Connect with us

Match Day

CHELSEA vs Fulham: Preview

Venue: Stamford Bridge
Date: Saturday, 2 May
Kick-off: 1500 BST

 

 

 

 

You can’t helping thinking that this is a bit of a nothing game for us really. The league has been gone for us for some time and after our impressive defensive display against Barcelona mid-week, I’ve no doubt most of us see this game as one to just get out of the way before we face the Catalans again.

On squad news, Joe Cole and Paulo Ferreira remain out long term and Ricardo Carvalho and Deco both continue to miss out with dodgy hamstrings. For Fulham, Andy Johnson (knee) and Simon Davies (foot) miss out although Bobby Zamora is expected to start.
 
KEY PLAYERS 
CHELSEA
Didier Drogba – After missing a gift of a chance at the Nou Camp, let’s hope he’s ready to make amends for us this weekend.

FULHAM
Mark Schwarzer – Only Man United, Liverpool and us have more clean sheets and fewer goals scored against this season, with the former Boro keeper doing a great job between the sticks. Could he be the thorn in our side? 
 
CLUB FORM
CHELSEA
Undefeated in eight in all competitions; five wins, three draws. Lost one of 10 top-flight games, and won seven of the nine under Guus Hiddick. Hoping to complete three successive clean sheets for the first time in 20 Premier League outings.
FULHAM
Won four and lost one of the last six Premier League outings. The current tally of 47 points after 34 matches is 20 points up on last season and their best ever return to this stage of a Premier League campaign, beating by two the mark set in 2003-04 when they finished a Premier League best, ninth. Averaging a goal per Premier League game; 34 in 34.
 
HEAD TO HEAD
We have only lost once to Fulham in 15 Premier League meetings, but three of the last four have been drawn.
 
Home and away
League (inc PL): Chelsea 34 wins, Fulham 7, Draws 18

Prem: Chelsea 8 wins, Fulham 1, Draws 6
at Chelsea only
League (inc PL): Chelsea 16 wins, Fulham 2, Draws 11
Prem: Chelsea 4 wins, Fulham 0, Draws 3
 
LAST SEASON
Chelsea 0-0 Fulham
29 September 2007 – Ref: Martin Atkinson
Sent Off: Drogba (Chelsea) 74
 
THIS SEASON’S REVERSE FIXTURE
Fulham 2-2 Chelsea
28 December 2008 – Ref: Andre Marriner
Fulham scorers: Dempsey 10, 89
Chelsea scorers: Lampard 50, 72
  
PREDICTION

It’s hard to say which way this one will go. Are we going to be worn out after our mid-week slog in the Champions League and have one eye on the return leg against Barcelona? Probably. Put it this way, I can’t see us panicking too much if we don’t get more than a point from it. Of course Hiddink will still be sending the players out to get a result but with the title way beyond our reach, the temporary Chelsea manager will have other priorities on his mind.

 

TEAMS
Chelsea (from): Cech, Hilario, Belletti, Alex, Ivanovic, A Cole, Bosingwa, Mancienne, Terry, Lampard, Ballack, Obi, Kalou, Essien, Malouda, Di Santo, Anelka, Stoch, Drogba.
Fulham (from): Schwarzer, Pantsil, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky, Baird, Dempsey, Murphy, Etuhu, Gera, Zamora, Nevland, Kamara, Dacourt, Gray, Stoor, Zuberbuhler.

 

REFEREE
Alan Wiley (Stafforshire)

 

Categories

Archives

Blue is the colour

TheChelseaBlog.org is an honest insight to the World of Chelsea FC. Not always pretty, sometimes rather cynical, but always realistic.









Calendar

May 2009
M T W T F S S
« Apr   Jun »
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
Chelsea News



Chelsea Blog FaceBook Icon Chelsea Blog Twitter
Chelsea News

More in Match Day