Given that his boss is the man who has everything, it is perhaps just as well that Avram Grant has promised Roman Abramovich the earth. In his first programme notes, the Chelsea first-team coach pledged to provide trophies, entertainment and winning football – everything, indeed, but the proverbial moon on a stick. Five weeks to the day since being handed the ultimate hospital pass, he is in danger of delivering. José who? Grant is yet to hear his name chanted at Stamford Bridge, but that prospect is no longer as fanciful as it once appeared.

Chelsea fans have enjoyed too much success recently to be overly impressed with victory over middling European opponents, but they are not used to winning matches in this manner. Grant’s side created enough chances to have won by far more, but conceded enough to keep Schalke 04 interested and against more clinical opponents could easily have dropped points. Such openness will be welcomed by neutrals, though not by Chelsea fans if they start to lose.

Grant’s gift appears to be coaxing more out of those players pleased by José Mourinho’s departure while maintaining the performance levels of those purportedly in mourning. Joe Cole seems to be relishing the increased licence he has been given, but Florent Malouda and Didier Drogba, who are definitely in the latter camp, show no signs of sulking. The France winger opened the scoring with his third goal of the season in the fourth minute, before Drogba effectively sealed the game with his fourth two minutes into the second half.

The Ivory Coast striker’s heart may have left the club with Mourinho, but his body and mind are completely committed to the Chelsea cause. Although frustratingly vague, Grant’s philosophy appears to be based around maintaining Mourinho’s style and structure within a looser framework. The 4-3-3 formation remains just the same, but the players are afforded far greater individual freedom and not instructed simply to preserve their energy for the next match once they have taken the lead.

Chelsea began with the high tempo beloved of their former manager and their opening goal could have come straight out of the Mourinho manual. Paulo Ferreira’s long ball from his own half was flicked on by Drogba to Malouda, who showed impressive strength to hold off Rafinha before beating him on the outside and depositing the ball between the legs of Manuel Neuer. Malouda’s shot took a cruel deflection but the German goal-keeper should still have done better.

After an impressive start to his Chelsea career, Malouda has struggled in recent weeks, but seemed back to his best last night. In his first outing with Wayne Bridge, making his first start of the season, Malouda gave Rafinha a torrid time, to such an extent that at one stage he was forced to rugby tackle him, becoming possibly the first Brazilian to master the art. With Frank Lampard and Michael Essien driving them on, it was like watching the Chelsea of old and they continued to create chances. Drogba and Lampard both headed wide but the best opportunity fell to Essien from a Malouda cross, with the Ghana midfield player’s header well saved. Neuer also got down well to block a long-range shot from Cole just before half-time.

While Chelsea’s style and conversion rate remains similar to that of the Mourinho era – direct and sporadic respectively – the main difference appears to be at the other end of the pitch, where they are far more vulnerable. Claude Makelele does not protect the back four with the efficiency he used to, which is unfortunate as the hapless Alex needs more protection than a helpless toddler.

Although missing several key players through injury, which increased when Kevin Kuranyi pulled out in the warm-up, Schalke created enough chances to have drawn level by half-time. Gerald Asamoah twice headed wide at the far post, while Carlos Grossmüller got the ball in the net in the 28th minute, but was ruled offside.

Drogba did his best to erase such concerns by scoring another direct goal that was far easier on the eye, an object lesson in counter-attacking football. In keeping with his desire to be involved at all times, Drogba began and ended the move, dropping back to feed Cole, whose brilliant pass found Ferreira in space on the right. The Portuguese is not a natural attacker but his delayed cross was weighted perfectly, with Drogba stooping low to provide a brave finish with a diving header. Unlike under Mourinho, Chelsea continued to play, which enabled Schalke to stay in the game. Soren Larsen hit a post in the 61st minute and found himself free on goal late on, only to be pulled back by a blatant professional foul from Alex, with the referee inexplicably failing to award a free kick. The Brazilian defender has replaced Khalid Boulahrouz as Chelsea’s chief liability and John Terry’s return from injury is needed urgently.

For all his desire to be entertained, such clownish capers from his centre back are probably not what Abramovich had in mind, even on his 41st birthday.

Defensive strategy

10 The defence of Paulo Ferreira, Ricardo Carvalho, Alex and Wayne Bridge was Chelsea’s tenth back-four combination in 15 matches this season

44 Chelsea’s run of unbeaten home games in all competitions since losing 2-1 to Barcelona in February 2006

Source: Bill Edgar

Yssouf Koné and Vidar Riseth scored second-half goals to give Rosenborg a 2-0 win over Valencia in their Champions League group B match last night.

Koné forced the ball past Santiago Cañizares, the Valencia goalkeeper, in the 53rd minute, taking a pass from Mikael Dorsin, who had beaten a path through the Valencia defence with a mazy dribble. Riseth added a second goal in the 61st minute, with a header from a corner.

The victory gives the Norwegian side four points after three games, while Valencia have three points.

Group B

Last night’s results: Chelsea 2 Schalke 04 0; Rosenborg 2 Valencia 0

Chelsea (433): P Cech – P Ferreira, R Carvalho, Alex, W Bridge – M Essien (sub: J O Mikel, 71min), C Makelele, F Lampard – J Cole (sub: A Shevchenko, 89), D Drogba, F Malouda (sub: S Kalou, 84). Substitutes not used: C Cudicini, C Pizarro, T Ben Haim, J Belletti.

Schalke 04 (4-2-3-1): M Neuer – Rafinha, H Westermann, M Bordon, D RodrÍguez (sub: Z Bajramovic, 82) – J Jones, F Ernst – C Grossmüller (sub: M Azaouagh, 77), P Lovenkrands, S Larsen – G Asamoah (sub: I Rakitic, 62). Substitutes not used:M Schober, B Howedes.Booked:Jones.

Referee: P Frojdfeldt (Sweden).