Fulham 0 Chelsea 0:CHELSEA'S LEAGUE defence has taken on a ragged look. This spluttering stalemate at local rivals has merely confirmed the impression that their pursuit of silverware this term must now focus on the Champions League and FA Cup, with any hopes they had privately entertained that Fernando Torres' arrival would breathe life into their title pursuit long since dashed.
It could have been worse if Fulham’s Clint Dempsey had converted a stoppage-time penalty after he had been brought down by David Luiz. His attempt was saved by Petr Cech and the striker was unable to put away the rebound with an overhead kick.
Torres was selected ahead of Didier Drogba but felt off the pace and missed the chances flung his way before retreating.
The Ivorian then had his belated chance to undermine stubborn opponents. His aggressive running arguably offered more threat, even in a cameo.
The champions languish 12 points from Manchester United after this draw and, critically, two outside even the top four. That search will create its own pressure, with FC Copenhagen awaiting in the Champions League next week.
The €25 million spent on David Luiz, superb here despite giving away a penalty, already looks well spent, though the Brazilian is cup-tied in Europe.
It is upon Torres the focus will remain, perhaps unfairly to justify his price tag but certainly to add spark to this team’s forward play. At present, everything feels uncomfortably laboured, with Chelsea meandering towards disappointment.
Drogba’s omission from the starting line-up had felt rather more significant given Carlo Ancelotti’s regularly expressed insistence that he could incorporate his trio of experienced forwards into the side without difficulty.
Drogba turns 33 next month and, with Jose Mourinho watching from the stands, began wrapped up on the bench here.
Flanking Torres with Florent Malouda and Nicolas Anelka at least offered the visitors pace down either wing, though it all still felt disjointed. Torres’s first attempt of any note came on the stroke of half-time when, bursting on to Ramires’ header, he squeezed away from Chris Baird and eked space from Aaron Hughes but rather miscued a shot which dribbled straight at Mark Schwarzer.
Liverpool’s Torres of two years ago would have prospered in that situation. As, indeed, he would when tearing on to David Luiz’s wonderful pass seconds later. This time a horribly heavy touch ensured he was never offered the chance to shoot at all.
The visitors needed a fillip. Frank Lampard’s half-volley on the spin and Malouda’s battered attempt from distance, both of which flew over the bar, represented a poor return for their monopoly of the ball by the break.
Fulham, while occasionally prone to their own bouts of sloppiness, had been industrious enough with their centre-halves rugged and efficient and Dempsey and Damien Duff, who had forced Cech to save a swerving shot from distance, offering nuisance value whenever the hosts countered at pace.
Yet David Luiz, on full debut, appeared unflappable whenever the hosts tore at him. His early block on Andrew Johnson’s attempt must have settled his initial nerves. He was commanding thereafter to suggest he has adapted to life at Chelsea.
Torres had guided two more chances high and wide by then, his radar still skew-whiff, before the Spaniard’s agony was cut short by Ancelotti.
His replacement by Drogba with 19 minutes remaining was greeted with the familiar chants of “what a waste of money” from the home support. Integration remains a work in progress.
FULHAM: Schwarzer, Baird, Hughes, Hangeland, Salcido, Duff, Sidwell, Murphy (Gera 83), Dempsey, Johnson (Davies 74), Dembele (Gudjohnsen 83). Subs not used: Stockdale, Kelly, Pantsil, Greening. Booked: Sidwell, Gera.
CHELSEA: Cech, Ivanovic, David Luiz, Terry, Cole, Ramires, Essien, Lampard, Anelka (Kalou 65), Torres (Drogba 71), Malouda. Subs not used: Turnbull, Mikel, Ferreira, McEachran, Sala. Booked: Ivanovic.
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral).
