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Having lost their last match against Liverpool FC at Stamford Bridge the previous week, everyone thought the Blues would do everything humanly possible to win this crucial match to avoid further gap in between them and the league leaders Manchester United. This was not to be as they fired blank throughout the 90 minutes of play.
It was a night the premiership most expensive player Fernando Torres was arguably the worst culprit as he lost chance upon chance for the duration of 70 minutes he was in the match. Several times he had the opportunity to put the visitors ahead but failed to do so.
In the 28th minute, Frank Lampard failed to connect a pull out by Ivanovic from the right flank. He only managed to shoot the ball over the bar. Again in the 31st minute, Florent Malouda shot over the bar. Ivanovic’s volley was parried by the goal keeper in the 32nd minute.
The first yellow card of the night went to Ivanovic for his rough play in the 38th minute.
Steve Sidwell got a yellow card for fouling Michael Essien in the 43rd minute of the first half. The centre referee wasted no time in flashing a yellow in his face because the foul was committed right in his front.
In the 44th minute, Fernando Torres missed an opportunity to put the Blues ahead. He fired blank right in the yard box. At added time of the first half, Torres once again casually pushed the ball into the waiting hands of the Fulham goal keeper. That would have given the visitors a half time goal advantage.
Chelsea clearly dominated in the first half with ball possession at 59% to 41% in their favour. They also led on shots at goal; but they could not convert any of their begging chances.
Second half resumed with more hopes as the visitors piled more pressure on the host by increasing their ball possession to 61%; yet no goal came. The first anxious moment of the second half came when Fernando Torres nodded a cross over the bar right in the 18 yard box.
Torres came close to scoring again in the 51st minute but also shot over the bar in the yard box. He seemed to be jinxed in the match or like he was not really settled. His kicks were unlike those of an experienced and quality striker that he’s known to be.
The home side occasionally went on the counter thereby creating some transient moments of tension on the side of the visitors. In the 64th minute, Salcido’s direct shot was parried and then held by Petr Cech.
Nikolas Anelka got substituted for Salomon Kalou in the 65th minute after an average performance. The coming of Kalou did not change things much as the home side kept defending their territory against invasion by the Blues.
In the 67th minute, Florent Malouda was pushed down in the 18 yard box by Hangeland for what was obviously a penalty offence, but the centre referee waved play-on.
Fulham also effected some changes on their side as they tried to step up their game to prevent the visitors from running away with the three points at stake. In the 74th minute, Simon Davies replaced Andrew Johnson while Gudjonsen also replaced Mousa Dembele in the 84th minute.
Didier Drogba finally replaced Fernando Torres in the 71st minute but he could not turn the table around as everyone seemed to be too heavy to shoot properly at goal. Michael Essien, Ramires, Frank Lampard, etc all got their chances to make the difference but failed to connect.
Petr Cech came to the rescue of the Blues in the 82nd minute as he was there on time to parry Dempsey’s shot that could have done the damage to his side.
In the 3rd minute of injury time Fulham got the golden opportunity to put the match beyond Chelsea as David Luiz fouled Dempsey in the yard box and the home side had a penalty awarded in their favour. However, the penalty kick was taken by Dempsey; but was gallantly blocked by Petr Cech.
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