A seven goal-thriller is only really a thriller if your team is on the right end of it and the Chelsea fans left Stamford Bridge shocked and frustrated after going down 3-4 to Newcastle United.
Carlo Ancelotti did an Arsenal of old and played a bunch of kids with more on the bench.
Just like Arsenal of old, they also lost. But it started ever so well for the Londoners.
Within six minutes, left back Patrick an Aanholt, who had a loan spell at Newcastle United last season put the home side ahead with a smart right footer.
But before the half was out they were 1-2 down.
Strikes from Ranger on 26 minutes on the near post and a brilliant free-kick by Taylor on 32 minutes saw to that.
The Blues failed to rally in the second half and Newcastle took a two-goal lead through hit-man Ameobi on 48 minutes.
Chelsea lost Kalou and Benayoun through injury after misfiring Ancelotti had already made three substitutions.
This left Chelsea with 10-men but Nicolas Anelka showed that experience counts at the top level with two strikes, one a coolly-taken penalty with just four-minutes remaining.
Paulo Ferreira smashed the Newcastle post with a blistering volley but mistake after mistake by the Premier League leaders saw the last-gasp decider from Ameobi.
Unlike the Chelsea faithful, Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti seemed not too bothered afterwards: “'I am disappointed for the result, this is normal. But I am happy for the performance, absolutely happy.
“We had a fantastic reaction when we went down 3-1, playing 10 against 11.
“We showed good spirit, good personality, especially from the young players and this is good for us.
“This was a competition for the young players, they needed to have experience and they had a fantastic experience tonight.
“It was very difficult but at the end we can say that we are happy with the performance of our players and that's it.”
Chelsea (4-3-3): Turnbull, Ferreira, Bruma, Terry (c) (Alex h-t) Van Aanholt; Benayoun, Ramires, Zhirkov; Sturridge, Anelka, Kakuta (Kalou h-t) (McEachran 56).
Unused subs Cech, B Clifford, Chalobah, Mellis.
Scorers Van Aanholt 5, Anelka 69, 86 (pen).
Booked Bruma 32.
Newcastle (4-4-2): Krul; Taylor (Tiote 63), Campbell, Coloccini (Williamson 63), Ferguson (Barton 90+3); Ranger, Smith (c), Vuckic, Gutierrez; Ameobi, Lovenkrands.
Unused subs Soberberg, Ben Arfa, Nolan, Carroll.
Scorers Ranger 26, Taylor 32, Ameobi 48, 88.
Booked Taylor 10, Ameobi 42, Tiote 86.
See the full 90 minutes on Chelsea TV from midnight.
Attendance 41,511.
Referee Phil Dowd.