The Blues lost for the third time in a row in the Premier League, giving them a mountain to climb to ensure a top-four position following the World Cup. Graham Potter, the manager of Chelsea, could not afford another awful performance against Newcastle on Saturday after three losses in their previous four. Yet the Blues delivered just that in their 1-0 defeat at St. James’ Park.
Before the World Cup break, Eddie Howe’s club moved up to third place in the Premier League thanks to Joe Willock’s crucial goal for the Magpies. However, Chelsea is just singing the blues as they lost their third game in a row, dropping them to ninth place in the standings while Newcastle is on fire. The west London team hasn’t lost three games in a row without going to overtime in 20 years, and this one was definitely deserved.
Potter faces a huge challenge in turning around a team that often came in second. Armando Broja was kept quiet upfront because Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher were unable to support him or organize any assaults, and they occasionally struggled to handle the pressure from Newcastle. At the back, players like Kalidou Koulibaly and Cesar Azpilicueta looked completely unworthy of a spot in the starting XI and were completely exposed.
The Performing Side:
Joe Willock: In the first half, Willock faced off against Cesar Azpilicueta and displayed some threat; nevertheless, it was in the second half that he scored the decisive goal. The 23-year-spectacular old’s goal, which followed his score against Southampton the week before, was his second in as many games. It was a well-deserved award for his contribution to Newcastle’s high press, which shook the guests the entire time.
Reece James: Oh, how Chelsea misses this person! Azpilicueta was exposed throughout the game, while Conor Gallagher struggled to get things going in attack due to some bad decision-making, giving the Blues an overall weak right side. This game was impacted by the injured right absence, back’s highlighting how crucial he is to Graham Potter’s squad.
The Losing Side:
Cesar Azpilicueta: In this encounter, the veteran Spanish player occasionally appeared to be out of his element as the Magpies put him under pressure by attacking down their left wing. He was too slow and readily exposed, so Potter had no choice but to substitute Christian Pulisic for him at the break. In the near future, the Blues coach will be eager to replace the club captain.
Kalidou Koulibaly: Despite having a strong first half, the centre-back had another underwhelming performance. He was terrible because he did nothing to stop Miguel Almiron from running in front of Chelsea’s goal. The center-back made it simple for the attacker by making a feeble effort to stop him before Willock pounced and fired from the edge of the box past Mendy. Koulibaly frequently took too long to respond, which led to him being flagged late for a pointless foul.
Graham Potter: The Chelsea manager faces a challenging task and is beginning to realize how much work needs to be done to turn this squad around. His team was completely suffocated in this game and finished in second place the entire time. The Blues have now suffered three straight losses, and if the coach can’t turn things around quickly, they risk slipping further away from a European spot.
The Defensive Side:
Edouard Mendy: He made a few saves to keep the home team at bay, but once again, his distribution was poor.
Cesar Azpilicueta: When Newcastle attacked down his side, Cesar Azpilicueta struggled and was useless in possession because he kept passing the ball backward. came off at the half.
Trevoh Chalobah: Chalobah was equally irritating with the ball because he kept passing it back to Mendy rather than trying to create something for his team.
Kalidou Koulibaly: Had a strong start, making some crucial interventions, but his flaws became apparent halfway through the first half, putting the Blues in peril as Newcastle’s intensity increased in the second half. In the goal against Miguel Almiron, he ought to have performed better.
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