Chelsea rode their luck – and had a helping hand from their officials – as they beat Fulham 2-0 in the SW6 derby at Stamford Bridge this afternoon. Joao Pedro’s header and a penalty from Enzo Fernandez gave Enzo Maresco’s side the three points to head into the international break in fine fettle, but it could – and perhaps – should have been so different.
The home side were ponderous and nervy in a first half that their near neighbours dominated. Marco Silva set Fulham up with three centre halves to nullify Chelsea’s attacking arsenal and, as it did last weekend against Manchester United, it largely worked. Rodrigo Muniz led the line in place of Raul Jimenez and delivered the game’s telling moment, turning terrifically away from Trevoh Chalobah short of the centre circle, to allow Sander Berge to put Josh King in between the home defence. The teenager accelerated into the penalty area and had the presence of mind to shift the ball onto his right foot before shooting through the legs of Tosin Adarabioyo and inside the near post. It was a fine first goal for Fulham for the attacking midfielder who has been in the club’s academy since the age of eight, or so we thought.
Chalobah had stayed on the floor having been turned inside out by Muniz. The video assistant referee Michael Salisbury instructed Jones to head to the monitor and the goal was eventually disallowed for ‘a careless challenge,’ according to Jones. Muniz’s offence whilst shielding the ball with his back to goal and flicking it towards a team-mate? A stray foot landed briefly on Chalobah’s toe. It wasn’t enough for the defender to stay on the floor and, certainly can’t be considered a clear and obvious error, as even slowed down it didn’t look like a foul.
King’s magical moment, his first goal for his boyhood club, was taken away from him. Silva fumed on the sidelines. His side had been disciplined and had the better of the contest in a first half where the Whites created the clearest chances on the counter attack. The talented teenager had another shot saved by Robert Sanchez, Joachim Andersen and Alex Iwobi also went close and Timothy Castagne, excellent again at right wing-back, saw a goal-bound shot brilliantly blocked by Moises Caicedo.
By contrast, the Blues were listless. It didn’t help that they lost the focal point of their attack in the fourteenth minute when Liam Delap injured a hamstring whilst trying to beat Joachim Andersen to a through ball, but the hosts had great difficulty in penetrating a resolute Fulham rearguard. The fourth official’s board indicated eight added minutes and, right at the end of added time, Bernd Leno blocked well from Joao Pedro at the far post.
Jones allowed another corner to be taken – and a minute beyond that added time – Fernandez’s flag-kick was glanced into the net by Pedro, who had sneaked between Calvin Bassey and Andersen. Silva seethed on the touchline when Jones did bring the first half to close, walking away from the official when instructed and probably saving himself another ban. The home side had to be better in the second half and they were, with Pedro Neto and Pedro, becoming more influential.
There was more controversy nine minutes after the break when, after initially waving play on, Jones went to the pitchside monitor and awarded a penalty against Ryan Sessegnon for handball. The Fulham wing-back had turned his back on a cross from Chalobah and lifted his elbow as he jumped. You’ve certainly seen them given, but the VAR curiously ignored Caicedo stamping on Iwobi before the ball went into the box and – even more egregiously – a push on Andersen by Pedro, who then handled Kenny Tete’s clearance with his head. Bernd Leno got a foot to Fernandez’s fiercely struck spot-kick, but couldn’t keep it out.
From there, it was always going to be difficult for Fulham to mount a comeback. They looked more threatening once Silva had sent on a succession of substitutes – with Andersen seeing a stoppage-time header scrambled off the line by Pedro. Chelsea, watched from the stands by their new signing Alejandro Garnacho, will play a lot better than this and lose. The Fulham fans, furious at the sense of injustice that had titled the derby away from them, finished the afternoon with a hearty chorus of ‘2-0 to the referee’. It was hard to disagree.
CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Gusto, Cucurella, Adarabioyo, Chalobah; Caicedo, Fernandez; Estevao (Gittens 68), Neto (James 81), Joao Pedro; Delap (George 14, Santos 81). Subs (not used): Jorgensen, Acheampong, Fofana, Hato, Essugo.
BOOKED: Caicedo, Santos.
GOAL: Joao Pedro (45+9), Fernandez (pen 56).
FULHAM (3-4-2-1): Leno; Tete, Bassey, Andersen; Castagne (Wilson 59), R. Sessegnon (A. Robinson 67), Lukic, Berge; Iwobi (Traore 84), King (Smith Rowe 67); Muniz (Jimenez 59). Subs (not used): Lecomte, Cuenca, Reed, Cairney.
