28 September 2024
Chelsea 4 Brighton 2
Chelsea welcomed unbeaten Brighton to Stamford Bridge as the capital enjoyed some autumn sunshine. It has been some time since The Blues’ fans had felt their future was bright but things were looking up since that opening day defeat to Man City. That said, their unbeaten run had come against sides who any decent team would be expecting maximum points from.
The opening goal of the game was all Chelsea’s own doing. At times they look like they are studying at the same school of comedy as Man Utd. On this occasion they failed to clear their lines, Sanchez came for a ball he had no right to claiming and Rutter headed the ball into an empty net. On this form, the only trophy they would be challenging for this season was a BAFTA although Erik ten Hag also has his eye set on it.
Brighton grew in confidence and piled forward once again. Baleba ghosted through the middle of the park before laying the ball into the path of Welbeck, wide in the box. His drilled cross took a deflection off a Chelsea defender and was clawed out of the goal by Sanchez. At this point you wondered whether the hosts’ black armbands were a mark of remembrance for the side they once were.
The one shining light in this Chelsea squad is Cole Palmer. As a ball was played into him, his control was sublime, taking it seamlessly into his path before clipping it past Verbruggen. Sadly for the forward his shot came back off the post. It was an early warning for The Seagulls that you can not afford to give this guy any space or time on the ball.
As a ball was played over the top, Palmer ran clean through on goal. This time he slotted it past the Brighton keeper but the assistant’s flag immediately went up for offside. Webster then underhit a woeful pass back to his keeper. Jackson accepted the gift and squared it to Palmer who stroked it into the back of the net to get Chelsea back on level terms.
Chelsea were exploiting Brighton’s high-line well. Jackson burst through and crossed for Sancho to slot home but the goal was ruled out for offside. The winger got his revenge moments later as he drove into the box and was bundled over for a penalty. Palmer stepped up and slotted it into the bottom corner to give The Blues’ the lead in the game for the first time.
Maresca’s side then won a free kick some twenty-five yards out. Palmer stepped up and curled the ball into the top corner of the goal with Verbruggen only able to get fingertips to it. The Chelsea attacker had notched a hat-trick in just ten minutes of football. Letting him leave The Etihad for such a small figure seems to be a huge mistake by Pep Guardiola.
Just as things were starting to look comfortable for Chelsea, the clown troop interjected once again. Sanchez played the ball straight to Baleba in the box and the Brighton midfielder accepted the gift gratefully as he stroked it into the back of the net. You wonder who the defensive coach at Stamford Bridge is but would not be surprised if it was the last remaining Chuckle Brother.
Fabian Hurzeler’s side almost got themselves back on level terms when Baleba struck a shot from just outside the box. This time Sanchez got down well to keep the effort out. Moments later Chelsea exploited that high line again as Madueke ran through on goal. Sadly for the hosts he dragged his shot wide of the near post.
Chelsea fans did not have much time to dwell on that as Palmer bagged his fourth before the break. Verbruggen gifted a pass to Fernandez who played it out wide to Sancho. His pass picked out the former Man City youngster, who stroked it past the keeper to make fantasy league managers up and down the country purr. Those who captained him were reaping the rewards.
The visitors’ defending was dreadful at Stamford Bridge. For starters, this high-line was proving to be suicidal against any team with some pace up top. Add to that their playing out from the back. Stray passes gifting the ball to their opponents was hard to watch. Jackson almost added a fifth straight after the interval but Verbruggen managed to keep the shot out.
Palmer then clipped a ball over the top and Jackson controlled it and took it around the keeper all in one movement. His attempt at putting it into the empty net was cleared off the line by Webster. This is the difference between their striker and the four-goal man. Even with an open goal to aim for, you would never wager your house on the Senegal forward scoring.
That said, Verbruggen then gifted the ball to Caicedo who fed Palmer. With only the keeper to beat, he put his shot wide of the goal. Moments later Fernandez fed the ball into Jackson but once again he shanked his effort wide of the goal. If Nicolas Jackson had been the shooter at the Grassy Knoll, JFK would be 107 years old now.
Chelsea held on for all three points although the visitors offered very little in an attacking sense in the second half. Hurzeler may need to reconsider this high-line he plays as few of his defenders are quick enough to get back and cover their own goal. Cole Palmer is the ultimate Instagram filter as he has been making The Blues look good since 2023.
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