For a while, this had justified José Mourinho's complaints about a lack of recovery time after midweek jaunts across the continent, though it actually ended up an indication as to why Chelsea's title pursuit is far from unlikely.
From a mishmash of a display – the league leaders' energy initially drained and minds uninspired – burst André Schürrle, a forgotten man on only his third start since New Year's Day. His 17-minute hat-trick duly settled this derby and stretched his team's advantage at the top of the Premier League table. There is strength in depth to this team's challenge.
Mourinho's options in attack, even with Oscar still off colour, can be made to feel bountiful when those creative forces behind the frontman ally bite with invention. Schürrle has endured life on the periphery too often in his first season in England, but he revelled in Eden Hazard's supply line here, doubling his goal tally for the season in that madcap period just after half-time, when Fulham utterly disintegrated as a defensive force.
Chelsea rediscovered some zest when allowed to revel. While they now stand four points clear at the top, the home side remain as many adrift at the bottom.
This had been Felix Magath's first home game in charge of the division's bottom club, Fulham's third manager of the campaign, drumming up the need for "hard work, commitment and belief" in his programme notes with his appointment also addressed by the owner, Shahid Khan. "I was filled with confidence the moment we were able to finalise our agreement with Felix," he wrote. "Why? Because, for our journey ahead, there's no manager better suited to achieve our goal of remaining in the Premier League. The alternative was risking a non-stop slide in the table. It was clear we had to make a change."
The German has had time this week to put his new players through those trademark drills, though a contributory factor for their initially busy energy here was Chelsea's lethargy after midweek exertions in Europe. Mourinho had been denied preparation time for this derby, his squad stretched by knocks and niggles, though he would have expected more than the sloppiness that endured until interval.
Steve Sidwell, slicing wide when free just beyond the far post, and the substitute Dan Burn, who failed to connect in front of goal, might have established a Fulham lead. Clint Dempsey had nodded wide in the opening three minutes.
The hosts were limited, but enthusiastic, while the visitors had appeared drained of enterprise. These were tired minds as well as weary bodies, their clearest opportunity before the break born of Maarten Stekelenburg's dawdle as he mulled over a clearance. Fernando Torres charged the ball down and, once it had returned from orbit, he was allowed time to control and advance before fizzing a shot across goal and wide. There was a nervousness to Fulham's defending, which would have had Mourinho exasperated on the sidelines, aware that this was an opportunity that had to be taken against a team whose confidence, whether under new management or not, remains brittle.
That much was exposed when, finally, Chelsea found some rhythm upon the restart, presumably having been geed up by Mourinho throughout the interval. Schürrle, who had rather wilted after a bright start in Istanbul, found a second wind here to collect a throw-in from Branislav Ivanovic and find Hazard. The Belgian scuttled forward while Schürrle burst ahead with more purpose, collecting the return pass beyond the Fulham backline and flummoxing Burn with a clever header to buy himself space in which to charge. His finish was converted calmly through Stekelenburg's legs.
The goal settled their anxiety, Hazard bamboozling Fulham's defence with those trademark outrageous flashes of skill with Torres close to converting one staggering "rabona"– a cross sent over with his right foot wrapped around the back of his standing leg – and the home side suddenly exposed. They could not quell Hazard's threat and, when he was allowed to advance into enemy territory, his pass was perfect for Schürrle, having eased off Burn, to score a second across the exposed Stekelenburg.
The hat-trick was secured while Fulham still quaked at the brutality of it all, Torres beating the beleaguered Burn in the air and then spinning a pass into space. Schürrle, played onside by Johnny Heitinga, eased on to the ball and dispatched it gloriously with his right foot. Displays like this remind Chelsea that they secured a gem from Bayer Leverkusen last summer. He will have more to offer in the run-in.
Heitinga registered a consolation in what time remained, prodding home after Darren Bent had re-centred a corner across the six-yard box, but Fulham felt a bedraggled outfit by then.
Magath has work to do if their latest bid for survival is to prove successful, with solidity desperately required at the back. These are early days for the German, but, having been deflated by a compatriot, he does not have much time in which to instigate a recovery. Reported by guardian.co.uk 11 hours ago.
