Villas-Boas admits title hopes are fading fast

ANDRE VILLAS-BOAS conceded Chelsea’s title ambitions are fading fast after his side was held to a third successive draw yesterday, undermining the progress made at the start of the month and confirming their campaign continues to be wracked by inconsistency.

Unable to hold onto the advantage given them by Juan Mata in the 47th minute, Villas-Boas’s team conceded two points and the chance to strengthen their position in the top four when they allowed Clint Dempsey to claim a point for a struggling Fulham side.

Instead of leapfrogging Tottenham into third place, Villas-Boas’s side were left clinging precariously onto fourth spot and could find themselves replaced in the leading group if, as expected, Arsenal beat Wolves today.

That would come as a morale-sapping blow barely two weeks after Chelsea appeared to have signalled their re-emergence as genuine title challengers with a home victory over Manchester City that moved them to within seven points of the leaders.

Instead, they have now failed to beat Fulham and Wigan, two sides with eyes fixed firmly on the foot of the table, either side of a creditable draw at Spurs.

Villas-Boas’s insistence that his side have now moved on from the dip that prompted speculation about the manager’s position now appears less convincing.

Villas-Boas responded to the disappointment in realistic terms although Manchester City’s failure to beat West Brom at least brought some relief for the manager who had accounted for getting maximum points from this game and the visit of Aston Villa on New Year’s Eve.

“I think it’s pretty difficult,” he replied when asked about the title race. “It’ll be very difficult for us to win it.”

Indeed. The failure to beat a Fulham side still reeling from the 5-0 home defeat at the hands of Manchester United last Wednesday speaks volumes.

City may not have opened up a 13-point gap but with the top two teams sitting 11 points clear of Chelsea and Tottenham a point ahead with two games in hand, it would take a dramatic turnaround on several levels to allow Villas-Boas’s side to recover lost ground.

“You assess things as they are,” added the manager. “There’s no big drama in terms of how we look at things. But you have to be sufficiently real.

“That is the perspective we have to make at the moment: it’s difficult. It’s not impossible. You cannot say that. But we have to focus on our position at the moment and make a real assessment. Maybe the Premiership is over for us at the moment. You have to be real. You cannot live under false expectations when the gap is this big.”

Villas-Boas’ honesty was admirable; whether his words will be so warmly received by Roman Abramovich is a different matter altogether.

There were few plusses, particularly in a first half that was enlivened only by a fine volley from Fernando Torres, selected ahead of the rested Didier Drogba, that found its way straight into the arms of the outstanding Fulham keeper David Stockdale.

Torres did well to tee up Mata’s goal, but Fulham’s equaliser again exposed Chelsea’s shortcomings at the back — Bryan Ruiz turning Ashley Cole too easily before crossing for Dempsey.

CHELSEA (4-3-3): Cech 7; Bosingwa 6 (Ferreira 81,6), Luiz 7, Terry 7, Cole 6; Meireles 7, Romeu 6, Lampard 6 (Malouda 61, 7); Sturridge 8 (Drogba 70, 6), Torres 6, Mata 6.

FULHAM (4-5-1): Stockdale 9; Kelly 7, Hangeland 8, Senderos 6, Riise 6; Ruiz 8, Dembele 7, Murphy 7, Dempsey 7, Frei 8; Sa 6 (Kasami 83).

Referee: K Friend 7.