Chelsea ended their five-game winless Premier League run with a home victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers that could help inject fresh impetus into their season.
Enzo Maresca’s side hadn’t won in the top flight since beating Brentford 2-1 on December 15, a sequence of results that had seen them slip from second — two points behind leaders Liverpool — to sixth and 13 points off the top coming into this game.
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They were not at their best against Wolves either but took the lead when Tosin Adarabioyo scored from close range midway through the first half — the centre-back’s first league goal for the club since joining them last summer but his third in three matches in all competitions.
The wolves threatened with descent defended themselves and matched correctly in the detention time of the first half when Matt Doherty intervened after goalkeeper Robert Sánchez failed to handle a corner of Matheus Cunha, hitting the ball down and towards the path of Irish.
Chelsea may have had a tricky second half, given their recent form and Wolves’ strong end to the first half, but the home side prevailed after the break.
Marc Cucurella restored the team’s advantage with a quiet end at the time, then Noni Madueke headed from almost the goal line five minutes later to ensure a well -deserved victory.
Simon Johnson analyses the key talking points.
Chelsea had not planned to recall Trevoh Chalobah this month from his season-long loan at Crystal Palace but he showed why it was a good decision to do so from the outset tonight.
Chalobah, a graduate of the Academy, returned to Stamford Bridge early due to hamstring injuries sustained by fellow defenders Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashiles. It can be said that Chelsea enthusiasts were extremely happy to deliver him through the loud applause his call won in the reading of the Tannoy earlier. the start of the match.
He was in good form for Palace, scoring three goals in 14 appearances, but Chelsea basically sought him out for his defensive skills.
In the first part, he carried out several key interventions to prevent the Wolves from reaching goal. A brilliantly synchronized interpretation of Jorgen Strand Larsen has attracted a noisy approval of approval. Another sign of his trust occurred early when he left with the ball and made a delicious pass with the exterior of the foot behind the track of Pedro Neto.
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It is not surprising when he played a component in Chelsea’s third goal, dominating the defense of the wolves to head a school free of Cole Pale. Okay, but Madueke secured.
The Chelsea fans base made transparent who they were looking to recognize at this time, with songs of ‘Trevoh Chabah’ reverberating through the 4 positions.
It is worth noting he started every game as Chelsea finished last season with five successive victories to secure sixth spot.
But on the same day he were given that possibility to play for his boyhood club again, Chelsea struck a deal with French sister Strasbourg to signal 19-year-old deffinisher Mamadou Sarr, a trace that Chalobah’s time in the noted blue blouse is unlikely to last beyond the finish of this season.
Chelsea’s struggles of late have coincided with Nicolas Jackson’s failure to find the back of the net.
While Maresca’s men won their first adjustment in six League games, their central striker in the first selection caused the part of a dozen goals without goals, returning to this victory of the preliminary in Brentford’s neighbors. And unlike the 2-2 tie opposite to Bournemouth here last Tuesday, Senegal international is a peripheral figure for the maximum of competition.
A scuffed first effort in the first minute from a Chalobah flick-on at a corner set the tone. The home crowd groaned as he lost possession with attempted flicks. Wolves defenders were able to keep him under control for the most part and, although they ended up scoring three times, for long periods Chelsea posed little genuine threat in the final third.
Jackson’s form has been placed under further scrutiny by the exploits of strikers elsewhere in the league, not least Newcastle’s Alexander Isak scoring in eight consecutive Premier League fixtures before their 4-1 loss against Bournemouth at the weekend.
Perhaps fatigue is playing a part for Jackson.
With Maresca not trusting Christopher Nkunku or teenager Marc Guiu, the year 23 begins every championship that fits in at the moment. But it’s still a beneficial grip. There is no excuse for him to be out of the game when he substituted for a past due opportunity, for example. He gives damage at the time of his career and that summed up the way last month disappeared for him.
There was still time for Jackson to get one more chance but he shot wide in the closing minutes, a miss greeted by groans from the crowd.
It’s the kind of rambling win Chelsea so desperately needed. They were far from more productive tonight, but that’s a skill in itself to get all 3 problems on par.
They have played much more than that in several events this season and have not controlled take the 3 points, but they need to qualify for the Champions League through four first, Chelsea will have to reach themselves that they can earn ugly.
It was also a victory received without Palmer had a lot of effect on the procedures. Maresca said Friday at his press convention on Friday that the English midfielder was a doubt due to an ankle challenge and that it is difficult to believe that he was completely shape.
Palmer did not see a lot of ball and only had a few charming touches that provided a ray in their general form. Perhaps a painful kick that won in the first part did not do so in this regard.
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None of the 3 will be on short lists for the purpose of the season club, no one will mind a persuasion from Chelsea.
They returned to the 4 most sensible, just in time for much more difficult control in Manchester City: the champions are two problems in fifth. and December – Saturday night.
Saturday, January 25: Manchester City (Away), Premier League, 5. 30 p. m. United Kingdom, 12:30 p. m.