fulham 1-0

Independent:

Bittersweet return for Essien as suspension further depletes Chelsea

Chelsea 1 Fulham 0

By Mark Fleming at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba played despite being diagnosed with malaria, but by the final whistle here last night it was his team-mate Michael Essien who needed someone to mop his fevered brow.
Essien, whose headed goal on the half-hour decided this game, lunged in with two feet off the ground to challenge Clint Dempsey in the 93rd minute and was reprimanded with a straight red card, even though he had already been cautioned. The challenge was both reckless and needless, and Essien will now be banned for three games, which will mean he misses Sunday's match against Sunderland at home and then two away fixtures at Birmingham City and Newcastle United.
With his headed goal, Essien put Chelsea's title challenge back on track, extending their advantage over Manchester United to four points; yet with his inexplicable lack of discipline, he has left manager Carlo Ancelotti with a major problem.
Essien, fit again after two seasons marred by terrible injuries and two games out with a toe injury, has been a key performer for Ancelotti's team, even more so given the prolonged absence of Frank Lampard. Ancelotti said last night that the midfielder should be able to return against Sunderland on but he will not be match-fit.
Ancelotti exonerated his player for the challenge, but said he wanted to study TV replays before deciding whether the club would appeal. "Maybe it was not a red card because Essien did a strong tackle but on the ball. There was not a risk on the opponent," he said. "I don't think he made a silly foul. He tried to do a tackle, he won the tackle. And I'm not sure it was a sending off. It would be a problem if we lose him for three games."
It certainly would, as Chelsea's injury problems are mounting. Drogba is suffering from malaria, Lampard is not fit and both Nicolas Anelka and Alex missed this game with niggling injuries. To make matters worse, their captain, John Terry, left the pitch limping with a back problem. All of which makes Essien's tackle all the more unforgiveable, as Chelsea can ill afford to do without a player who can make the impact he does.
This season has seen him play with more freedom and attacking purpose, released from restrictive holding role and given the chance to express his power in the opponents' half of the pitch. The Ghanaian demonstrated as much with his goal after half an hour.
Fulham failed to clear a free-kick fully and Salomon Kalou, wide on Chelsea's left, looked up to see Essien calling for it in the area. The Ivorian crossed and Essien, who is nicknamed "the Train" by his team-mates, arrived right on time ahead of Dickson Etuhu to head his fourth goal of the season.
Mark Hughes, the Fulham manager, was less than happy that referee Martin Atkinson had not stopped play before the cross came in, as Drogba was lying on the floor with an injury.
Hughes said: "That's a disappointment from our point of view. We were distracted by Drogba lying prone in the box. You still have to play to the whistle, so maybe we were guilty of expecting the referee to blow up. He didn't and we paid the penalty."
After a stuttering start, the goal gave Chelsea the confidence to put Sunday's 2-0 defeat at Liverpool behind them, and they created enough chances to have the game in the game by half-time. Kalou was their sharpest attacking threat, but he could not find the killer touch to put this derby beyond Chelsea's neighbours. Twice he fired shots wide of the Fulham goal, and when he did manage to hit the target, following a brilliant run at the visiting defence, his shot went through the legs of goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer but was cleared off the line by Aaron Hughes.
Fulham's Northern Ireland international also blocked a shot from Drogba, and Schwarzer made a fine double save to deny Florent Malouda and John Obi Mikel.
Fulham were disappointing, with their focus firmly on containing their west London rivals. Their best moments came late in the game when Dempsey let fly from 30 yards and Petr Cech dived full length to keep the scores level. Substitute Zoltan Gera also tested Chelsea's experienced keeper with a fierce volley.

Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Bosingwa (Ferreira, 88), Ivanovic, Terry, Cole; Essien, Mikel, Zhirkov; Kalou (Sturridge, 85), Drogba, Malouda (Ramires, 77). Substitutes not used Turnbull (gk), Bruma, McEachran, Kakuta

Fulham (4-4-1-1): Schwarzer; Kelly, Hangeland, Hughes, Briggs (Gera, 79); Davies, Murphy, Etuhu (A Johnson, 61), Duff; Dempsey; Dembele. Substitutes not used Stockdale (gk) Pantsil, Dikgacoi, Greening, E Johnson.

