Chelsea triumphed over our west London rivals Fulham to remain and extend our lead at the top of the table by 4 points over Arsenal. The gunners lose away at Stoke massively boosts Mourinho’s team credentials for the title race even though ‘favorites’ Man City have still two games to play with 6 points behind. Andre Schurrle erased doubts of the overall bad performance of the team in the attacking department in the first half by firing in a hat trick within 18 minutes in the 2nd half.
With this victory wrapped up, let’s take a look at the main defining take-aways from the game or the things we learned from the match.
Andre Schurrle finally repays faith of his manager on the pitch:Â
The German recorded his first hat trick for Chelsea to earn the Blues a well deserved win. Fulham looked dangerous on the counter and solid at the back in the first half as Mourinho and the fans feared for a draw that would be a set back in the tight race for the premier league trophy. Fernando Torres had only one shot on target and that was the closest the Blues have gotten in the disappointing performance from the attacking department at Fulham. But, Schurrle’s 2nd half performance where he looked sharper than the starting striker eased all our fears and insured a sweet victory away while our title rivals were losing in another difficult away fixture at Stoke. Well done Schurrle!
Fernando Torres’ performance may well see him depart Stamford Bridge this summer:
This is a case that we hope doesn’t happen if the Spaniard rediscovers his sharpness in front of goals and the movement and link up play we saw under Mourinho against Manchester City in 2013. Torres’ form has been up and down for the better part of the season despite occasion goals here and there like the one at Hull and the crucial away goal at Galatasaray. Despite the goals showing up, Fernando Torres is still a mere shadow of the monster we knew at Liverpool terrorizing Premier league defenses for 3 seasons. His touches and passes are something to avoid looking at specially how he takes too long to think and decide where to put the ball in behind the keeper.
In this game, the opportunity after howler by the keeper should have gone in the back of the net either by Oscar or Torres, but didn’t for some reason that Jose will hope to be fixed this summer by a new top striker signing. Despite his assist in the third goal for Schurrle, Torres’ future still remain in the air like last summer because of his performances.
Silent treatment worked well from Jose:
Most surprising thing we got from Mourinho after the game today was the fact that he didn’t say a single word to his players at half time. We all assumed it was a tactical genius and master piece that inspired such a dramatic change of tales in the game after the half time but, the post-match comments from the special one prove otherwise,
‘I didn’t say a word at half-time,’ he revealed.
‘The first half was really bad for us, I didn’t know if Fulham controlled us or we didn’t start. I was really disappointed because before the match we said they cannot have more motivation than us because although they have big motivation because they need points to stay in the Premier League, they cannot have more desire than us because we also have our objectives.’
‘In the second half the team was able to change the intensity and started winning individual contests. Our line was coming up and we were attacking spaces behind their defensive line; the second half was really good.’
That is certainly what is special about Jose Mourinho and that reaction sparked an immediate shock in their minds that they need to make their manager proud by achieving the mission set out before the game and it worked fantastically well as almost every special tactics of Jose Mourinho.
The league table looks in our favor now and the Blues don’t need to relinquish this at all:
Jose Mourinho’s men are 4 points clear at the top for the time being even with only Manchester City yet to play two games in a week’s time to make time lost for a cup competition this weekend. By the end of that, it will remain to be seen if they can close the gap and catch on Chelsea. When it comes to the gunners, their projected fall in spring every passing season is set to repeat by causing them to miss out on silver ware for the 9th year running unless Arsene Wenger inspires an FA Cup success that seems unlikely with favorites City still in contention.
But, Mourinho knows, his team are only in a real chance of winning the coveted league title over the seemingly unlikely to be won this season, Champions league. The players should not mind Jose’s talks of his team being not favorites and gallop all the way to the end like the ‘little horse’ Mourinho talked about out earlier last month.
Thanks for reading and congrats on the big victory at Fulham. Let us know what you think through comments and KTBFFH!
fuera torres ya, lukaku anoto hoy y dio 3 puntos al everton
Reblogged this on fahmicfc360's Blog.
Obviously, this season’s champions have been known. For Carling, Man Citi or Who – FA Cup, Man Citi or Who – Premier League – Chelsea. But it is going to be dramatic. Let’s just keep our fingers crossed. Next season will b more interestn than this.
