The brawl between Stoke and Chelsea ended in a goalless draw in Stock City.
New Chelsea manager, Andre Villas Boas, introduction to the Barclays Premier League proved to be a testing and frustrating affair as his side were held to a draw at Stoke.
The Portuguese may have raced to the league title with Porto and also won the Europa League last season, but nothing could have prepared him for the challenge he met at the Britannia Stadium.
At the age of 33 Villas Boas has proved he is a quick learner. What he will have discovered after an afternoon at the Britannia is that the curve gets steeper from here on in.