Chelsea 1-2 Fulham: Tactical Analysis & Match Report

Chelsea's Attacking Efficiency and Limitations

Beyond the goal, Maresca's team created several chances against Fulham’s passive mid-block, thanks to Palmer’s intelligent movement. Once he received the ball in certain areas, he became incredibly difficult to defend. However, Chelsea’s attacking inefficiency in the final third, particularly in executing the final pass or finish, proved to be a recurring issue.

Both teams also struggled with turnovers, leading to a chaotic game filled with offensive transitions and back-and-forth opportunities.

Chelsea's Defensive Pressing and Adjustments

Defensively, Chelsea pressed Fulham with a numerical disadvantage in the frontline. Jackson pressed the central centre-back before curving his run to press the goalkeeper, Sancho pressed the opposite centre-back, and Fernandez man-marked the right centre-back. Palmer stayed on Fulham’s defensive midfielder, Caicedo marked Andreas Pereira, and Pedro Neto man-marked Antonee Robinson.

Chelsea’s backline retained a numerical advantage, transitioning into a man-oriented press if Fulham’s right wing-back, initially unmarked, received the ball. In the second half, Sancho adjusted his position to focus on Fulham’s right-back, while Enzo provided central coverage before pressing the left centre-back. Fulham, on the other hand, adjusted their build-up structure, alternating between a 4-2-4 and 4-1-5, depending on Pereira’s positioning.