Chelsea 0 - 0 Fulham

| England News

Saturday Sep 29 2007 03:00

Chelsea's lamentable form continued with a poor point gained against Fulham and another man sent off as they were booed off the pitch.

Chelsea remained undefeated at home for a 67th game, but Avram Grant's side failed to produce anything like the expansive form demanded by owner Roman Abramovich.Andriy Shevchenko had the first chance of the post-Mourinho era after two minutes at Stamford Bridge, but blasted a left-footer high and wide of Kasey Keller's goal.

It took just ten minutes before the first chants of "Jose Mourinho" rang out from the crowd as Chelsea laboured to get close to Fulham's penalty area.

Three minutes later and Fulham missed a gilt-edged chance as Clint Dempsey headed Steven Davis' cross just inches wide of Petr Cech's left upright.

Shevchenko got closer to goal on 20 minutes but his daisy-cutter went weakly straight to Keller.

Fulham had a call for a penalty on 22 minutes when right-back Juliano Belletti appeared to handle an awkward clearance.

Shevchenko wasted a good chance when he side-footed just wide on 33 minutes after good set-up play by Salomon Kalou on the left. Thne Didier Drogba was inches away after a fine cross-goal drive by Joe Cole.John Terry failed to reappear for the second half, with Alex replacing the skipper, who had suffered a suspected fractured cheekbone.

But the Blues could have instantly scored when Joe Cole's right byline cross was tapped on by Kalou, but Keller squirmed the ball away from goal and it rebounded clear off the right post.Steve Sidwell had a speculative shot two minutes later but it flew well wide.

Grant decided to end Shevchenko's torrid time by, replacing him with Claudio Pizarro on 53 minutes, much to the delight of the Fulham fans who shouted "what a waste of money".

Drogba produced a rare piece of magic on 48 minutes, chesting down a high ball, turning and then unleashing a fierce right-footer which was well parried by Keller.

Kalou missed another sitter, this time from six yards out, heading wide a Claude Makelele deep free-kick on 68 minutes.

Joe Cole toe-poked wide seconds later from eight yards as Chelsea turned the screw on their neighbours

Chelsea's talisman Drogba, already yellow-carded for dissent was shown the red for a neck-high challenge on Chris Baird on 75 minutes to compound the Blues' frustrations.Ashley Cole was sacrificed on 78 minutes for sub Florent Malouda as Chelsea sought an attacking option after their reduction to ten men.Hameur Bouazza had a wonderful chance with ten minutes remaining as Fulham counter-attacked quickly, but the ex-Watford man shot wide.

With five minute left Alex was dispossessed by Paul Konchesky who raced through towards goal and was unlucky not to score as Cech spread himself on the ground and the goalbound shot hit his leg.

With seconds remaining Diomansy Kamara should have hit the winner for the visitors, but shot across goal instead of finding the target.

Live Commentary

90
Its all over here at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea are booed after and it could have been worst for the home side, Fulham coming very close to stealing all three points at the end.

90
Fulham should have won the game, Kamara getting away from the Chelsea defenders and then sliding it across the face of goal for Dempsey who slides in but is just inches away from tapping it home.

88
Davis puts a nice ball over the top for Kamara to chase but Cech is quick off his line to collect.

86
The home fans are not happy and are singing for Mourinho, thats a nice welcome for Avram Grant.

85
Konchesky breaks-up a Chelsea attack and finds himself away and through on goal, but Cech produces a world class save to deny Fulham as Chelsea hang on.

84
Bouazza curls a deep cross towards the far post looking for Davies but Belletti cuts it out.

81
Alexei Smertin is brought off and comes Danny Murphy.

81
Steven Davis gets a booking after a badly timed tackle on Belletti.

80
Bouazza has a good oppurtunity after finding himself with space in the box but wastes the chance smashing high over the cross bar.

76
Florent Malouda comes on and replaces Ashley Cole in Chelsea's last change of the game.

73
Didier Drogba gets his second yellow of the game and is off after catching Baird with a high foot.

72
Davies swings in a corner for Fulham and nearly finds Dempsey but Cech reads the danger and takes the ball off the head of Dempsey with a good catch.

71
Ki-Hyeon Seol comes off and on comes Hameur Bouazza.

69
The two Cole's combine well with Ashley Cole eventually slotting in J.Cole who tried his luck from inside the area but stubbed his shot into the ground and Keller saves well.

68
Makelele floats in a freekick towards the far post and finds Kalou running it who can't direct his header goalwards only sending it wide.

67
David Healy comes off and is replaced by Diomansy Kamara.

65
Kalou takes the corner this time but its no better than Cole's effort, Seoul heading it away at the near post.

62
DRogba tries his luck from out on the right but can only swing it away from goal, wasting another chance for Chelsea.

61
J.Cole delivers yet another poor corner towards the near post again and its Davies who gets it away again.

60
Chelsea come charging back down the pitch, Belletti getting a cross in looking for Kalou who can only head the ball wide.

60
Seoul goes on a great run, taking on a couple of Chelsea players before squaring it to Smertin who hit it high and wide.

57
J.Cole puts an inswinging corner but between Dempsey and Seoul Fulham are able to clear.

54
Dempsey again does well to knock a ball down to Smertin who wriggled away from Alex but couldn't get past Cech who came sliding out to take the ball from him.

