WHEN David Beckham headed off for the bright lights of Madrid this summer, the question of who would inherit his famous number seven shirt became a topic of much debate.

The number itself had become almost as legendary as the players who had previously worn it.

And the same could also be argued about the Blackburn shirt bearing the number 11, given what Damien Duff has done for Rovers over the past few seasons.

But, ironically, on the day when Rovers came face to face with the inspirational Irishman for the first time since his £17 million move to Chelsea, Graeme Souness chose to hand his old shirt to Markus Babbel following his arrival from Liverpool.

And the German international gave a performance befitting of its previous occupant as he helped to inspire his new team-mates to a richly deserved point against the new force in English football.

Rovers' defensive deficiencies had been noticeable during the embryonic weeks of the new season as they adjusted to life after Henning Berg.

But Souness now appears to have unearthed a suitable replacement in the shape of Babbel. who made an impressive debut alongside Lorenzo Amoruso.

Scandinavian reliability has been replaced by German efficiency in what could turn out to be one of the shrewdest transfer moves of the summer.

Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri wheeled out every one of his big guns in a concerted effort to end Rovers' remarkable record at Stamford Bridge.

But the visitors' rearguard magnificently held firm and but for a debatable penalty award, they might even have been celebrating another famous victory on their favourite away ground in the Premiership.

Considering Babbel has been out of the game for the best part of two years, he was quite outstanding.

A strong, experienced, no-nonsense defender in the Berg mould, he brought a sense of calm to the back four at a time when Chelsea attempted to whip up a storm.

"Markus had an excellent game," enthused Souness.

"He looked as if he had been here three years the way he played today.

"He turned in a thoroughly professional performance, and I thought he was superb for us."

Impressive as Babbel was, it was Andy Cole who ultimately hogged the headlines following a vintage performance up front.

After a poor campaign last season, the former England striker looks to have recaptured the kind of form he showed when he first arrived from Manchester United.

He suddenly looks hungry again and two typically opportunist strikes took his tally for the season to four, already more than half the amount of league goals he managed in the whole of last season.

But this was a collective effort and every one to a man gave every last drop for the cause.

Rovers made the kind of start every visiting team dreams of at a place like Stamford Bridge by scoring after just 19 seconds.

Marcel Desailly tried to prevent the ball from going out of play on the right-hand touchline but only succeeded in giving it straight to Matt Jansen who picked out Cole with a peach of a cross and the striker's right-foot volley had nestled in Cudicini's bottom corner before the Italian had time to blink.

It was a stunning finish, typical of Cole in his prime, and it rocked the home side to the core.

Sixty seconds later, Rovers could have doubled their advantage when Cole returned the favour by playing in Jansen but Cudicini smuggled his mis-hit shot around the post.

Had that gone in, Chelsea's mettle really would have been tested but they rode out the storm and as the half wore on, the likes of Juan Veron slowly started to become more influential.

Duff - strangely subdued by his standards as maybe the emotion of the occasion got the better of him - fired a warning when his raking cross just evaded the sliding Adrian Mutu at the far post.

Then a linesman's flag came to Rovers' rescue when Mutu strayed offside in converting a Geremi centre. But it was far from all one-way traffic.

Thompson went desperately close with a shot from distance which curled just wide of the far post.

However, just as Souness was preparing to deliver his half-time pep-talk, Chelsea struck in first half injury time.

Frank Lampard slipped a clever pass through for Mutu who had drifted off the shoulder of Amoruso and the Romanian kept his composure brilliantly, rounding Friedel before stroking the ball into an empty net.

That was a major psychological blow but if Rovers were deflated they showed no signs of it when they emerged for the second half.

Thompson forced a sharp save out of Cudicini from a free-kick on the edge of the box. But the Chelsea keeper was left floundering moments later when he made a complete hash of Thompson's left-wing cross, leaving Cole to gobble up his second goal of the game at the far post.

Such gifts are gratefully received but it was referee Mike Dean's turn to be generous six minutes later.

Geremi's cross struck Lucas Neill on the hand and Dean had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

TV replays later showed it was more a case of ball to hand rather than hand to ball - Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink emphatically converted the spot-kick.

Ranieri threw on a further £20 million worth of talent in the shape of Hernan Crespo and Joe Cole but it was Rovers who went the closest to pinching a late winner.

Paul Gallagher had a shot blocked following a goal-mouth melee then Flitcroft flashed a volley just wide of the upright.

Who needs Russian billionaires? Rovers are doing just fine as they are.

CHELSEA 2

Mutu 45, Hasselbaink (p) 63

ROVERS 2

Cole 1, 57