Gary Cahill 'ridiculously frustrated' by Chelsea defeat

Gary Cahill trudges off the pitch after Chelsea's defeat (GETTY IMAGES)

A Champions League debut is usually something to remember, but for Chelsea defender Gary Cahill, it was a night to forget.

January signing Cahill once again found himself thrown in at the deep end after John Terry failed to recover from injury and he was once again found wanting in last night's 3-1 last-16 first-leg defeat at Napoli.

But Cahill was by no means the worst culprit in what was another defensive horror show from Andre Villas-Boas' struggling Blues, leaving them in real danger of crashing out of the competition.

Cahill said: "I'm ridiculously disappointed. Disappointed with the result, the night, the Champions League debut.

"So it was a pretty low night for myself, actually."

As on Cahill's Chelsea debut against Manchester United, his new side threw away a lead yesterday after Juan Mata netted what could still prove a crucial away goal.

Basic mistake after basic mistake followed and Napoli were more than worthy of their two-goal cushion.

"It started off brilliantly," Cahill said.

"We were frustrating them early doors, they made a mistake and we got the goal.

"For some reason, it seemed really open after that instead of really solid.

"We should have shut the door, made everything really compact and gone in at half-time 1-0 up, but it wasn't to be. I think we were too easily cut open."

Cahill claimed a soaking pitch saw players "slipping all over the place".

"But it's no excuse for simple, basic things," he added.

"The goals came for a lot of long balls, which is bread and butter for people like myself. If we were getting caught open it might be different, but it was bread and butter things that went wrong.

"They had good players all around the pitch, but I think we made their job a little bit easier.

"We are still in it.

"To score two goals at Stamford Bridge is by no means beyond the realms of possibility.

"The third goal killed us a little bit, but we need to pull our finger out in the next leg and put in a better performance."

Chelsea have now gone five matches without a win and it is hard to see them turning the tie around unless they can stop the rot before the second leg in two weeks' time.

Cahill said: "It's a sticky situation at the minute. I have come in right in the middle of it.

"As soon as we get results, I think it will turn the corner, but it's difficult times."

Next up is Saturday's Barclays Premier League clash with the Bolton side Cahill left just over a month ago.

"It has come round pretty quickly," he said.

"It is going to be a weird situation knowing the lads and knowing how they play.

"But, if selected, we need to get a result and put in a better performance in that game, for sure."

The last thing Chelsea need is an injury to another key player and will hope Mata is able to play through the pain of what he feared was a broken finger.

The winger said: "We have to check it. Maybe it is broken."

PA