling football craved by owner Roman Abramovich.

It is fair to say Mourinho and his expensively-assembled squad are still finding their feet this season, particularly after they were clearly roughed up today by a Birmingham team who showed scant respect for their opponents.

But Chelsea, as they did in their opening win over Manchester United last week, are finding a way to emerge victorious – with City defender Martin Taylor’s deflection to a Joe Cole drive all that separated the sides.

This game was effectively "illustrious against industrious", and for the opening 45 minutes there was only one winner as Steve Bruce’s battlers made Mourinho’s multi-millionaires look like strugglers.

Such was City’s hard work, energy and determination to hassle and harry the visitors, there were occasions when strikers Didier Drogba and Eidur Gudjohnsen were forced to go in search of the ball inside their own half.

It was not what the Chelsea supporters were hoping to see from Champions League winner Mourinho, especially after a further £90m (€135m) has been lavished on one of the most expensive squads in world football.

There was no surprise then when the City fans lambasted Drogba in the 13th minute with a cry of "what a waste of money" after the signing from Marseille made a hash of a gilt-edged opportunity afforded him by one of Mourinho’s cast-offs Mario Melchiot.

But from that moment Chelsea were made to look second best and far from a side ready to rule the Premiership roost – and they should have gone behind seven minutes later.

The errors continued as Wayne Bridge attempted a ludicrous pass back from 40 yards.

Emile Heskey – playing on his own up front as the terms of Mikael Forssell’s loan deal with employers Chelsea precluded him from playing for City – managed to cut the ball out.

The England international, City’s own high-profile summer signing from Liverpool, then strode into the area – but with Petr Cech to beat, his drive hit the inside of the Czech Republic international’s left leg and drifted wide of the right-hand post.

Cech needed to be alert five minutes later to tip over a free-kick whipped in by Savage from wide on the left, and when the Wales international repeated the dose soon afterwards Heskey had another chance.

City then proceeded to boss the game. Chelsea had no answer to the bullying – and they almost paid the penalty for their apparent fragility in first-half injury time.

After Terry had bravely thrust his body in the way of a powerful 15-yard drive from Damien Johnson, Forssell’s replacement Julian Gray hammered the rebound against the post – with his second attempt high and wide.

Mourinho, realising his side were being muscled out of the game, made a double change at the break and replaced Gudjohnsen and Alexei Smertin with two more of his expensive summer recruits in Mateja Kezman and Tiago.

Although City continued to show greater mettle after the interval, they were given a wake-up call that Chelsea are still a quality outfit.

A raking crossfield ball from Bridge was coolly controlled by Geremi in the box, before he unleashed a right-foot drive which Taylor superbly tipped away.

But it was not until the introduction of Cole in the 63rd minute, with Geremi making way, that Chelsea were given added impetus from the midfield area where they had been severely lacking.

Six minutes after his arrival, Cole’s turn and shot took a ricochet off the unlucky Taylor – leaving Cole and his team-mates to celebrate what proved to be the winner.

City then ran out of options as Chelsea ran down the clock.

While it is maximum points for Mourinho, supporters are still waiting for the entertainment to begin.