Following Chelsea’s eighth Premier League defeat, Mauricio Pochettino acknowledges the need for increased clinical efficiency within his team. The defeat, inflicted by Wolves, highlights a lackluster performance throughout the tepid campaign.
Second-half goals from Mario Lemina and Matt Doherty secured victory for the hosts, who recorded successive league wins against Chelsea for the first time in nearly half a century.
Despite Christopher Nkunku’s injury-time header on his Premier League debut, it fell short of salvaging a point for the Blues. The defeat marked Chelsea’s first occurrence of losing four consecutive away league games since December 2000.
Yet another day highlighted Chelsea’s struggles in attack, as their inability to convert chances haunted them again. With 36 big chances missed in the league this season, they lead the charts in missed opportunities among all teams.
Pochettino said: “We feel very disappointed because I think we deserve much more. This competition wounds you when you are not clinical enough.
“We created chances, that is why it is so disappointing. We conceded after a few corners and it was really difficult.
“We have players playing for the first time in the league, they need to adapt. It is confidence and about quality. We need to score if we want to win the games.”
Nicolas Jackson’s contribution was so underwhelming his exit 10 minutes from time was cheered by the Chelsea fans.
The result leaves the club 10th, seven points off qualification for the Europa Conference League, which, even at this stage, looks the best the Londoners can hope for.
Chelsea holds an unfortunate record in 2023, leading the Premier League in losses with 19. Across the big five European leagues this calendar year, only Almeria (24), Werder Bremen (20), and Empoli (20) have suffered more defeats than the Blues.
After a resilient performance, Wolves are now on par with Pochettino’s men in points. However, the victory came at a cost, as experienced defender Craig Dawson had to leave the field during the second half due to what seemed to be a serious injury.
Nkunku Sparks Hope for Chelsea
In their pursuit of narrowing the gap with Premier League contenders for European places in the second half of the season, Chelsea must ignite their attack.
Nkunku’s inaugural goal, a testament to his skill, saw him deftly guide Raheem Sterling’s deep cross into the net despite limited space provided by Wolves skipper Max Kilman. Pochettino, however, urges caution against placing excessive expectations on the 26-year-old France international, who made a second-half appearance following recovery from a knee injury sustained in pre-season.
However, the former RB Leipzig man has the potential to be a game-changer for the Blues after their struggles over the first half of the campaign, which were clearly on display in the first half at Wolves.
Chelsea should have gone in ahead at the break, but first Jackson allowed Sterling’s astute far-post chip to roll under his foot when the move was begging for a control and first-time finish.
Then Sterling, who had responded to the first failed effort with a spin of obvious frustration, raced through on the Wolves goal after nicking the ball off Joao Gomes 40 yards out, but fired straight at Jose Sa.
During the second period, as Chelsea trailed, Jackson had a clear sight of goal but struggled to position his feet and lost balance before attempting a shot. With more yellow cards than Premier League goals, the reception from his own fans upon leaving the field might further dent Jackson’s confidence.
Pochettino, said: “We are going to lose him for one month to AFCON. If we compare Jackson with different players, he has scored goals. We cannot blame him, it is the team. He is young and expectation is massive at Chelsea.
“The quality players are here, they wouldn’t be at Chelsea otherwise. It is about how you mix these players together. It takes time to work. Nkunku needs time for everyone to see his best.”
Cole Palmer will not be available for the 27 December encounter with Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge after he picked up his fifth booking for needlessly kicking the ball away, with Sterling also suspended.
Wolves Performs
Wolves, under manager Gary O’Neil, are grappling with their own striking concerns, aiming to address them in the upcoming transfer window next month.
Gary O’Neil is reportedly open to allowing the departure of £35m signing Fabio Silva and Sasa Kalajdzic from Molineux to make room for new additions. Additionally, there’s anticipation of the exit of long-serving full-back Jonny Otto, amid a significant behind-the-scenes fallout.
Despite stepping in late to replace Julen Lopetegui amid discontent with the Wolves’ hierarchy, Gary O’Neil can take delight in his players’ response and the support he has garnered from the stands. The atmosphere at a packed Molineux, hosting the first Christmas Eve Premier League fixture since 1995, reached a frenzy by the final whistle, especially after Lemina’s 51st-minute header secured the win.
In added time, they believed victory was secured when Doherty seized the loose ball, capitalizing on Axel Disasi’s hesitation to clear rather than decisively stop Hwang Hee-chan’s cross, thus doubling the lead.
Wolves and Chelsea now share an identical win, draw, loss record, with Wolves trailing the Londoners only on goal difference. The assessment of this situation is likely to be more positive for Wolves than their opponents.