Referee M Atkinson (W Yorkshire).
Attendance 41,593.
Man of the Match Kalou.
Match Rating 5/10.


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Guardian:

Michael Essien sees late red as Chelsea overcome Fulham

Chelsea 1 Essien 30 Fulham 0

Dominic Fifield at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea have reclaimed some momentum at the Premier League's pinnacle, though rarely can a return to the old routine have felt so horribly disjointed. The champions spluttered their way to another home success here at their local rivals' expense, extending their lead at the top in the process, but with the gloss completely stripped by Michael Essien's crude two-footed lunge in stoppage time, which will earn such a key performer a ban.
Such is the fragility of Carlo Ancelotti's squad at present, even with Frank Lampard pencilled in to play some part against Sunderland on Sunday, that the loss of the Ghanaian for three matches may feel almost as significant as the capture of three points. Essien's energy had been missed in defeat at Liverpool last weekend and will be absent again against the Wearside club as well as for trips to Birmingham and Newcastle. This team were already lacking rhythm. Now they have denied themselves their dynamism, too.
While it had been Essien's header that had earned this victory, it was his ugly foul on Clint Dempsey almost four minutes into injury time at the end that marred this occasion. Fulham were frantic in their pursuit of an equaliser, with Chelsea increasingly anxious, when the midfielder jumped and planted both feet down in a challenge on the American.
That he did not crunch entirely into his opponent was irrelevant given that the referee deemed there to have been intent in the tackle. "The guy's jumped in with two feet, so it's a straight red," Mark Hughes said.
Ancelotti had yet to scrutinise replays of the incident when he appeared for his post-match briefing, with his instinct to consider an appeal unlikely to be followed through. "I don't like to judge the decision but Essien did a strong tackle but on the ball," the Italian said. "There was not a risk to the opponent. He went for the ball, the last ball of the game, an important ball. I don't think it was a silly foul, and I'm not sure it was a sending-off." That view may be tempered in the cold light of day.
Losing Essien at Birmingham and Newcastle will pose particular problems given Chelsea's relatively stodgy recent away form. At present, their challenge is being sustained by a perfect record at Stamford Bridge, even if their most scintillating football drained away back in the early autumn. They remain impregnable here. This was a ninth consecutive clean sheet at home in the league stretching back to March, a sequence that equals a club record set back in 1927, and was only really threatened in the closing stages when Petr Cech did wonderfully well to deny Dempsey and Zoltan Gera from distance.
Those saves caught the breath, and came with John Terry hampered by a sore back and Didier Drogba gasping for breath. The Ivorian could not have expected to play a full 90 minutes in the midst of a course of medication to eradicate the bout of malaria that has hampered him for a month. He is blunt at present, understandably given his inability to train fully, but was still an awkward opponent with whom Fulham had to contend. Arguably his better work was carried out in his own penalty area clearing set pieces. "He was tired," Ancelotti said, "but he'll be fit again quickly."
Few in this Chelsea team are currently at the peak of form or fitness. Essien had endured a mishmash of a performance, his passing horribly awry, as he returned after a toe injury. Yet, as the frustration started to mount on the half-hour mark, he found reward. Fulham's discipline wavered for a second, distracted by Drogba's slip and tumble in the penalty area. While defenders dawdled, Salomon Kalou had time to measure a cross unopposed which Essien leapt to convert with ease.
Hughes bemoaned the confusion over whether the ball should have been cleared into touch so that Drogba, apparently injured, could receive treatment. As it was, his team rarely seemed likely to pull off a first win in this arena in 31 years, even if they hinted at a point in the latter stages. Kalou, twice, might have added a second and Mark Schwarzer did wonderfully to deny Florent Malouda, yet a solitary goal proved enough. Chelsea, four points clear, have restored breathing space.


