Preview: Chelsea Take On Fulham In London Derby

A last minute equaliser from West Brom denied Felix Magath a winning start as Fulham manager, but in hindsight, a 1-1 draw can be considered a solid result. They host local rivals Chelsea, looking to pick up on any momentum that they may have gained from the Hawthorns.

One of the last moves that Rene Meulensteen made as Fulham manager was to bring in Johnny Heitinga from Everton, and the Dutch international produced a barnstorming display at the heart of the Cottagers’ defence that Magath will be hoping is a sign of things to come. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index shows that Heitinga made a total of 19 defensive contributions (based on blocks, clearances, tackles won and interceptions), which was the second most in the league.

Another January signing proved to be a menace at the opposite end of the pitch, with Lewis Holtby pulling the offensive strings for Magath’s men. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index shows that the former Schalke man made a total of 21 attacking contributions (based on passes in the opposition half, crosses, dribbles and shots on target), which was more than any other player in the Fulham squad. 

West Brom may have boasted the lion’s share of possession on Saturday, but the excellent defensive work of Scott Parker and Steve Sidwell meant that the West Brom midfield’s opportunities were extremely limited. The duo won 100% and 85% of their tackles respectively.      

Fernando Amorebieta has made a solid start to life at Craven Cottage, proving himself to be a more than capable central defender. This is probably best demonstrated by the fact that he’s made a total of 139 clearances, which is more than any other player in the Fulham squad.

A last minute winner from John Terry ensured that Chelsea retained their position at the top of the Premier League table, and they travel the short distance to Craven Cottage looking to maintain their impressive run of form.

Chelsea may have been slightly lacklustre in attack against the Toffees, but the ever-reliable centre half pairing of John Terry and Gary Cahill ensured that Everton’s attacking threats were thwarted. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index shows that they made 16 and 13 defensive contributions respectively, ensuring that the Blues kept yet another clean sheet.

Nemanja Matic has been something of a revelation since arriving at Stamford Bridge, with his ability to shield the back four utilised to great effect by manager Jose Mourinho. On Saturday, however, the Serb showed his creative side too – completing a total of 31 passes in the opposition half. 

Pundits have quite rightly lavished high praise on Eden Hazard, as the Belgian has established himself as a key match-winner for the Blues this season. Hazard has excelled in a number of areas this term and his passing has been a joy to behold, with the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index showing that he has completed a total of 820 passes in the opposition half.

Branislav Ivanovic has established himself as an integral player in the Chelsea lineup over recent years, with his ability to operate extremely effectively at right back or centre half a key asset. Ivanovic’s excellent all-round game is probably best demonstrated by the fact that he has made a total of 31 interceptions, the most in the Chelsea squad, but also swung in 15 crosses, again more than any other Chelsea player.