Chelsea pay price for horrendous late miss as Anthony Elanga ends 28-year wait
Anthony Elanga gave Nottingham Forest their first win at Stamford Bridge in 28 years as Nicolas Jackson missed a golden late opportunity to earn Chelsea a point.
Elanga, who was only introduced in first-half stoppage time, fired the visitors ahead early in the second half after some sloppy play from Conor Gallagher and Moises Caicedo. But when Raheem Sterling ’s cutback fell kindly to Jackson late on, he somehow saw his effort clip the bar on its way over from just three yards.
Quite how he contrived to miss, only he will know. But the fact he did saw the Blues slip to their second defeat of the season with only one win against whipping boys Luton and a decent point against Liverpool to show for their opening four games.
It had all looked so positive after that clash with the Reds in Mauricio Pochettino’s first game in charge. Seemingly, the Argentinian had brought some much-needed blue skies with him after the bleak cloud that hovered over these parts throughout the last campaign.
But defeats to Forest and, a fortnight ago West Ham, two teams who only just escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth last season, was not the kind of start anyone associated with the club was looking for.
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Certainly not when they’d added 13 more players during the transfer window, Cole Palmer from Manchester City for £45million the last of them before it closed on Friday. Todd Boehly and his fellow owners have now spent more than £1billion on players since taking over in May 22.
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Nicolas Jackson somehow managed to miss from this position to cost Chelsea against Nottingham ForestYet little has changed and there was frustration all round the ground — the Forest section aside, of course — as boos greeted referee Tim Robinson’s final whistle. Forest themselves signed 13 players during this window, including seven on deadline day.
Only one of the late acquisitions, Nuno Tavares on loan from Arsenal, was registered in time for this game and, in fairness, in a dismal first half, both teams looked like they needed time to get to know each other.
Both sides lacked zip and creativity, and Forest’s best chance was blazed over by Taiwo Awoniyi after Morgan Gibbs-White’s free-kick bobbled into his path, while Raheem Sterling’s shot was blocked by the impressive Worrall.
They can make as many signings as they want but few more players are or will be as important to boss Steve Cooper than his captain. Forest took the lead straight after the break when Chelsea midfielders Gallagher and Caicedo both got in a muddle.
Orel Mangala stole the ball and passed it to Awoniyi, who in turn slipped the ball through Thiago Silva’s legs into the path of Elanga, for whom Forest paid £15m in July. He held his nerve and finished cooly past Robert Sanchez in the Chelsea goal.
Palmer’s introduction brought a little life to Chelsea, for a few minutes at least, and soon after, Sterling got to the byline and then pulled the ball back for Jackson.
The Senegal international was stretching but still had the goal at his mercy, and somehow he managed to miss the target, leaving Chelsea fans facing two weeks to stew on a poor, poor result.
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