Cech saves Blues’ blushes as Fulham frustrate toothless Torres

THE safety net when you make an expensive purchase is that if you don’t like it you can always take it back.

It would hardly be surprising if Roman Abramovich woke up this morning and started looking desperately for a receipt to the value of £50m (€58m) as he and Carlo Ancelotti wonder why the Fernando Torres they bought from Liverpool is not exactly as was advertised in the brochure.

This would have been a woeful display by a visiting player from the days when Fulham were languishing in the old Fourth Division, let alone the costliest man in British football history, and the fact that Carlo Ancelotti defended Torres to the hilt after the game only added to the sense of farce.

And by the end Chelsea were hugely grateful not to have lost a game that they should, on the balance of the second-half, have won easily.

Although it may be harsh to judge Torres after two games, Petr Cech has proven over seven years that he has been excellent value for money at £7m (€8.3m). And the goalkeeper excelled himself once again as he threw himself to his right to keep out Clint Dempsey’s penalty on the final minute of stoppage time.

The spot kick was given after a foul by David Luiz on the American as the centre-back spoiled what was otherwise a superb full debut. He was as solid and inspirational as Torres was listless and fitful.

With Didier Drogba dropped and sulking on the bench, this was a night where Ancelotti’s problems were plain to see. In short, four attackers do not fit into three positions, and one of Torres, Drogba, Florent Malouda or Nicolas Anelka must make way, although Ancelotti sees it differently.

“Torres played well,” he said, to general disbelief. “He used his ability to move. He had some opportunities in the first half and I took him out just to give the opportunity to use Didier fresh and with power. This was the reason I changed him.’’

One area where Ancelotti was on more solid ground was when he admitted reaching the top four was his only priority; 12 points is too much to make up on Manchester United.

Mark Hughes, for his part, admitted his Fulham team were only worth a point but felt the penalty should have been retaken due to encroachment by Drogba.

“He ran past Mike Dean and I think he was alongside Clint as he kicked it — in fact he had to check his stride to make sure he didn’t run beyond the ball,” he said. “Given the circumstances at the end we are disappointed.”

Chelsea lacked width last night, but when they finally worked an opening for Branislav Ivanovic to swing in a cross on the half-hour mark they nearly scored, Frank Lampard volleying narrowly over.

Chelsea dominated after the interval, but with Torres unable to make an impact, time slipped by.

A draw appeared a certainty until Luiz clumsily felled Dempsey, giving Mike Dean no option but to point to the spot. That Cech saved the penalty was the only bright point on a dark and disappointing night for Chelsea.

FULHAM: Schwarzer 7; Baird 7, Hughes 7, Hangeland 8, Salcido 7; Duff 7, Sidwell 7, Murphy 6, Dempsey 6; Dembele 6, Johnson 5.

Subs for Fulham: Davies for Johnson 74, Gudjohnsen for Dembele 83, Gera for Murphy 83.

CHELSEA: Cech 8; Ivanovic 7; Terry 7, Luiz 8, Cole 7, Ramires 6; Lampard 6, Essien 6, Malouda 7, Torres 3, Anelka 5.

Subs for Chelsea: Kalou for Anelka 65, Drogba for Torres 71.

Referee: Mike Dean.