Chelsea 1
West Ham 1

Luiz Felipe Scolari may have been able to turn to a hospital for help in his bid to recover from the pain of kidney stones, but a cure for Chelsea's homesickness is proving much harder to find.

The 60-year-old showed a lot of strength to take his place on the bench yesterday having had treatment the night before and he may still need to undergo an operation this week, yet it is his team that was clearly giving him most cause for concern at the post-match press conference.

While the Brazilian could crack a joke and raise a smile when talking about the discomfort he had suffered over the previous 24 hours, the frustration of seeing his players again fail to impress at Stamford Bridge caused him to beat the desk with his fist.

Chelsea have now dropped 14 points at home and this draw against West Ham hurt them even more because they failed to take advantage of their title rivals all dropping points.

What is just as worrying is that the club's fans are beginning to lose patience, not only with Scolari but with some of the players as well. The team were booed off at half-time and on the final whistle, and most of their ire was aimed at Deco — Scolari's only signing in the summer.

It could be argued he was one of West Ham's best performers considering the regularity he found a claret and blue shirt. However, his inaccuracy is just one of the symptoms of a team now appearing to lack belief whenever they play at the Bridge.

Most of the injured players are back in action, so that can no longer be used as an excuse, and the January transfer window is unlikely to provide any fresh inspiration due to a lack of funds.

The sight of Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola in the West Ham dug-out would have led many in the stands to wish he was still playing in a blue shirt, for at the age of 42 he would probably prove more effective than some of the current under-performers.

Stamford Bridge is becoming such a bogey ground that bottom club West Brom will be thinking even they could benefit when they journey south on Boxing Day, while perhaps some in the Chelsea dressing room will wish they had drawn League One side Southend in the FA Cup Third Round at Roots Hall rather than at home.

Scolari knows he must find a solution fast and said: “We have drawn one more game at Stamford Bridge. It is difficult to explain and I am frustrated by it. Sometimes the players have to try something different.

“At the moment teams are coming to Stamford Bridge and playing with 10 players in 40 metres and there is not space for my players.

“If I think about the competition and I think about the points we have dropped here, then I agree with the fans (about the booing). They need to understand that the players try their best all the time, they don't want to lose, they don't want to draw but sometimes we do not have the quality.

“However, If they [the fans] say something they need to say it about me, my staff, the players, all of the group, because not one player plays alone. They play because I put them on the pitch and I am responsible for that.”

Talking about Chelsea's woes, though, does not do West Ham justice for a performance full of fight and character. Zola had to show both qualities in his seven years as a player at Chelsea and he seems to have instilled the same desire into his West Ham team too.

They may have let their supporters down against Tottenham last Monday, but they did everything to put it right here.

Scott Parker and Carlton Cole played like they had a point to prove against their former club and after comfortably seeing out the opening half hour, the visitors took the lead when Craig Bellamy fired in his second goal of the season at the near post.

Scolari had left Didier Drogba on the bench as expected, but had no choice to bring him on for the start of the second half as Nicolas Anelka had toiled on his own up front.

His arrival worked initially and he played a part in the move which created Chelsea's equaliser in the 51st minute. Some fine one-touch football ended with Frank Lampard chipping a sublime ball for Anelka to fire past Robert Green.

The West Ham keeper had a few more alarms after that and should have had the opportunity to show his prowess at stopping penalty kicks, but referee Mike Riley failed to spot Lucas Neill's trip on Lampard in the area.

However, Zola's men were denied the winner their tenacity probably deserved when Cole scuffed his shot at Cech in injury time.

The Italian was rightly in a celebratory mood at the final whistle and said: “I think it was a fair result and very important for us especially after last week's performance against Tottenham.

“It was a big shock for us. We lost a big game and everybody was down and nervous in the week.

“This performance will help build our confidence and maybe at home we will have more confidence, freedom and less pressure. This point has been vital.”