BOOKED: Iwobi, Lukic.
REFEREE: Robert Jones (Merseyside).
Dirty cheats! They can’t score on their own, so they pay off the ref. It’s corruption. I really feel for Josh King.
I’m speechless. I can perhaps understand how the Sessegnon one is a penalty, but not when Joao Pedro handles it beforehand.
There’s no explanation that can tell me why King’s goal is ruled out. I rather wanted Silva to take his players off the pitch. Ridiculous.
It’s so jarring because we’d played so well. I wouldn’t blame Silva for leaving as soon as possible at this rate.
What a coward that Robert Jones is, he bows to his master VAR, they who should be obeyed, he makes a decision and hasn’t got the bottle to stay with it. Referees are fuc8ing useless, clueless and corrupt.
What is happening to the UK? It is literally falling apart.
The current Government are not fit to run a chip shop.
The current English Football League couldn’t run a charity darts match.
The League of Referees together with their muppets on VAR couldn’t be trusted to run
a game of marbles.
Poor old Marco Silva. Two matches full of unbelievable incorrect decisions by the referees and VAR.
How is it that players such as Van Dijk of Liverpool seems to get away with countless bad challenges in every match. I bet if it was Liverpool, Man City or United, VAR would NOT have intervened in any of the errors, and the referee would have not made such stupid decisions. “Oh it’s only Fulham, so who cares”? Is that what refs think, or are told to act?
Get rid of VAR if it cannot be used to better the game of football.
There is a referee and his two linesmen, as there has been since year dot.
Why can they not spot these issues?
I recently witnessed the same player in the Premier League (not sure who) taking throw-ins, and on both occasions lifted one foot off the ground while throwing. The linesman or the referee did nothing. I wonder if a goal had been scored from that throw-in, would VAR had stepped in? Probably not. Why not you may ask.
Before I finish, surely the football authorities could stop some of the madness by not allowing any player from the attacking side to enter the six yard box until a corner kick has been taken. This would STOP the crazy pushing and shoving and standing in the face of a goalkeeper at least until the ball was in play.
I’m off to bed. So glad there’s an international break for two weeks from Monday, as I don’t think I could take any more of our soccer at the moment as the game is becoming too crazy to watch.
I felt so proud of the lads today we no we beat them in mind body and every thing we were so much better than them in every dept that what got up Rob Jones’s nose what we cannot beat is a corrupt system of referees higher officials etc all favouring the big clubs everytime but as soon as any body moans or complains they fine you they (the refs are and The FA are untouchable why.?
even now I am now doubting VAR who today did not even pull Jaoa Pedro handball and in the same Melay the foul on Iwobi who was pushed to the floor this shows how corrupt even VAR is becoming
To pull up a great goal of Josh King stinks of jealousy players do what Muniz does every week but you can put your house on if it had been Chelsea the goal would have stood any youngsters watching today who play grass roots football and turn there back as Sessignon did does the Ref give a penalty only if your Rob Jones
It’s now time for Howard Webb to stop this and make his Referees accountable and approachable two Refs in two weeks Kavanagh and Jones or maybe Butch and Sundance how many more
Come on Webb get some Bxxxs if you have got any and call a meeting with all premierships Chairman and be accountable but wait it’s corrupt so he won’t brilliant today boys especially Man of the Match Josh King or was it Rob Jones and his egoCOYW
Very good performance from our team. You can never win with shifting goalposts. We played against two of the big six and it is obvious that VAR is an extra aid for these clubs to win in anyway possible. This league is becoming a farce, rules are bended to accomodate the same clubs all over again and again. Fulham should keep their heads up high, great display.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s not much in the above comments that I disagree with, but I think we have to move on and look towards the furture: the way Josh King is playing, we will have another statue soon. I was also impressed that we didn’t ‘fall apart’ in the second half. ‘The powers that be’ have to sort this VAR nonsense out – we don’t see the same problems in Spain or Germany – what are they doing, or not doing, to cause this?. I agreed with very little that Sepp Blatter ever said but he was strongly against VAR’s introduction. Lastly, the referee yesterday: the clown with the dodgy barnet was preening and posing the whole match – wanting to be ‘part of it’ and not an official. Again, ‘the powers that be’ have to weed out these posers – they are officiating a sporting contest not playing the lead in Hamlet.
I’ll say it again, well done to the lads for not ‘falling apart’ and as always COYW!!!