BlueLion.

2-1 Full time

He has taken off Wright-Phillips and brought on Claudio Pizarro. Not quite the change I would have made but Grant obviously is trying to keep Fulham penned in under pressure. Attack is the best form of defence - if we put them under pressure and defend well, we can wrap this up and maybe press on to get a third. I think Paulo will come on in stoppage time to wind the clock down and just make sure there are no lapses of concentration in the defence.

Anyone else feel Mikel has been the difference? He has been powerful going forward and his defensive skill has added some strength to our midfield. A good substitution by Granty.

Yeah, thats what I am saying. If we go to five at the back, we can have Belletti moved forward as a wing back who can support the forward play whilst Ferreira covers. I think Ferreira is the better defender of the two and should be brought on to add some steele to the play. Belletti has been great going forward but he has given away a couple of clumsy freekicks in dangerous positions and I don't need to remind you how weak Hilario is when it comes to crosses.

Fulham have brought on Healy. They are getting desperate, time to bring on Ferreira and Pizarro I feel. I think we should revert to a 5-3-2, with Wright-Phillips and Joe Cole coming off. We should make the midfield as compact as possible with Essien, Mikel and Ballack, with Pizarro playing deep to link up the midfield to Kalou. Would work a treat as it is a defensive formation which can easily be sprung into attack with Belletti and Bridge playing as full-backs.

If anything, I would take off Wright-Phillips and bring on Paulo Ferreira to slot in as a third centre-half. This is a lead we MUST defend if we really want to apply pressure on United and Arsenal. I know they are playing teams in midtable but if we put pressure on them by cutting the lead, they might find an urgent need to attack thus leaving themselves open at the back.

2-1 Michael Ballack

1-1 Salomon Kalou scores following head tennis

Fulham have taken the lead in nine games this season and won only one of those. We still have every chance of clawing this back.

Considering we are playing second choice players in every position, bar perhaps Essien, Ballack and Joe Cole it is not really surprising that Fulham are the better side.

20 minutes gone and we are having another typically slow start. The defence is leaderless and for the third league match running, completely asleep when it comes to defending set plays and crosses. The strike force is Kalou-less (couldn't resist) and the only player really giving his all is Joey who is clearly pissed after giving away that penalty. But remember boxing day 2005? Joe Cole gave a penalty away to Fulham at the Bridge, before setting up the winning goal. Let's hope he does the same.

I think maybe Pizarro and Mikel would have been better suited to playing this game. Kalou usually tends to hug the touchline so playing him as an out and out striker means the wingers won't really have a target man. I would have gone for a regular 4-4-2, with Pizarro supporting Kalou, with Joe Cole and Wright-Phillips playing wide in the four-man midfield with Essien and Mikel in more defensive positions. And as I say that, Joe Cole gives away a penalty. 1-0 to Fulham.

Decent start by both teams. My stream is a wee bit behind, but only by about 10 seconds. Both teams have had decent chances in fairness.

Fulham versus Chelsea F.C. Fulham entertain Chelsea in the West London derby in the day's early kick-off Chelsea beat Fulham 2-0 last season thanks to a Frank Lampard double, but were beaten 1-0 the previous campaign. Chelsea almost tasted home defeat for the first time in 69 matches when the teams last met in the Premier League, but the combined interventions of Petr Cech and poor Fulham shooting ensured Chelsea earned a point in a fascinating 0-0 draw. Match chat here!

Jose would not have walked out. "Mutual consent" by arse, he was sacked.

Jose would not have walked out. "Mutual consent" by arse, he was sacked.

Source: Sky Sports Completely agree with him, its ridiculous.

Against even our wildest dreams, if Grant lands us the Champions League in his first season after Mourinho went so close two times in his tenure, I'd be willing to give him another chance. But for me now, he's blown it. He hasn't actually got a clue and I reckon our current "successes" are down to Clarkey and Ten Cate (who I think is a brilliant coach).

Our second string side is good enough to get at least a CL place, I think. Things can't get much worse.

I think Rijkaard will come, since his old number two is already here at the Bridge.

It was a hugely frustrating match.

No problems

Cheers mate, yeah was a good game.

Its pocket money to the man, but that amount of money is sickening.

If Grant had any ordinary squad his lack of tactics would have been discovered much sooner. The mentality of Mourinho is still in the minds of the players, and will be for a long time.