An unimpressive Chelsea could only bring a point back from Champions League newcomers Cluj on a night when Didier Drogba was lost to injury.

The striker was taken off on a stretcher in the second half of a game of few chances for either side.

All talk beforehand had been of a highly-organised Cluj side and so it proved as missing the incisive play of Deco, Chelsea, though enjoying the more possession, rarely looked likely to return home victorious. A poor pitch didn't help.

The misfortune with injuries had already continued with Ashley Cole, who trained yesterday, now ruled out. At least a ready-made quality replacement was available in the form of Wayne Bridge.

That change apart, the team was the one that had started the win at Stoke.

Cluj pressured the Chelsea centre-backs a couple of time early on but with the aid of additional sweeper Petr Cech, the danger was quickly snuffed out.

Chelsea, all in yellow, shot first through Kalou but it was a tame effort to say the least.

Koné tired his luck ambitiously for the home side but his aim was far too high.

On 10 minutes there was a brief scare after Cluj broke through the middle having nicked the ball away from Malouda but Juan Culio moved into an offside position at the crucial moment.

Chelsea had been subdued. Lampard attempted to spark the team into life with a pass over the top towards Drogba. It clipped a defender's head for our first corner of the game, but nothing would come of it.

Cluj, with five in midfield, were able to retain possession in the Chelsea half for significant spells but their short-passing game was not breaking through our backline.

That was until the 27th minute when a lofted ball forward from Dubarbier dropped over Terry's shoulder but well-placed Trica failed to time his volley attempt and made little contact. The danger passed to frustrated cries from the lively home support behind Cech's goal.

The period around the half-hour mark was a good one for the home side. They won a free-kick after a misplaced Bridge header and tried a surprise short ball into the area rather than the regulation pop at goal. Chelsea defended it initially but a another chance came Trica's way. This time the native Romanian shot wide.

That was on 33 minutes and two minutes later, tall left-back Pereira strode forward into space and let loose a shot from 25 yards out that curved wide of the far post.

Kalou and Malouda now swapped wings as Chelsea looked for ways to wrestle back the initiative.

It couldn't prevent Koné running at Alex who conceded a free-kick 10 yards inside the Chelsea half, earning a booking in the process.

Lampard and Drogba tried to work the squared-ball free-kick routine that had been successful at Middlesbrough four years ago but the striker failed to connect.

There was plenty of work to be done in the dressing room at half-time.

One decision was to brink on Anelka in place of Kalou. The new addition would push forward on the right.

John Terry didn't agree with the award of a foul against him for an aerial challenge two minutes after the restart but it opened the way for Muresan to drill a shot in from 30 yards. Cech was equal to it.

The sequence of misconnected shots continued on 50 minutes, when having initiated an attack, Lampard couldn't make the most of an Anelka cross to the near post.

Drogba tried his best to reach a Malouda ball into the area on 55 minutes but collapsed in pain as his leg appeared to get caught underneath him. His team-mates were soon indicating the need for a substitution. The wretched injury luck marches along unabated.

Belletti was the man brought on as Drogba was carried off, moving to where Anelka had been with the Frenchman taking over the central spot.

Pereira levelled the bookings up on 70 minutes but again Chelsea failed to produce from the free-kick. There was no-one in yellow who could say they were on top of their game when it came to taking the attack to Cluj.

Franco Di Santo was given his chance to impress, coming on for Malouda on 73 minutes and instantly rose unmarked to meet a Belletti corner. He headed wide of the near post.

Anelka did hit the post on 77 minutes after a clever Lampard chip but he had strayed offside and his simultaneous challenge on the keeper was deemed worthy of a yellow card.

Two minutes later came the game's best moment of skill, Trica manipulating the ball into space but firing just wide of the left post. The Cluj number 10 had been allowed ample chances for a shock winner.

Belletti was sent away down the right by a Lampard long ball but running full pelt, he shot from a hugely difficult angle and missed by some distance.

Chelsea were living on the edge when on 86 minutes, it took a one-hand Cech save to prevent Alvaro Pereira from scoring after Cluj had broken into the box on the left.

Dani was booked in stoppage time, Chelsea had just survived a corner and when Lampard swept a shot wide from 15 yards out, a goalless draw was assured with few complaints from the visitors.

For the first time since Barnsley back in March we had failed to find the net.

The night's other score was 3-1 to Roma in Bordeaux, leaving Chelsea tied on points with Cluj at the top of Group A.

Chelsea (4-1-4-1): Cech; Bosingwa, Alex, Terry (c), Bridge; Mikel; Kalou (Anelka h-t), Ballack, Lampard, Malouda (Di Santo 73); Drogba (Belletti 57).
Booked Alex 38, Anelka 77.

CFR Cluj (4-2-3-1): Stancioiu; Tony, Cadu (c), De Sousa, Alvaro Pereira; Muresan, Dani; Dubarbier, Trica (Didi 87), Juan Culio; Y Koné.
Booked Pereira 70, Dani 90.