There are those who believe Chelsea is a fluke, and they may be right. The ‘blues’ marked a trip into the past, particularly last season, which proved their third consecutive defeat and, the last one, for Ipswich Town to achieve their first Premier League victory at home (2 -0).
Enzo Maresca may have been bold in his approach, confident of facing one of the worst teams in the championship. He left Robert Sánchez on the bench, who had just had good performances, and chose Jorgensen, in addition to the surprise by bringing on Joao Félix, who left some flashes but was indecisive another night, and Disasi on the right lane for Malo Gusto.
| Pos | eq | Pts | Q | v | AND | d |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 35 | 19 | 10 | 5 | 4 | |
| 18 |
|
15 | 19 | 3 | 6 | 10 |
See the full classification
The truth is that the game did not start well. It was too easy for Ipswich to get past Disasi, who was terrible again, and the former Villarreal goalkeeper made a debatable penalty on Delap, who was the author of the conversion after VAR did not correct the decision (12′).
Chelsea were soon rowing against the tide and had to deal with a more defensive approach from their rivals once they took the initiative. And it would have been bigger if not for Jorgensen and his save on Delap on the next play. Once again Chelsea seemed to rely on Palmer, the most talented, but this time the sticks denied him to shine. One in the first half after a foul was taken with venom and another before the break, also a credit to goalkeeper Walton who deflected the ball well enough.
Another standout, albeit in dribs and drabs, at Chelsea is Joao Félix. A goal was disallowed for offside related to Palmer and he was active between the lines, but his involvement was diluted until he was substituted in the early stages of the second half. Ipswich did not feel comfortable, as they were more dangerous when they came on the move. The right ‘blue’ wing is not working. Madueke was unsteady and Disasi was honest with his usual mistake to trigger the second, Hutchinson’s work after moving behind Delap, the best by far (53′).
It was not the day for the people of Maresca either. The Italian started a carousel of changes that involved the introduction of gunpowder with Jackson, Jadon Sancho and Neto to refresh the attack, but it was almost useless. There was a lack of fluidity and bite in Chelsea’s attacks, which from the last 9 points added only 1, with Liverpool moving further away.
match lineup
28
26
3
12
6
24
7
5
19
20
33
12
2
3
25
4
6
11
8
18
20
14
Portman Road
Philip Jørgensen12
31′
Axel Disasi2
76′
87′
Marc Cucurella3
76′
Moisés Caicedo25
66′
Tosin Adarabioyo4
Levi Colwill6
87′
85′
Noni Madueke11
76′
Enzo Fernandez8
94′
11′
82′
93′
Christopher Nkunku18
64′
52′
93′
Cole Palmer20
76′
João Felix14
23′
54′
Replacements
Robert Sanchez1
85′
Reece James24
Bad Taste27
76′
87′
76′
Josh Acheampong34
93′
Renato Veiga40
76′
Pedro Neto7
76′
Nicolas Jackson15
54′
93′
Jadon Sancho19
64′
Marc Guiu38
coach
Kieran McKenna
Enzo Maresca
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
