Fulham v Chelsea

[kennethlindheim]

Chelsea aim to return to the summit of The Premiership when they make the short trip to West London rivals Fulham.

The Cottagers will want to put in a performance against The Blues after Chris Coleman's side looked under par in Wednesday's Carling Cup second round defeat to League Two club Wycombe Wanderers.

Jose Mourinho's side head to Craven Cottage on the back of last Sunday's 1-0 home win over Liverpool, with the club sure to have remembered last season's corresponding fixture.

Chelsea lost the fiery away contest 1-0 back in March, as Fulham ended a 27-year wait to beat their local rivals.

Coleman will try and inspire his side to do the same again on Saturday, despite having a number of injury doubts going into the derby contest.

Brian McBride (ankle), Papa Bouba Diop (thigh) and Carlos Bocanegra (groin) are all doubtful to face The Blues, with the trio all facing late fitness tests before the game.

Fulham are already without Luis Boa Morte (cheekbone), Jimmy Bullard (knee), Ahmad Elrich (knee), Simon Elliott (calf), Philippe Christanval and Mark Pembridge (calf).

Chelsea are without Germany captain Michael Ballack for the next three matches following his red card against The Reds for stamping on Mohamed Sissoko.

Winger Arjen Robben, however has recovered from a calf injury and is poised to make his first start since the season-opening win over Manchester City.

http://www.talksoccer.net/forum/newt...newthread&f=38

[JD]

come on u cottagers!

[Sven]

3 points to the blues won of the only good teams lat year to beat us away something Liverpool and arsenal coudnt do.

though we got a goal ruled out for handball and a red card on gallas.

[Sven]

no Cpt today..... being rested i believe.

back 4 Geremi Riccky Paulo A.cole

essien maka lamaprd

Robben
Drogba sheva

still a very strong team, be a test to see how we play with out the number 1 guy in defence.

[Oliver_Kahn]

Chelsea having trouble in the second-half.
Sven what happened during the frist-half ?

Btw, Robben out, Kalou in.

[Oliver_Kahn]

Drogba missed one with open net.
He hit the bar.

[Sven]

no idea.

[Sven]

fuck yes penalty

if lampard misses this i will never forgive him.. please let sheva have it

[Sven]

FUCK YES theres only one FRANK LAMPARD THERES ONLY ONE FRANK LAMPARD

Kalou tbh shuch great work work comes on massaive improvment on Robben, clear penalty great penalty.

we suck without Terry.

[russe||]

FFS both Arsenal and Chelsea taking the lead within minutes of each other.

[Sven]

Top of the league atm where we belong .

[Sven]

Frank Frank Frank Fucking Lampard lets see the media say hes shit this game fuking great worked goal

2-0 2 goals for lamapard

[Sven]

god i want 3 goals so we can say we had best game of day not let arsenal or liverpool get it.

Dirty bastard Brown is nearly took A.cole Knee capp.

[kennethlindheim]

With Manchester United playing in the evening game, The Blues returned to the top of the table with a typically professional performance, although it was anything but easy against a spirited Fulham side.

Indeed, had it not been for a contentious penalty decision deep into the second half, Fulham looked good value for at least a point.

Chelsea set out to stamp their authority on the game early on, having lost 1-0 to Fulham in a badly tempered clash at craven Cottage back in March.

Frank Lampard smashed a 35-yard free kick just over the crossbar just a few minutes in, before Didier Drogba dragged another long-range effort wide as Chelsea seized control of midfield.

With no John Terry at the back though, The Blues looked uncharacteristically vulnerable at the back, and they could have been caught out if Collins John's first touch had been better when released through the centre.

Wayne Routledge then stung the palms of Petr Cech with a curling shot from the right after Chelsea had failed to clear his initial cross.

Arjen Robben, recovered from injury and adding width down the left, almost celebrated his return to the first team with a sensational goal on the half hour mark, but his swerving strike from 30 yards rattled the bar and ricocheted to safety.

Chelsea's driving force was once again Michael Essien, and the Ghanaian drew a fine save from Antti Niemi after a strong run from midfield.

Geremi also came close to breaking the deadlock, drilling a shot from the edge of the area just wide of the post following a cleverly worked free kick from Frank Lampard.

Fulham, meanwhile, were resolute in defence, clearly determined to continue their good start to The Premiership after the shock Carling Cup defeat to Wycombe in midweek.

The Cottagers failed to carve out any significant opportunities in the opening 45 minutes, but some of their football was pleasing on the eye and their tireless efforts to close down Chelsea players were admirable.

Five minutes into the second half Michael Brown thought he had won a penalty for Fulham after challenging for the ball with Cech.

The goalkeeper did appear to bring Brown down, but only after the midfielder had lunged in too aggressively to force Cech to spill possession.

The incident proved to be a sign of things to some, as the game became more and more physical, with John the recipient of one particularly heavy challenge from Ricardo Carvalho towards the left-hand touchline.

From the resultant free kick Pape Bouba Diop missed a gilt-edged chance to put Fulham in front, as he did not manage to make meaningful contact with a free header just yards from goal.

Chelsea were visibly rattled by the home side's determination, but they weathered the storm and started to regain their command.

Substitute Salomon Kalou was an influential figure in their resurgence, and he quickly set up a chance a chance for the hitherto anonymous Andrei Shevchenko. The Ukrainian's strike was well stopped by Niemi, and Drogba could only miss-hit the rebound against the top of the woodwork.

In the 73rd minute Chelsea finally managed to take the lead, when a penalty was awarded against Liam Rosenior for hand ball. The defender slipped as he struggled to get to grips with Kalou in the area, but any contact with the arm looked minimal and unintentional.

In the absence of Micahel Ballack, Lampard stepped up take the spot-kick, and he took a leaf out of the German's book with a ferocious penalty struck into the roof of the net.

Jose Mourinho's side doubled their advantage just seven minutes later, but in the intervening period there was moment of anxiety when Franck Queudrue's surprise shot from wide on the left almost caught Cech unawares.

It was Lampard again who netted Chelsea's second, rounding off a flowing move involving Essien and Drogba with a coolly placed low shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

The fight somewhat left Fulham in the last ten minutes, and Chelsea comfortably held on to their 2-0 cushion to move top of The Premiership.

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