Chelsea were their worst enemy behind Wolves, squandering chances and making defensive mistakes to lose a game they deserved to have won.
In many ways, Mauricio Pochettino’s team were the better side at Molineux but ended up losing 2-1 after goals from Mario Lemina and Matt Doherty.
A late header from Christopher Nkunku was a rare positive, but Chelsea have already lost 4 in a row away from home.
They also have multiple players out for Crystal Palace’s visit to Stamford Bridge on December 27, with Lesley Ugochukwu adding to the club’s injury woes.
Pathetic Behavior Problems
No team in the Premier League has more yellow cards than Chelsea and a poor pitch is costing them dearly.
He cautioned Malo Gusto for kicking the ball, Raheem Sterling for diving and Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer for dissenting.
Sterling and Palmer are now suspended for Crystal Palace’s stopover at Stamford Bridge, while no player in the league has more bookings than Jackson’s eight. Chelsea’s players and staff are to blame for the bad behaviour.
Jackson and Broja Waste
Discipline has been a familiar problem for Chelsea and so too their finishing in front of goal. The Blues have now failed to convert 36 big chances in the Premier League this season, more than any other side.
There was wry applause from Wolves fans when Jackson came on as a substitute, when the visitors needed a goal. He is one of the players guilty of wasting great opportunities and miscontrolling the ball on several occasions when betting on goal.
His strike partner, Armando Broja, squandered the first two chances of the game with a very slow inside cut from the start, although everything allowed the exposed Wolves to regain form. The second chance was an aerial shot after a pass from Gusto. Sterling, however, squandered the most productive opportunity in a three-on-one with Jose Sa, after Joao Gomes gave the ball away as the last defender.
Nkunku and Mykhailo Mudryk tried to get the game back on the bench and did well, but they couldn’t cause Chelsea any problems.
Nkunku Possibly Wouldn’t Avoid “Savior Syndrome”
Pochettino keeps saying he doesn’t expect too much from Nkunku and that supporters shouldn’t put him under pressure.
However, after a goal at home to Newcastle and then here against St Wolves, he turned his attention to the France international.
The flexible striker didn’t have many touches of the ball, but he made a clever attempt on purpose and scored an off-time header.
It’s hard not to see Nkunku as a saviour, despite what Pochettino thinks. Chelsea would possibly have to turn to the transfer market for strikers in January if they fail to do so.
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