1 September 2024
Chelsea 1 Crystal Palace 1
Chelsea had some confidence about them once again after hammering Wolves on the road last weekend. Crystal Palace were the visitors to Stamford Bridge, with The Eagles having a woeful record in this fixture. For all The Blues’ fans, they were sure their side were going to make it -back-to-back wins in the Premier League after their surprise defeat to minnows Servette in midweek.
Defeat for Oliver Glasner’s side would make it fourteen consecutive defeats against The Blues, an unwanted Premier League record. His side had lost both of their opening games and were hoping to give their fans something to be positive of before heading into the international break. The Stamford Bridge crowd can be demanding at the best of times and Enzo Maresca knew that also.
Chelsea started in positive fashion as Gusto played the ball into Palmer. He checked onto his left foot and looked to bend one in the far corner. Henderson was at full-stretch but The Blues’ talisman’s shot narrowly missed the far post. So close to opening the scoring for Maresca’s side. It would have topped off a perfect week for him after winning the PFA Young Player of the Year award.
Jackson then flicked a header into the path of Madueke. He ran through on goal with only the keeper to beat. Everyone in the ground expected to see the net bulge but somehow, he sliced his shot wide of the far post. He had been in fine scoring form last weekend as he scored a 14 minute hat-trick against Wolves at Molineux.
Fernandez then clipped a ball over the top of the Palace defence and Madueke met it on the volley. This time he was denied by a superb reaction save from Henderson to tip it over the bar. The Chelsea fans felt it was only a matter of time before they broke the deadlock. Crystal Palace were struggling to create anything of note at the other end of the pitch.
Guehi, who had been thought to be leaving Selhurst Park before the window closed, looked to charge forward with the ball at his feet. As he played it into Mateta, the striker lost possession and Chelsea countered. With the centre back still up the other end of the pitch, The Blues had numbers over the backtracking Palace defence.
Madueke came forward with it and threaded the ball into the path of Palmer. Such is his awareness and vision that he immediately squared it across goal for Jackson to have the easiest of tap-ins at the back post. Stamford Bridge erupted as they finally opened the scoring. It was no more than their first-half performance had deserved, if not more.
Into the second-half and Palmer was bundled over just outside the box by Hughes. The Chelsea players were demanding that he be shown a second yellow card but the referee was not having any of it. As the former Man City player stepped up to hit the free kick, only a strong hand from Henderson was able to deny him as he tipped it over the bar.
Crystal Palace ventured forward in a rare attack. Caicedo put in a clumsy challenge and gave away a free kick. As the ball was lifted into the box, The Blues managed to half-clear it but the visitors recycled it well. When the ball finally broke to Eze outside the box, he curled his shot into the far corner with Sanchez well beaten.
After the goal, Oliver Glasner’s side grew in confidence. Kamada was the next player to fire a shot in at goal but it was awkwardly punched away from Sanchez. It is always weird when you see a keeper fist away a shot hit straight at him at waist height. All the Chelsea fans were concerned with was keeping it out of the goal at this stage.
The Eagles had taken control of the second half and really dictated play. Chelsea looked a shadow of the side who had dominated before the interval. The game was finely poised but you had a feeling that this game was not going to end up in a stalemate. That is a result that never seemed to happen in this fixture and neither team was giving up in their search of a winner.
Maresca’s side managed to carve out a couple of chances, both falling to Jackson. His first effort saw him slice a shot wide of the goal when he really should have been working Henderson. Then the ball was played over the defence and the striker was one on one with the Palace keeper. This time The Eagles’ keeper made a good block to deny Chelsea a winner.
The points were shared at Stamford Bridge and it was a positive result for Oliver Glasner. The point was enough to keep them clear of the relegation places. Chelsea fans booed their players at the full-time whistle. Welcome to West London. You wonder when or if this side will ever ‘click’ but if they cannot clinch Champions League qualification this season, how patient the hierarchy will be with the manager.
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