53
Andriy Shevchenko is brought off to a chorus of boo's and Claudio Pizarro comes on.

52
Davies sprints away from two Chelsea defenders and tries to pick out Dempsey with a cross but its a poor one and dealt with easily by Cech.

48
The Chelsea fans are booing Shevchenko every time he touches the ball which won't help his confidence.

48
Drogba knocks a high ball down to Sidewell who tries his luck from long range but can only send well wide of the goal.

46
Cole whips in a cross towards the near post for Kalou who gets a head on the ball forcing Keller into a great save, pushing it onto the far post.

45
Chelsea make a change at the break with John Terry coming off and Rodrigo da Costa Alex coming on.

45
Chelsea get the second half underway and will be looking for a dramatic improvement from the first 45 minutes.

45
Half time at Stamford Bridge with Chelsea having all the possession but failing to create much, the best chance of the half falling to Fulham, Dempsey heading wide.

45
J.Cole with another corner as Chelsea pile on the pressure, but its another poor delivery as Seoul is able to head it away again.

45
The fourth official indicates there will be three minutes of added on time.

43
J.Cole takes another corner for the Blues but again Fulham are able to deal with it, Davies heading it away at the near post.

41
J.Cole takes a corner for Chelsea which Bocanegra heads straight up in the air before nodding it away to the edge of the area where J.Cole has got into position to strike it on the volley buts easy for Keller to gather.

39
J.Cole whips in a freekick from the right which Keller comes to claim but loses it but is helped out by Hughes who boots it clear.

34
Drogba is booked after protesting a little too much over the penalty decision going against him.

34
Cole skins Paul Konchesky on the right and then whips in a low cross towards the far post for Drogba who looks to have a simple finish but seemingly gets a touch off Baird which puts him off and Drogba sends it wide.

31
Kalou turns Baird inside out and then cuts the ball back for Shevchenko on the edge of the six yard box but its a poor effort and is well wide of goal.

30
Kalou works himself some room to shot but its blocked the ball bouncing back to the Chelsea player who then tries to chip the ball through for Drogba but its too far ahead of the striker and Fulham clear.

27
J.Cole swngs in Chelsea's first corner of the game, sending it towards the near post but its dealt with by Seoul who heads it away.

25
Healy is forced to change his shirt after someone tried to rip it apart, probably one of the most exciting moments of the half.

23
Ben-Haim seems to handle the ball inside the penalty area after a Davies cross but referee Martin Atkinson waves away the Fulham protests as play continues.

21
Dempsey flicks a long ball on for Healy to run onto and the Northern Ireland international slides the ball across the face of goal for Davies to attack but Bellitti is able to cut it out and put it out for a throw-in.

20
Davies puts an outswing corner towards Davis but it avoids everyone and eventually reaches Belletti on the far side of the field.

19
Shevchenko works himself some room and tries a low shot from outside the area but its easily dealt with by Keller who gets down well to save.

18
Chelsea are having all the possession but can't break down Fulham just yet as the visitors get ten men behind the ball and in their own half to stifle the Blues play.

15
Shevchenko tries his luck from a freekick again but its not any better than his first sending it straight into the wall as Fulham deal with the attack comfortable.

13
Davies gets a good cross into the area and Dempsey is able to peel off Ben-Haim and get a header on the ball but can only direct it wide of goal.

10
Shevchenko tries to curl a freekick in to the penalty area from wide on the right but its a dreaful one and Baird is able to hoof the ball clear.

7
Kalou cuts infield past Baird from the left and tries a shot from a long way out but the make-shift winger sends it well wide of goal, perhaps put off by the sliding Davis who tried to block the shot.

4
Davies swings in a corner for Healy but Drogba is back doing some defending in the absence of Terry and the striker nods it away from danger.

3
A nasty clash of heads between Dempsey and Terry results in the Blues captain going down holding his face, looks like Dempsey caught him with his elbow.

1
J.Cole whips in a low cross towards the penalty spot but its booted away by Carlos Bocanegra, but they can't clear their lines, Smertin gives it away for Shevchenko who tries his luck from the edge of the area but can only send it high and wide.

0
Referee Martin Atkinson gets this 57th west London underway here at Stamford Bridge with Fulham taking kick-off

0
Fulham XI: Keller, Baird, Hughes, Bocanegra, Konchesky, Ki-Hyeon, Smertin, Davis, Davies, Healy, Dempsey

0
Fulham have lost Mortiz Volz and Ian Pearce to injury who join the Cook, Bullard, Christenval and McBride on the sidelines. Kassey Keller comes in for Anti Niemi in goal as Fulham look for their first win at Stamford Bridge in 28 years.

0
Chelsea XI: Cech, Belletti, Terry, Ben-Haim, Ashley Cole, Sidwell, Makelele, Joe Cole, Kalou, Drogba, Shevchenko

0
Chelsea are boosted by the return of Didier Drogba who is back ahead of schedule. But the Blues are still without the injured trio of Lampard, Carvalho and Ballack along with the suspended John Obi Mikel.

Statistics

Chelsea

Shots on target	4
Shots off target	12
Shots off bar/post	0
Fouls	8
Offsides	5
Corners	9

Fulham

Shots on target	1
Shots off target	4
Shots off bar/post	0
Fouls	18
Offsides	2
Corners	4

See Live Commentary