Chelsea wary of wounded Fulham

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech has warned his team-mates against complacency as they prepare to face a shellshocked Fulham side in a Boxing Day derby on Monday.

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The Blues could not have picked a better time to face the Cottagers, who are reeling after suffering their heaviest ever home defeat last week, a 5-0 thrashing by Manchester United.

Yet Cech has urged his team-mates to disregard Fulham's recent problems as Andre Villas-Boas's men look to pick up three points in order to stay in touch with the league leaders.

"We can't look too much at the table, we need to keep going step by step, try to win our games and try to catch up as many points as we can," Cech said.

"We depend on everybody else, so it's up to them how they are going to do but we just need to keep winning our games. Fulham will be a difficult game because they lost 5-0 at home in their last game.

"It's a big London derby and they will want to bounce back, so Chelsea is a great motivation to say sorry to their supporters after Man United but we are in a situation where we need to keep winning."

Villas-Boas heads into the game trying to juggle a growing central defensive crisis that has seen him open talks with Bolton about a move for Gary Cahill.

The injury to Branislav Ivanovic during the 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotpsur last week means John Terry is the Blues' only fully fit centre back ahead of the meeting with Fulham at Stamford Bridge.

That will only strengthen Villas-Boas's resolve to complete a deal for England defender Cahill - out of contract at the end of the season - as quickly as possible next month.

Until the window opens, however, Villas-Boas will be forced to improvise unless David Luiz recovers from a knee injury in time to face Fulham in a game Chelsea must win to maintain their title hopes.

The point gained at White Hart Lane left Villas-Boas's side 11 points adrift of Premier League leaders Manchester City.

And while Chelsea will expect to beat a Fulham side in the doldrums following the United drubbing, a makeshift backline will do little to enhance their chances of victory.

Villas-Boas insists there is no way back for the transfer-listed Alex and is likely to use Paulo Ferreira or Oriol Romeu alongside Terry.

Frank Lampard could return to the starting line-up in place of Ramires after the Brazil midfielder collected his fifth booking of the season.

Fulham sit just four points above the bottom three and, having also exited the Europa League, are in desperate need of a lift.

The performance against United drew widespread criticism but manager Martin Jol insists his side can turn things around quickly.

"I don't think we are lacking confidence, it's about teamwork. If you work as a team, we are good and our goal difference has shown that -- that's probably been a big plus for us this season.

"But that is something we destroyed on Wednesday with the five goals. If you play as a team, you don't concede goals and you always get your chances."

Jol has no new injury worries and he may well opt to restore Bobby Zamora to the starting line-up after starting the England forward on the bench against United.

Left back John Arne Riise said: "We have Chelsea on Sunday then Norwich and Arsenal, so we just have to look at what we did wrong, pick ourselves up fast and improve."

"We will lift our heads up, focus on the things we've done right in the last few weeks, work hard and stick together."

AVB rules out Alex recall

Andre Villas-Boas has reiterated he will not bring Alex in from the cold, even if it means Chelsea starting Boxing Day's west London derby with John Terry as their only fit centre-half.

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Blues boss Villas-Boas was asked on Wednesday whether he would reverse his decision to banish Alex from his first-team squad should the club suffer an injury crisis. Alex and Nicolas Anelka were sidelined at Stamford Bridge after submitting transfer requests.

However, ahead of Monday's game against Fulham, Villas-Boas simply said: "No."

Any defensive crisis may last no more than a week, with Bolton boss Owen Coyle confirming the club were in talks with Chelsea over the transfer of Gary Cahill.

Villas-Boas said of Cahill, who Wanderers must sell to avoid losing for free in the summer: "He is extremely interesting, a player of course that terminates his contract.

"But we would be stupid if we shortened our targets just to one."

He added: "I think you know that we will be in the market for a centre-half. It's pretty obvious based on the fact that we've accepted Alex's transfer request.

"We'll have to let the market open and then find out what happens regarding Alex. We will have to respond quickly in the market, not because of the urgency but because we're willing to fill that position with one more central defender."

Chelsea have also been heavily linked with a loan move for Juventus winger Milos Krasic, who has been touted as a replacement for Shanghai-bound Anelka and cover for Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou when they depart on African Nations Cup duty.

Chelsea V Fulham at Stamford Bridge : Match Preview

AVB rules out Alex recall 

Boss Andre Villas-Boas has reiterated he will not bring Alex in from the cold, even if it means Chelsea starting Boxing Day's west London derby with John Terry as their only fit centre-half. Villas-Boas was asked on Wednesday whether he would reverse his decision to banish Alex from his first-team squad should the club suffer an injury crisis. Despite having previously claimed Alex and Nicolas Anelka, who were sidelined after submitting transfer requests, could force their way back into his plans, he declared the former would not be recalled - even if the worst happened. Barely 24 hours later, it did, with Branislav Ivanovic limping out of Thursday night's 1-1 Barclays Premier League draw at Tottenham. Asked afterwards if he had changed his mind about Alex ahead of Monday's game against Fulham, Villas-Boas simply said: "No."
 
