Source: Telegraph
Chelsea 2 Fulham 1: match report
Jose Mourinho was back at the Bridge but it was a former Inter Milan manager, not the present one, who gave Chelsea greater cause for concern in this victory over Fulham. [LNB]In the end it was only the cruellest of own goals by a 20-year-old, making his full Premier League debut, and who was playing non-league football for Maidstone United just 18 months ago, that allowed Carlo Ancelotti the victory that relieves the pressure which was inexorably beginning to mount around him. [LNB] Related ArticlesTelegraph player raterPremier League actionPremier League tablePremier League: livePremier League fixturesTransfer TalkAfterwards he spoke hopefully of how this could be a turning point, ridiculous perhaps when five points clear, but it has been some stuttering sequence of results. 'It is a victory that arrives at not a good moment for us,' Ancelotti said, admitting he was glad to see the back of December and claiming this was one of the most important wins of the season. [LNB]Roy Hodgson, once of the San Siro, awarded Chris Smalling his first league start in the absence of the sorely missed Brede Hangeland, who is nursing a knee injury and he was rewarded with a towering performance and the cruellest slice of misfortune. Smalling could not prevent the ball from trickling into the goal after Mark Schwarzer had palmed Daniel Sturridge's cross-shot only for it to strike the horrified centre-half. [LNB]At the end, Didier Drogba, whose header had clawed Chelsea back into contest, called his team-mates into a huddle. He will now depart, along with Salomon Kalou and John Obi Mikel to the African Cup of Nations and how he will be missed. His importance is pivotal and his totemic influence is absolute. [LNB]He even personifies the team in the first-half he rolled around, ineffective and frustrated, in the second he was driven and drove them on. [LNB]Ancelotti's tie was at half-mast throughout this match but having pledged to streak nude if Chelsea buy in the January transfer window he can certainly expect to de-robe fully if common sense prevails. [LNB]This team desperately need reinforcing if they are to fulfil their owner's ambitions and sporting director Frank Arnesen will be urging Roman Abramovich to acquire either Sergio Aguero or Franck Ribery. [LNB]Mourinho, who sat in the box usually reserved for the absent Abramovich, had his own battles with the Russian billionaire over money it was a spat this time three years ago that helped eventually force him out and this was his first visit since his departure in September 2007. Ostensibly a scouting mission, Inter face Chelsea in the Champions League in February, it was also a high-profile homecoming judging by how he was mobbed outside the stadium although, tellingly perhaps, there were no songs for him inside. [LNB]There were jeers. Chelsea were booed off at the interval while Mikel was catcalled after slicing wide from the edge of the area. His eventual substitution was cheered. Such were the frustrations of the home supporters who saw their side enjoy a ridiculous amount of possession but come up against a Fulham side so resolutely organised and committed, and intelligently marshalled, that they rarely looking like conceding. In Schwarzer they had the better goalkeeper, in Paul Konchesky the best full-back, in Aaron Hughes the most assured defender and in Danny Murphy the most composed midfielder. [LNB]And yet they lost. In the pale afternoon sun, Chelsea were, at times, a pale shadow of the team that started the season so strongly. And yet they won. No one can doubt their commitment, desire, attempts to play attacking football, but, too often, Chelsea pass the ball in front of their opponents and lack the wit and guile to penetrate even if Hodgson termed them 'rampant'. [LNB]They certainly weren't that at the start. Ancelotti had overhauled his defence only John Terry remained and it was he who was at fault as Fulham went ahead. Bobby Zamora swept the ball out to Paul Konchesky and with Paulo Ferreira woefully out-of-position, the left-back charged forward and delivered a cross which Terry headed weakly. It struck Zamora and fell to Zoltan Gera who took a touch and hooked the ball beyond Cech. Hodgson sat impassive he knew there was a long time to go but Chelsea were stunned. [LNB]Three times Drogba was denied either by shooting weakly or having efforts blocked while the striker got himself involved in a running dispute with John Pantsil. Chelsea were equally lacking in concentration and it was Fulham who went closest as Cech palmed over Clint Dempsey's rising, sidefooted shot before the goalkeeper reacted quickly to block from Zamora after he latched onto Ricardo Carvalho's weak header. [LNB]By now, Chelsea were riled but Fulham remained resolute. After one passage of play three of their players lay prone on the ground, hurt, after throwing themselves into tackles, blocking shots, straining every sinew. It was an awesome effort and Ancelotti was becoming frantic. Drogba twisted and turned and sent in a curling shot, but Schwarzer pushed it away before, finally, Chelsea had their first slice of fortune. [LNB]With Panstil limping off, having twisted his knee, Baird was pushed to right-back but immediately lost the flight of Branislav Ivanovic's deep cross Hodgson later said he was dazzled by the floodlights and Drogba stole in to thump home his header. [LNB]Cue chaos. Chelsea poured forward again and Kalou skipped around Konchesky, crossed low, for the ball to fall to Sturridge whose first-time shot was blocked by Schwarzer. only to strike Smalling. [LNB]Once behind, Fulham rallied with Dickson Etuhu heading over but it was Chelsea who came closest to adding to the scoring with Drogba shooting narrowly wide and then Kalou turning nimbly and striking a right-footed shot from the edge of the area which slammed against the crossbar. 'We pushed Chelsea to the limit and we can consider ourselves very unlucky,' Hodgson said. He was right on both counts. But there is little comfort in that. [LNB]
