Jose Mourinho might have thought this would be the perfect 100th home game but Alan Pardew’s Crystal Palace had other ideas. The ultimate game for the ‘Eagles’ as they beat the champions 2-1 at their own backyard to ruin the party plans for Mourinho.
It was Bakary Sako who got the opener for Palace but Radamel Falcao came on to make it 1-1. However, the celebrations barely died down before Ward put Palace back in front at Stamford Bridge.
We look back to see what the lessons we learnt in a game Chelsea were expected to win to make it two wins out of four this season.
Chelsea lacked drive
The Blues were pedestrian for most part of the game as they failed to drive the ball into the final third of Crystal Palace for the entire first half. The worst possible start to the season was worsened as Mourinho’s side could not find the penetrative force the possessed so dangerously last season.
Teams were torn apart this time last season, but the West London club have failed to keep a clean sheet and play some expected fine football to appease their fans.
Kenedy is a livewire
Up until the Brazilian’s introduction, Chelsea were looking out of the game and could barely attack with purpose.
They suddenly woke up after Kenedy came on for Cezar Azpilicueta in the 67th minute and it was no coincidence that the young Brazilian was at the centre of everything.
The 19-year old was the missing piece for Chelsea in midfield as he played with energy and belief that was reminiscent of a player who had been at the club for the past decade.
Perhaps one of the few positives Jose can go back to Cobham (Chelsea’s training ground) with. is Kenedy’s emergence.
Hazard and Fabregas have gone cold
When Chelsea brushed teams aside with ease last season, the men in control of the menacing warship were Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas. The latter has found himself firing blanks while failing to find his teammates up the field.
Chelsea’s momentum lost in the opening games can be blamed on Fabregas. Hazard however, has had few moments of magic like setting up Pedro for Chelsea’s first goal against West Brom last Sunday, but he has been largely missing this season.
If Chelsea will get back to winning ways, they need to turn up the heat on the cold blood in both players.
Falcao is back
The goal was all he needed in recent times. His confidence shoot up after that and it was evident in the way he got to the end of another cross shortly after scoring his first goal for the club.
There is still a player in there inside Falcao and this goal might be the needed light to search for the once prolific striker who struck fear into the strongest of defenses in Europe.
Despite the need for numbers, defense needs organisation
Mourinho said before the game that he took the team through defensive drills to try and patch up the leaks in it. Well, whatever you did didn’t work, Mr Mourinho. John Terry, Gary Cahill and Kurt Zouma have all had time on the pitch to try and solve the problem, but we keep conceding.
Ivanovic has been pointed at severally, but the team lacks leadership at the back; which is surprising at Chelsea. If there’s one thing this team has not lacked for the last decade, it’s leadership. The backline needs to go back to basics and organize themselves to defend the Chelsea way.
