Has anyone told Chelsea they can win football matches without making life hard for themselves on the pitch?
Having capitulated last time out against Newcastle United, Chelsea threatened to do the same this weekend when new foes Brighton & Hove Albion came to Stamford Bridge on Sunday, conceding a goal and seeing their captain sent off inside the final minutes of the first half of the 3-2 victory.
We should have seen the chaos coming, really. Suspensions to Reece James and Marc Cucurella, coupled with an injury to Malo Gusto, left Chelsea without a natural right-back and Mauricio Pochettino would respond by naming four centre-backs across his entire defence.
4 cbs starting for Chelsea what is this 😭😭😭😭— Josh Greiner (@Joshgreiner1) December 3, 2023
Criminal how Maatsen STILL can’t get a game at LB!!! We’ll struggle today playing 4 Centre backs 😭😭— Ant0ni0 P (@Antoni0P89) December 3, 2023
4 centre backs across the back 4. We’ve gone full Tony Pulis’s Stoke..— Adam Reilly (@adsreilly) December 3, 2023
Things actually started fairly well for Chelsea and there were few complaints when Pochettino’s men squeezed themselves ahead after 17 minutes.
With their skyscraper defenders all up in the Brighton box, a corner was acrobatically recycled by Benoit Badiashile and perfectly on to the head of Enzo Fernandez, who leapt highest to score his first Premier League goal.
Enzo’s first prem goal 🥺🥺— maqhawe 🇵🇸🇨🇩🇸🇩 (@only_maqhawe) December 3, 2023
ENZO FIRST CHELSEA PREM GOAL !!!!!!🥅 BADIASHILE WITH A WORLDCLASS ASSIST— neo chicken (@mira_jamesbest) December 3, 2023
What an assist by Badiashile😍Enzo first PL goal LEEEESGOOOOOO— PaLMerSZN🥷🏿 (@dijon_hz) December 3, 2023
Just four minutes later and Chelsea would have their second. Levi Colwill, the former Brighton loanee, headed home at the back post and immediately started celebrating his first Chelsea goal before remembering he wanted to show respect to his former employers.
Colwill for a moment there forgot he used to play for Brighton 😂— 🤺 (@McMwiti) December 3, 2023
Colwill was about to go crazy then he remembered. 🤣— Hoore Manga (@Ismou008_) December 3, 2023
Hahahaha Colwill scoring his first Chelsea goal against Brighton is perfect 🤣— Harry (@Harry_White96) December 3, 2023
It wasn’t always simple for Chelsea, who appeared to be doing their utmost to invite Brighton back into the game with some poor play at the back.
First, goalkeeper Robert Sanchez let a pass slip under his studs and had to race to stop the ball crossing his line, before the Blues defence were pressed into oblivion and could have easily ceded possession three or four times.
can we stop giving the ball to sanchez his boots have bloody butter on them— Axy ( Taylors Version ) (@chaennieXcheeks) December 3, 2023
Then the chaos began.
Facundo Buonanotte weaved his way through the Chelsea defence and curled home an excellent goal
Facundo Buonanotte!! Silly goal that 🔥— D O N-C O R L E O N E🥷🏿⚱️ (@wickidest_skeng) December 3, 2023
fairs, good goal from buonanotte— Olly #WillSurviveChilwell (@BroadbandBanner) December 3, 2023
Then Conor Gallagher, wearing the captain’s armband as a result of Reece James’ suspension for two yellow cards, picked up a second yellow of his own and slumped over to the tunnel shortly before half-time
Gallagher that’s unnecessary!— Àrákùnrín Bím (@Mista_Bim) December 3, 2023
I see Gallagher has chosen to emulate Reece James— K1ngpin (@K1ngpin__) December 3, 2023
Why do you make that tackle on a yellow card, Gallagher? What an idiot. Lavia can’t come back soon enough.— Alex Lyon (@LyonAlexander) December 3, 2023
pic.twitter.com/OB7iRI0n81— Out of Context Football Manager (@nocontextfm1) December 3, 2023
Mauricio Pochettino was absolutely spot on when he said we’re our own worst enemies.
Can’t keep doing this. It’s mental. #CFC— Olivia Buzaglo (@OliviaBuzaglo) December 3, 2023
Moises Caicedo seemed determined to join Gallagher in the dressing room. Having already picked up a yellow earlier in the game, the Ecuador international was flying into challenges and definitely unleashed at least one which was worthy of an early bath
Someone tell Caicedo he’s on a yellow— Karl 🇸🇪 (@CFC_Karl) December 3, 2023
Craig Pawson just did Caicedo a massive favor there. Could easily have been a second yellow. Low IQ players everywhere— N (@Nino12x) December 3, 2023
Why is Caicedo flying into challenges like that whilst on a yellow?— TweetChelseaUK (@TweetChelseaUK) December 3, 2023
But against the run of play, Chelsea were handed a lifeline.
Mykhailo Mudryk led a counter attack and went racing into the box, with the ageing James Milner in pursuit. Milner appeared to simply overpower the Ukraine international but may have caught him with a dangling foot as Mudryk was already heading to ground.
No penalty was awarded initially but a VAR review ultimately prompted the official to award a spot-kick.
Penalty ??💀 that’s not a penalty tbh but I’ll take it— Serge McCarthy (@SergeMccarthy) December 3, 2023
lol that wasn’t a penalty but nice thank you🙏🏾— Shifty🪬 (@CFCShifty) December 3, 2023
How is this a penalty ? Premier league refs are always funny— Radick07🥷 (@_radick07) December 3, 2023
Up stepped Fernandez to restore Chelsea’s breathing room.
ITS ENZO’S WORLD WE’RE JUST LIVING IN IT— 𝕛𝕒𝕫𝕫𖤐 (@cestjazz) December 3, 2023
It wouldn’t be Chelsea if things ended smoothly, however.
Joao Pedro headed home from a corner in the second minute of ten added on at the end of things, setting up a nervy finale.
You see ten mins added on – these chelsea players shiver in their boots and the pressure sets in— BlueBlood (@BlueBloodSw6) December 3, 2023
Chelsea always fold under pressure— Tobiloba (@Mroluwatobiloba) December 3, 2023
joa pedro is a world class playeer i don’t care— Abdi 🇸🇴 (@Abditsover) December 3, 2023
As the clocked ticked over to 100, Brighton were awarded their own penalty when Colwill was accused of handball, but an on-field review was suggested as the ball clearly struck the Chelsea’s defender’s head.
Chelsea fans starter pack pic.twitter.com/6vmHYnceTe— Bumblebee🐝 (@BMBlebEE_) December 3, 2023
Life as a Chelsea fan pic.twitter.com/EfmVf3RbWr— Saaka (@medSaaka) December 3, 2023
There was some uncertainty about the final decision as the crowd felt the referee had once again awarded a penalty, but ultimately, things were sorted out and Chelsea were allowed to see out the game.
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS— TweetChelseaUK (@TweetChelseaUK) December 3, 2023
never make it easy do we 🤣— Ella⭐️⭐️ (@ChelseaElla2) December 3, 2023