Grant gamble reaps rewards as Chelsea earn valuable draw

The snow was gone but Lampard and Terry wrapped themselves up for a chilly Athens night and looked on from the bench as their team-mates survived a spirited effort from Olympiacos.

Their chance may come at Wembley in the Carling Cup final on Sunday by which time the success of Grant's rotation policy will be clearer to see.

There is little doubt that this is the trophy Chelsea's Russian owner Roman Abramovich wants to win more than any other this season with the final to be staged in Moscow in May.

UEFA unfurled their Moscow 08 insignia as the Champions League knockout stages started last night and Grant had spoken on the eve of the game about the need for the club to appear in the showpiece to confirm their status among Europe's elite.

He also explained how, with all his players fit, his team selection would take into account forthcoming fixtures and not just the game in question, a policy which has done nothing to h e l p R a f a Benitez at Liverpool recently but understandable for a club chasing a possible four trophies.

This was his reasoning behind the decision to make 11 changes to the team who eased past League One Huddersfield in the FA Cup fifth round last Saturday.

As expected, this meant that Terry and Lampard started among the substitutes in the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium in a statement of intent from Grant.

The pair may be just back from injuries but they have been the immovable English pillars at the heart of Chelsea's success in the last four years — the safest of all Jose Mourinho's famed Untouchables — but Grant proved, when his squad is full, they are very droppable indeed.

Terry and Lampard passed a loose ball back and forth on the edge of the pitch as the chosen 11 warmed up as a group before the game. Then the England pair stayed out to launch shots at an empty goal when their team-mates returned to the dressing room ahead of kick-off.

They both love to play game after game. They have carried injuries through games for the club. Lampard once started 164 consecutive Barclays Premier League games. But they may have to adjust to a new regime.

Grant kept the faith in those players who survived unbeaten through difficult weeks when the squad was stretched to its limits, notably Michael Ballack, who played some of his most effective football since moving to Stamford Bridge in Lampard's absence, and Alex.

Olympiacos, Greek league leaders and champions for 10 of the last 11 years, are in the knockout rounds for the first time in nine years and determined to prove they belong there. Urged forward by their noisy supporters, they pressed Chelsea back in the early stages, proving their ability to pass the ball and attack in numbers.

Experienced centre forward Darko Kovacevic, once of Sheffield Wednesday, played the lone role up front, holding up the ball and winning free-kicks but the Greeks also showed signs of brittleness in defence. It was a formula which made for an exciting first 45 minutes.

Michael Essien flashed a 20-yarder wide from the edge of the box and Florent Malouda pounced on a mistake by Julio Cesar, who failed to deal cleanly with a cross from Didier Drogba, but could not beat goalkeeper Antonios Nikopolidis.

Malouda started impressively, drifting in from the left flank to combine with Drogba, playing his first Chelsea game since December 1. But the Greeks ought to have stolen the lead from a corner, forced after a wonderful sweeping move which started with a neat passing sequence inside their own penalty area. They advanced smoothly down the left before skipper Claude Makelele knocked the ball out as he scampered back to help his defence.

Luciano Galletti's outswinger was flicked on at the near post to Vassilis Torosidis, who rose with purpose only to slide a glancing header wide of the far post from six yards.

Chelsea had to dig in and be patient but, at the heart of their defence, Ricardo Carvalho and Alex, who was booked for a clumsy foul, stood firm as the home team finished the first half on top.

Grant's team kept better possession after the break, with greater control and a quicker tempo to their passing and it was enough to stifle the game as a spectacle. Whistles greeted the long spells of Chelsea possession.

The goalless first half meant it was more than eight hours of Champions League football since Chelsea last conceded a goal. That was in Valencia, early in Grant's reign.

Petr Cech was not forced into a save in the first half here but made his first save of the night, diving low to his right to smother Predrag Djordevic's low effort from the edge of the box, 10 minutes into the second half.

Galletti then wasted a great opportunity when he sliced a volley wide at the back post when he had time to control the deep cross from Iero Stoltidis.

Substitute Salomon Kalou could have won it for Chelsea right at the death when put clear with only the keeper to beat, but he failed to keep the ball down and so Grant had to settle for an uneventful draw.