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Mail:

Chelsea 1 Fulham 0:

Fit again Michael Essien the hero and villain as Blues bounce back in west London derby

By Matt Barlow

All the talk had been about the returning African and he did not disappoint.
A prowling performance, a red card and a goal. It was quite a night for Michael Essien.
All with a sore toe. Essien headed Chelsea into the lead in the first half and was sent off with a straight red in the fourth minute of stoppage time for a two-footed jump into a challenge on Clint Dempsey.
Of course, Didier Drogba was there, too, and he played every minute, a heroic effort in the week when he discovered his body had been suffering the effects of malaria for weeks.Drogba was nowhere near his destructive best and looked utterly exhausted by the end, hands on knees, breathing plumes of steam into the cold night.
But, in the absence of Nicolas Anelka, he made a vital contribution as Chelsea squeezed past their neighbours to extend their lead at the top of the Barclays Premier League to four points.
Carlo Ancelotti’s team were rarely fluent and, when they did find their best rhythm in the second half, they became wasteful in front of goal.
Fulham provided a scare in the closing minutes and Petr Cech had to work for another clean sheet. He has not conceded a goal at Stamford Bridge in nine Premier League games, equalling a new club record set in 1926/27.
But it was a good night for Ancelotti: a draw at Eastlands and a win at the Bridge with a depleted team after Sunday’s defeat at Liverpool was precisely what he had been hoping for.‘Four points is a good gap,’ said Ancelotti.‘Nothing is decided, but that’s a good gap. We’d like to stay there in that position. I said I was hoping for a draw in Manchester and I am a good magician. It was a good result for us.
‘It was a good performance. Drogba was tired. He has to train and it will take time to put him in the best condition.
‘He worked for the team and he was important at set-pieces and in the game. He tried to score, and his performance was good, but he was tired. He hasn’t trained at 100 per cent during his illness, but now he’ll be fit quickly again.’
There were times last night when Drogba looked beaten, breathing heavily, stopping in his tracks to force in lungfuls of air and running sluggishly but Ancelotti was grateful to have him leading the line.
There were also glimpses of his usual power, a burst of acceleration to escape his marker and a swerving free-kick which goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer scrambled around the post. When Chelsea took the lead on the half-hour Drogba was lying on the turf clutching the top of his thigh.
He had slipped as he jostled for position in the penalty area and needed treatment before he could carry on. As he was rolling around, Salomon Kalou collected the ball and swung in a cross from the left. Essien eluded Dickson Etuhu and appeared unmarked to head into the net.
‘We were distracted by Drogba lying prone in the box,’ said Fulham boss Mark Hughes.
‘You still have to play to the whistle, so maybe we were guilty of expecting the referee to blow up. He didn’t and we paid the penalty.
‘It’s confusing the way the game is viewed in terms of when players go down: are they faking, and do you kick the ball out? We had that in the second half when we had the ball in a promising position, and ended up having the ball put out near our goal-line.’
Like Drogba, Essien also looked laboured at times. This was his first game back after missing two with a toe injury but Ancelotti has also been careful to manage his match action recently, wary of the two serious knee problems in two years.He often limped around in midfield and picked up a booking early in the second half for a challenge on Dempsey which came in high and a fraction late. Then he was shown a straight red in stoppage time when he jumped two-footed into a challenge with the same player and faces a three-match ban.
Live wire Kalou made up for any energy deficiencies elsewhere. It was unfortunate he could not find a better finish to a fine run in the first half.
Schwarzer made an astonishing point-blank save to thwart Malouda, then climbed to his feet to save a sweet 20-yarder from John Obi Mikel.
Somehow the visitors were still in the game and they frightened their hosts with a late flurry. Cech was forced into an athletic stop to keep out a dipping strike from distance by Dempsey. Zoltan Gera then struck a ferocious volley from 20 yards to no avail.

MATCH FACTS

CHELSEA (4-3-2-1): Cech 7; Bosingwa 5(Ferreira, 89min), Ivanovic 7, Terry 6,Cole 6; Essien 7, Mikel 7, Zhirkov 6; Kalou 8 (Sturridge, 85), Malouda 7 (Ramires, 78); Drogba 7. Subs not used: Turnbull, Bruma, McEachran, Kakuta.Booked: Cole. Sent off: Essien.

