The Tanner Report: Chelsea 0 Fulham 0

The story will inevitably be that the expensively-assembled Chelsea could not beat Fulham.

I doubt if there will be any forensic analysis of a league table showing Fulham, Brentford and Brighton above Chelsea and Liverpool.

There are many reasons for this: less fan expectation, intelligent recruitment , more esprit de corps. However, the principal one is the fit of the coach/manager.

Chelsea have a young progressive manager but not one with any experience of managing egos and big squads.

Fulham’s Marco Silva has come up with a winning style of play that suits the team, the Premiership and the fans.

Chelsea’s academy has produced England internationals in Mason Mount, Reece James and Conor Gallagher – as well as Hudson Odoi and Loftus Cheek – but to comply with financial fair play and the loophole of amortising wages by long contracts some of these will have to be sold.

At the three clubs that I have mentioned the pathway from Academy to first team is clearer – witness Brighton’s Evan Ferguson.

As far as goalless draws go this was not the worst.

I’m not a particular fan of analyst Karen Cairney but she called it right in saying that Chelsea’s most effective route to goal was the ball over the top.

Fulham played grittily and were well organised.

William had a superb first half and Kenny Tete at right back was impressive throughout the game, mastering Mudryk and getting forward too.