Fulham manager Felix Magath, who lost captain Brede Hangeland to a head injury in the first half, berated his side’s defending after the interval and highlighted Chelsea’s first goal as a particular low point.
“I was satisfied with the first half,” he said.
“We had two or three good situations but I don’t know what happened at half-time and it seems the players forgot to defend. It was for us a very big problem that our captain was injured and wasn’t there in the second half.
“I don’t know how difficult the injury to Brede Hangeland is and I hope he will come back and join us next week but we have to work on defending.
“I have seldom seen a goal like the first today. Schurrle takes the ball form near his own goal and runs the whole field and no-one tackles him. He can run 90 metres and score with no contact.”
Magath conceded a lack of confidence among his squad meant it was always going to be a difficult task to hit back after Schurrle’s opening strike.
“If you take over a team who have not won for weeks they are losing confidence,” he said.
“We started very well and we fight very well against Chelsea but after they get one goal you don’t have the morale to come back.”
The defeat leaves Fulham bottom of the table and four points from safety with 10 games left for Magath to guide them to safety.