FULHAM (4-4-1-1): Schwarzer 7; Kelly 6,Hughes 7, Hangeland 6, Briggs 5 (Gera,79); Davies 6, Etuhu 5 (A Johnson 61, 4),Murphy 6, Duff 5; Dempsey 7; Dembele 5. Subs not used: Stockdale, Pantsil,Dikgacoi, Greening, E Johnson.
Man of the match: Salomon Kalou.Referee: Martin Atkinson 6.

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Star:

WAY TOE GO FOR CHELSEA'S BAD BOY MICHAEL ESSIEN
By Danny Fullbrook

Chelsea 1, Fulham 0


MICHAEL Essien ­bounced back from a toe injury and made sure of the points for Chelsea – before being sent off.
The Chelsea midfielder’s thumping header in the 30th minute proved to be the only goal of their west London derby against Fulham.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side had stumbled and stuttered up until that point as any threat was snuffed out by Mark Hughes’ dogged and determined outfit.
But Essien changed all that with his goal before going from saint to sinner.
Didier Drogba was flattened in the area as Chelsea attacked, and his pole-axing may have distracted the Fulham defence.
Salomon Kalou crossed from the right and his effort was met by Essien who powered his header past a flat-footed Mark Schwarzer.
Fulham’s defending was dreadful and they practically gifted the opportunity to ­Essien – who missed Sunday’s defeat to Liverpool with a toe injury – on a plate.
Chelsea were looking to bounce back from the ­disappointment of that 2-0 loss at ­Anfield. And no doubt Blues coach Ancelotti thought they had the perfect ­opponents to play in Fulham.
The Premier League leaders’ near neighbours have not won away from Craven Cottage since the opening day of last season.
And they have not won at Stamford Bridge since 1979.
Chelsea were missing Alex with a knee problem and ­Nicolas Anelka with a bad back.
There was the bizarre fact that Didier Drogba was playing despite a bout of malaria.
The Ivory Coast hitman is not sure how long he has had it – and it could go back as far as the African Cup of Nations last ­January.
Fulham arrived at the Bridge without their first-choice ­full-backs.
Both Chris Baird and Carlos Salcido were injured against Aston Villa at the weekend, with the Mexican expected to be out for almost a month.
It meant that Fulham put in 19-year-old rookie Matthew Briggs at ­left-back for his first Premier League start.
Fulham came to spoil the game and it worked for the first half-hour as both sides really failed to muster a chance worth talking about.
There was a long-range shot from Briggs which Petr Cech held easily.
There was also a dangerous free-kick from Drogba that Mark Schwarzer did well to punch away from the danger zone.
But from the moment ­Essien scored, the floodgates seemed to open for Chelsea and they should really have added to their tally before the break.
The champions were now flooding forward confidently and it was Florent Malouda who had the next effort, only to see his shot after a decent run flash wide.
Fulham’s defence, which had been strong up until that point, was starting to be picked apart.
Malouda found space on the left in the 42nd minute and his low cross was met by a volley from Kalou.
But the African’s effort flashed over the crossbar. Even so, the ­Ivory Coast striker should ­really have scored a few minutes later.
Yuri Zhirkov found him with a terrific through-ball and ­Kalou got inside youngster Briggs.
As Schwarzer advanced to narrow the angle Kalou flashed his shot just wide.
Fulham then packed their midfield with five men and Chelsea swamped them.
In the second half the Fulham goalmouth was like the Alamo, with efforts from Kalou and Malouda denied by some ­last-gasp ­defending.
Drogba could not believe it when a shot was cleared on the line by Aaron Hughes.
But Essien’s night ended on a sour note when he was shown a straight red for a two-footed tackle on Clint Dempsey in the 93rd minute.