I don’t like when you writers plays down Torres, because this season he have been on a process of rediscovering his form and only injuries have harmered that development in the most desired way. He is going noway he will seeoff his contract at Chelsea. To prove his quality you shall see him in team for Spain that is going to Brazil
Samu Shingirai———- Sent via Nokia Email
Shingie samu, torres is discovering his form every season. Re u a learner? He may see off his contract in cfc but it ll not take the fact that when good striker comes in the summer, he ll seat on the bench away. Why all these romance with torres? Everyone like him as a person but just critical of his up and down always
He not the Torres we use to know let use SHURRLE there
And lets give Salah a chance, i dont like seeing him on the bench always
I love this guy.got real swag.In jose we trust
It doesn’t sound justified in letting him go. He still has so much left to offer. He performing by the day. I hope he regains at least a percentage of his form of what he was earlier. And right now he needs us fans behind him, cheering him and trusting in him. Please stop criticising him for every silly mistake he makes. El Nino, we’re here behind you for better or for worse.
Shurrle was the man of the match, he really played well. I guess Mourinho will use Salah next season.
Great one to all the chelsea faithful.
If yu like torres, the best is for him to leave. He can never be a top striker in chelsea. Also, jose does not believe in mediocrity. We cannot compete for quadruple with torres leading the line. One problem is that most cchelsea fans seem to have forgotten what it feels like to have a quality striker. A striker that can win goals on his own. What all chelsea fans shdd be praying for instead of torres is that mou will find favour with lukaku or that lukaku shd do exploits from now till end of season for everton so that he will be hard to ignore. Striker combo for nxt season shd be (like I’ve always said- yu can’t have 3 top strikers when our formation allows for only one. There wld be disharmony)
Lukaku and costa/mandukic/cavani and feruz/bamford
I’m an Arsenal fan
Get out of here
All these fantasy names mentioned are just not good enough. Cavani, Falcao etc won’t do any magic.
I think it is pertinent one sees the problem of the team firstly before you bring in a hyped striker who’ll only stir up expectations he can’t meet.
Chelsea’s brand of football apparently is not in favour with a bulk of strikers we link to the bridge of recent. 90% of them have a tendency to go below par like The likes of Horno, Crespo, Shevi, Pizarro, Kezman, Torres, Ba etc name them these players all put up together, have not been able to match half of Drogba’s record.
What is the problem?
It is true that Torres lost track numerous times since arrival but that is only about form. The business part is; Liverpool’s playing fast thro balls into spaces smartly is different from Chelsea’s unique physicality, esp from strikers point of view. You have to be a hustler like Didier and good with your feet and sight for goal. Cavani and Falcao are likely to give us hrtbreaks. They can’t even make waves in the less physical football in france.
My take:
Fernando Torres, is just one of the struggling strikers who came to stamford Bridge… But I can challenge you he’s been moulded a better player at Chelsea than Liverpool who made him an outstanding lone striker but lazy. Push him out and he’ll do well elsewhere.
Our Amf’s passing should improve and make strikers the central man upfront, a magnet, the point man for passes like it was in the Chel vs Man Utd match… It is too early to sing an alien striker’s praise before he even arrives in cfc. I have noticed our team has not changed its brand of football ever since the 90’s till date. Hazard has no differences with Robben, wright-pillips or Cole, Mutu…only that he todays promising younger talent.
What to do:
Its to look before we leap. Not all that glitters is gold. We have seen it in the past… Most strikers won’t score up to 15 goals a season in this Chelsea.
KTBFFH
U r right in a way. Ba is a little bit like drogba. Y is he not making it? I mean Ba of Newcastle of course. I disagree with yu when yu say chelsea football has not changed. Malouda, duff etc are the wingers that cross the ball into the box for drogba to attack. Also zhirkov. Now we have azpi playing at left back who cannot cross with his left leg. None of our attacking trio bar schurrle will ever cross the ball into the penalty box. A targetman will fail woefully in chelsea. To solve our problems wld be a playmaker striker. I’m sure mou has already figured all this out so we wait till summer to see what he does. But there is no need to go for a ttargetman since we already have lukaku.
Very good performance from Schur and Haz. What z game clearly showed equivalent to striker Blue hv to find talented and physically powerfull #10 AM. Z role of Osc at this position faded. He can’t commuicate DM with strikers & create chances. Torres continues missing z unmissed chances …
since mourinho has failed why can’t he try play schurrle in striking position
since mourinho’s strikers has failed why can’t he play shurrle in striking position