Chelsea 1 Fulham 0
Two teams met in a West London derby after disappointing defeats in the Carabao Cup in midweek. Chelsea were looking to get their inconsistent start under Mauricio Pochettino up and running still, knowing victory would take them up the table with many not playing.
Fulham have a terrible record against The Blues and as the game started, with Chelsea dominating the ball, it did not look like this was likely to change at Stamford Bridge. Gallagher had the first effort, from the edge of the box, but could not keep his shot down as it sailed over the crossbar.
Enzo Fernandez then clipped a cross in, finding Armando Broja in the box, but the young striker headed well wide of the goal. The fact that he is starting as their main striker shows just how short Chelsea are in the forward role currently.
The Cottagers started to get up the pitch more and Willian looked dangerous whenever in possession of the ball. He crossed to the back post, to find Wilson, but his shot was well blocked by Petrovic in the Chelsea goal.
Credit: @ChelseaFC
As Pochettino’s side came forward, Gusto looked to make things happen in a wide position. A poor touch on the ball saw him lunge into a challenge with Willian. The referee brandished a yellow card but as the replay showed it could of, and maybe should of, been red.
Given the fact that VAR reviewed this, underpins all the problems with the technology, the people applying it. There are plenty of instances of players being sent off for identical challenges this season so how the Chelsea defender avoided his marching orders beggars belief.
Palmer was looking the stand-out player once again for the hosts and as he played a disguised pass into Sterling, Diop got his challenge all wrong as he chopped him down in the box. The referee immediately pointed to the spot and there was no danger of VAR deciding otherwise.
‘Cold’ Palmer stepped up to take it, as he is known in West London, and he showed exactly why. For such a young player, he has nerves of steel in front of goal. He sent the keeper the wrong way and stroked the ball into the net to give Chelsea the lead just before the break.
In the main, the £1bn spent by The Blues since their new owners came in reflect a budget so poorly managed it resembles a Conservative government. The exception to that however is the £40m spent on the former Man City player.
In the second half, Sterling burst through the midfield with options left and right. He found Broja in the box who looked so nervous on the ball, he was like someone with vertigo having their first bungee jump. He held the ball up, unsure what to do, so laid it off to Fernandez.
Credit: @ChelseaFC
The Argentine midfielder picked out Sterling in the box with an inch perfect pass. Six yards out, with no one around him, the Chelsea winger had a completely free header. His glanced contact on the ball was not enough as it hit the post but as the replay showed, he had his eyes closed as he made contact.
Try as they might, Pochettino’s side could just not find a second goal to kill the game off. As Fulham broke, Periera found Jimenez in the box but his left-footed effort did not have enough on it to beat Petrovic as the keeper got down to make a decent save.
Madueke added impetus to the hosts’ attack as he came off the bench and started to create problems down the right wing. As the visitors half-cleared his cross, Gallagher hit a curling effort with the outside of his right boot but it thundered back off the post.
Marco Silva’s side started to threaten towards the end of the game and only some nervous, last-ditch defending could keep them out. However, Chelsea managed to hold on for victory but this was by no means a convincing performance by The Blues. Must try harder their school report would say.
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