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Sun:

Chelsea 1 Fulham 0
By CHARLIE WYETT

MICHAEL ESSIEN has generally contained his dark side since swapping France for England. He earned himself a reputation for being a bit of a nutter during his spell at Lyon.
Then came his £24.4million transfer to Chelsea five years ago and with the odd exception - including an horrendous challenge on Didi Hamann - the Ghana midfielder has behaved himself.

Yet last night, after scoring the goal which helped Chelsea recover nicely from Sunday's defeat at Liverpool, Essien proved he remains a midfield marvel with a hint of menace.
While Fulham were threatening an unlikely draw when they should have been beaten out of sight, Essien lost the plot with a dreadful and dangerous two-footed tackle on Clint Dempsey.
We were deep into stoppage time and, while a challenge was needed to block the American, nothing like that was required.
Though booked earlier, he was deservedly handed a straight red card by referee Martin Atkinson - his second sending-off in a Blues shirt.
It was a shame, as his 30th-minute goal proved decisive and Chelsea equalled their club record of nine successive clean sheets at home.
Six of those have been this season and that is some effort considering they have been hit by a number of injuries.
Nicolas Anelka, Alex and Frank Lampard were absent for this latest clash.
Didier Drogba played for the first time since being diagnosed as having malaria but understandably looked way off the pace and rarely threatened.
Fortunately Salomon Kalou, despite wasting some decent chances, was a constant danger for Chelsea - ensuring a torrid Premier League debut for Fulham teenager Matthew Briggs.
This was a better performance compared to the 2-0 defeat on Merseyside but Chelsea are certainly capable of much better.
Yet when you consider they are four points clear at the top of the table, it is difficult to be too critical. Fulham started off defending well but Carlo Ancelotti's men were poor for the first 25 minutes.
Then after a couple of decent efforts they finally broke the visitors' resistance.
Fulham failed to clear their lines and the ball drifted out wide to the left where Kalou had spotted Essien as a runner.
Dickson Etuhu was guilty of not concentrating and of failing to get anywhere near the man he should have been marking but Essien still delivered an unstoppable close-range header past Mark Schwarzer for his fourth goal of the season.
With Drogba lying in a crumpled heap in the box, Fulham were clearly expecting the referee to blow his whistle but it never came - and they paid the price.
Kalou then missed two excellent chances just before the break as he continued to run Briggs ragged. In another attack, he found a way past both Briggs and Brede Hangeland and looked certain to score. H
is shot squeezed through Schwarzer's legs, only for Aaron Hughes to clear off the line.
Hughes then came to the rescue by blocking a goalbound shot from Drogba, after Schwarzer had fumbled, and incredibly Essien somehow missed the target from three yards from Branislav Ivanovic's driven low cross.
Yet credit to Fulham, who regrouped and went close to snatching a draw.
Dempsey delivered one stunning long-range effort and Petr Cech, having had little to do, did well to tip it over.
Moments later, Cech made another important block from a Zoltan Gera volley and Dempsey went close with an overhead kick.
But Dempsey's night would end in a stamp, while Fulham's abysmal away record simply continues on.
Their last win on their travels in the Premier League was back on August 15, 2009 and they have been triumphant on just four of their last 44 league trips.
That victory has to come soon - surely.

CHELSEA
Cech 7 Bosingwa 7 Ivanovic 7 Terry 7 Cole 7 Essien 7 Mikel 6 Zhirkov 6 Kalou 8 - STAR MAN Drogba 6 Malouda 7 Subs: Ramires (Malouda 78) 6, Ferreira (Bosingwa 88) 5, Sturridge (Kalou 85) 5. Not used: Turnbull, Bruma, Kakuta, McEachran. Booked: Essien, Cole. Sent off: Essien.

FULHAM Schwarzer 7 Kelly 6 Hughes 7 Hangeland 6 Briggs 5 Davies 6 Etuhu 6 Dempsey 6 Murphy 6 Duff 5 Dembele 5 Subs: A Johnson (Etuhu 65) 6, Gera (Briggs 79) 7. Not used: Stockdale, Pantsil, E Johnson, Dikgacoi, Greening

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