From a mishmash of a display – the league leaders' energy initially drained and minds uninspired – burst André Schürrle, a forgotten man on only his third start since New Year's Day. His 17-minute hat-trick duly settled this derby and stretched his team's advantage at the top of the Premier League table. There is strength in depth to this team's challenge.
Mourinho's options in attack, even with Oscar still off colour, can be made to feel bountiful when those creative forces behind the frontman ally bite with invention. Schürrle has endured life on the periphery too often in his first season in England, but he revelled in Eden Hazard's supply line here, doubling his goal tally for the season in that madcap period just after half-time, when Fulham utterly disintegrated as a defensive force.
Chelsea rediscovered some zest when allowed to revel. While they now stand four points clear at the top, the home side remain as many adrift at the bottom.
This had been Felix Magath's first home game in charge of the division's bottom club, Fulham's third manager of the campaign, drumming up the need for "hard work, commitment and belief" in his programme notes with his appointment also addressed by the owner, Shahid Khan. "I was filled with confidence the moment we were able to finalise our agreement with Felix," he wrote. "Why? Because, for our journey ahead, there's no manager better suited to achieve our goal of remaining in the Premier League. The alternative was risking a non-stop slide in the table. It was clear we had to make a change."
The German has had time this week to put his new players through those trademark drills, though a contributory factor for their initially busy energy here was Chelsea's lethargy after midweek exertions in Europe. Mourinho had been denied preparation time for this derby, his squad stretched by knocks and niggles, though he would have expected more than the sloppiness that endured until interval.
Steve Sidwell, slicing wide when free just beyond the far post, and the substitute Dan Burn, who failed to connect in front of goal, might have established a Fulham lead. Clint Dempsey had nodded wide in the opening three minutes.
The hosts were limited, but enthusiastic, while the visitors had appeared drained of enterprise. These were tired minds as well as weary bodies, their clearest opportunity before the break born of Maarten Stekelenburg's dawdle as he mulled over a clearance. Fernando Torres charged the ball down and, once it had returned from orbit, he was allowed time to control and advance before fizzing a shot across goal and wide. There was a nervousness to Fulham's defending, which would have had Mourinho exasperated on the sidelines, aware that this was an opportunity that had to be taken against a team whose confidence, whether under new management or not, remains brittle.
That much was exposed when, finally, Chelsea found some rhythm upon the restart, presumably having been geed up by Mourinho throughout the interval. Schürrle, who had rather wilted after a bright start in Istanbul, found a second wind here to collect a throw-in from Branislav Ivanovic and find Hazard. The Belgian scuttled forward while Schürrle burst ahead with more purpose, collecting the return pass beyond the Fulham backline and flummoxing Burn with a clever header to buy himself space in which to charge. His finish was converted calmly through Stekelenburg's legs.
The goal settled their anxiety, Hazard bamboozling Fulham's defence with those trademark outrageous flashes of skill with Torres close to converting one staggering "rabona"– a cross sent over with his right foot wrapped around the back of his standing leg – and the home side suddenly exposed. They could not quell Hazard's threat and, when he was allowed to advance into enemy territory, his pass was perfect for Schürrle, having eased off Burn, to score a second across the exposed Stekelenburg.
The hat-trick was secured while Fulham still quaked at the brutality of it all, Torres beating the beleaguered Burn in the air and then spinning a pass into space. Schürrle, played onside by Johnny Heitinga, eased on to the ball and dispatched it gloriously with his right foot. Displays like this remind Chelsea that they secured a gem from Bayer Leverkusen last summer. He will have more to offer in the run-in.
Heitinga registered a consolation in what time remained, prodding home after Darren Bent had re-centred a corner across the six-yard box, but Fulham felt a bedraggled outfit by then.
Magath has work to do if their latest bid for survival is to prove successful, with solidity desperately required at the back. These are early days for the German, but, having been deflated by a compatriot, he does not have much time in which to instigate a recovery. Reported by guardian.co.uk 11 hours ago.