Chelsea back to winning ways against error strewn Fulham

Chelsea 2 : 0 Fulham

Chelsea won this West London derby with goals in each half  from Pedro and Ruben Loftus-Cheek to stabilise their season after last week’s loss at Tottenham.

They were rarely threatened by their neighbours who have still to eradicate the error making that makes their defence one of the league’s easiest to crack.

Fulham had won just one of their last 26 Premier League matches against Chelsea, a 1-0 success in March 2006. Ten of the others had been draws. Before last weekend, few would have given Fulham a chance of doubling the number of wins. But with Chelsea finally losing their unbeaten record 3-1 at Spurs, and Fulham recording their second win in Claudio Ranieri’s first game, both sides’ fortunes had moved inland in the last seven days.

Chelsea brought in Pedro and Olivier Giroud as Willian and Alvaro Morata dropped to the bench. To the surprise of some, error prone defender David Luiz kept his place at centre half. For Fulham Stefan Johansson replaced the absent Andre Schurrle. Kevin McDonald (hamstring) and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (thigh) were absent again. For once the Cottagers retained the same starting back four.

Former Chelsea boss Ranieri received a great ovation from both sets of fans and his side fired the first salvo.

Cyrus Christie tested Kepa in just 24 seconds, having run some way unchallenged.

But 198 seconds later, Pedro cut apart the Fulham defence and slotted in the opener after Kante overpowered the sleepy Jean Michael Seri who received something of a hospital pass from Denis Odoi on the halfway line. It was a big moment for French midfielder who must be tired of reading that all his skills are defensive and he lacks the creative qualities demanded of him since Jorginho nudged him out of his former mainly holding role.

Tom Cairney was at the heart of Fulham’s next opportunity, setting up Chambers whose shot was easily saved by Kepa.

Giroud had a decent chance for a 2-0 lead when Hazard put him in, but for some reason, the Frenchman turned away from goal and narrowed his own angle from the improbable to the impossible. Odoi headed horizontally rather than goalwards from a Le Marchand cross though it is unlikely he would have tested Kepa from the distance involved.

Fulham continued to make their own troubles. A needless Christie giveaway in midfield put his defence under unnecessary pressure. The attack fizzled out under packed and desperate defending, but led to Fulham being pinned back for three further minutes, when they could have been chasing an equaliser.

Rico’s outstretched leg deprived Giroud of a goal in his first west London derby just before the break.

Ranieri moved to upset the logjam of pressure on his side with two brave interval changes, introducing Aboubakar Kamara and Floyd Ayité for Sessegnon and Johansen.

Rico was on hand to easily save from Pedro as the Blues began the second where they left the first, deep in Fulham territory. Finally on 53 minutes, Kepa was forced into action when he needed his reflexes to stop Alonso heading into his own net from a corner.

Fulham manager Claudio Ranieri issues instructions at Stamford Bridge
Photo: Premier League

At the time, and for a further 11 minutes, it was the best chance of the second half. Before then, Chelsea looked passive bordering on docile as they wasted two free kicks within site of the Fulham goal. Tom Cairney rescued a move that seemed resigned to dying on the goal line and picked out Chambers who made Kepa stretch just a little further than he had at any moment since the warm up.

Minutes after he had replaced the largely ineffectual Giroud, Alvaro Morata blazed a rebound over the bar after Rico has saved Eden Hazard’s effort well down to his right.

Neeskens Kebano became Ranierei’s last throw of the die with 14 minutes left when he replaced captain Cairney whose return from injury seems to be progressing in incremental stages.

But it was another substitute Loftus-Cheek who put the tie beyond Fulham’s reach, slotting home a Hazard pass on his 50th Chelsea appearance which has yielded five goals.

Chelsea were not at their best. They have not been so in their last four league games, against Everton, Crystal  Palace and Spurs, and the seven points gleaned from those four games, all in London, is not Champions League form. Their next test is Wolves the only team to have denied Manchester City three points in the league.

For Fulham, eradicating errors seems to be their biggest task and they will have easier fixtures than today. Nothing today suggested that they are beyond rescue and that relegation is a certainty, but it may require more than tinkering from Claudio Ranieri. A massive game against another of his former clubs Leicester will be a far more realistic gauge of his ability to do that.

Chelsea FC: Kepa Arrizabalaga; Antonio Rüdiger, Marcos Alonso (Davide Zappacosta 78′), César Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Jorginho, N’Golo Kanté, Mateo Kovacic (Ruben Loftus-Cheek 67′), Eden Hazard, Pedro, Olivier Giroud (Alvaro Morata 70′)

Fulham FC: Sergio Rico; Denis Odoi, Calum Chambers, Maxime Le Marchand, Cyrus Christie, Alfie Mawson; Ryan Sessegnon (Aboubakar Kamara 45′) , Tom Cairney (Neeskens Kebano  75′) , Stefan Johansen (Floyd Ayité 45′), Jean Michael Seri, Aleksandar Mitrovic

Referee: Craig Pawson
Assistants: Ian Hussin, Richard West
Fourth official: David Coote