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In fairness, Chelsea coped admirably at White Hart Lane with the loss of Ivanovic, despite Jose Bosingwa being forced to move from right-back to centre-half for what was possibly the first time in his entire Stamford Bridge career. Paulo Ferreira also impressed at right-back having not previously featured in the Premier League this season. "This was a fantastic adaptation and another solution that we have in the squad," Villas-Boas said. With Ivanovic almost certainly out of Monday's match, Villas-Boas was hoping David Luiz would return from the knee problem that has sidelined him from the last two games. Otherwise, he insisted he would even consider playing young midfielder Oriol Romeu alongside Terry rather than turn to Alex. "Hopefully, David can return for contention for the game against Fulham," he said. "But, if not, from Oriol to Bosingwa, both can play in that position - and Paulo has done it in the past." Fourth-placed Chelsea are also fighting to get back into contention in a title race which sees them 11 points behind leaders Manchester City but Villas-Boas was expecting a backlash from a Fulham side thrashed 5-0 at home by Manchester United on Wednesday night. He said: "A result like that, also the result that they got in the Europa League, generates revolt and generates anger, which can fuel emotions for a London derby that is extremely difficult for us." 

Fulham manager Martin Jol believes Chelsea's appointment of Villas-Boas is proof that if you are good enough, you are old enough. The 34-year-old was handed the Stamford Bridge reins in the summer, despite his tender years and limited managerial experience. Villas-Boas led former club Porto to four trophies last season, including a Europa League crown that saw him become the youngest manager to win a European club title. Jol comes head-to-head with the man 21 years his junior on Boxing Day and is full of admiration for the Chelsea boss, especially having overcome mounting external pressure. "I sympathise with all the managers but that is the business," the Dutchman said. "If you are not fulfilling the expectations of the people around you it is always problem. "The only thing is to get results and points on the board - then it is the best life ever. "If you do not, you are struggling. I am, though, not surprised by his age. "I think it is quite adventurous and challenging to [appoint somebody of the age]. 

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Someone who won the Europa League, some titles in Portugal, like Jose Mourinho before him. "He is quite young but I do not think it is about age. "It is the same on the field, too. My player [Kerim] Frei showed he is good enough to play at 18 so I do not think about it." Jol has stuck with the mantra of talent being more important than age this season, blooding a number of younger players into the first team. Frei was among those handed their senior debut and he has so far impressed the Fulham manager. "As I said, it doesn't matter how young you are," Jol said. "He came on against Swansea and earned a penalty. He played against Chelsea and did the same. "He played against Odense in the Europa League and set-up the first goal and scored the second. "That is something we can build on and it can push other players because he does not have a lack of confidence, shall we say." Fulham have no fresh injury concerns but Steve Sidwell is unlikely to feature despite returning to training after a hernia operation.

Villas-Boas applauds Terry focus

Andre Villas-Boas hailed the performance of under-pressure captain John Terry after his last-gasp intervention prevented Chelsea from losing to Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

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The Chelsea skipper learned on Thursday he will be charged by the Criminal Prosecution Service for alleged racist comments he made towards Anton Ferdinand during the west London derby at QPR in October.

"His performances, commitment and concentration have increased since the incident and he anticipated the situation at the end there. It was a big opportunity for Tottenham," Villas-Boas said.

Despite getting a barracking from the home support throughout the match, the defender put in a solid display and made a crucial intervention to deny Emmanuel Adebayor's goal-bound effort at the death.

Unmarked, the Tottenham striker latched on to Gareth Bale's ball just inside the box, but Terry flung himself at the ball to avert what would have been a harsh defeat on the visitors as the match ended 1-1, with Daniel Sturridge cancelling out Adebayor's opener.

The Chelsea boss has given his unequivocal support to Terry, who has vowed to clear his name, ever since the race row erupted two months ago. He was quick to shower praise on the 31-year-old while insisting he never had any doubts about putting him in the starting XI in such a hostile atmosphere as Thursday's derby.

Villas-Boas added: "His quality and talent are never in doubt. He's completely focused to the cause of this football club."

Villas-Boas' men would have leapfrogged Tottenham in to third with a win, but considering the hosts were on a run of one defeat in their previous 13 games, the Portuguese was pleased with his team's display. He said: "The result really doesn't matter. The performance was outstanding. If a ball had gone into our net in the last minute, I would have left satisfied.

"We didn't lose two points. Coming here with Tottenham on the run they're on, with the form they're showing in the league, to get a point is excellent. If you had said at the beginning of December that we'd go through these games with two wins and two draws, I'd have taken it running into the home fixtures. Our second half was brilliant. For us to impose ourselves as we did is extremely gratifying."

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp was disappointed to see his team lose momentum after such a strong start. "We dominated that first 20 minutes or so, then they scored against the run of play, but a point is a point," the 64-year-old said. "It got difficult in the second half. Rafa did a hamstring again and we had no one to play on the right comfortably."