8 months ago
66
SO much for dismal Chelsea turning the corner.
Thursday’s sensational 4-3 win over Manchester United was heralded as the start of a new dawn.
PA
ReutersIf that was supposed to be the turning point for Mauricio Pochettino, we’re not far off being back at breaking point.
Failing to beat whipping boys Sheffield United provides just the latest contender for the lowest point of this horrendous campaign.
Noni Madueke looked to have secured the most unconvincing of wins with 25 minutes remaining.
Three points off Manchester United with a game in hand, Chelsea suddenly looked like the best bet to bag sixth and the most unlikely of Europa League spots.
But the Blues got exactly what they deserved with Oli McBurnie bagging a last-gasp equaliser to leave Poch shellshocked.
There can be no complaints however following this horrorshow.
Sheffield United have now conceded the most home goals in Prem history yet the West Londoners mustered a measly three shots on target and continued to look a rabble at the back.
Pochettino made three changes following the win over ManUnited, handing starts to Trevoh Chalobah, Thiago Silva and Madueke.
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It was 39-year-old Silva’s first sighting in nearly two months, and the veteran centre-back took advantage of typically atrocious Sheffield United defending to put Chelsea ahead 11 minutes in.
Gallagher swung a corner in from the right and the Brazilian advanced on the penalty spot completely unchecked before sweeping into the bottom corner.
Before today the Blades had become the first top-flight side to concede 80 goals in their first 30 matches in a season since 1964, with this the 46th goal shipped at home during this miserable campaign.
With empty seats all around Bramall Lane and those inside eerily quiet, the locals have long given up on their sorry side staging a late great escape.
Yet with the stage set for Chelsea to win at a canter, the Jekyll and Hyde Blues resorted to type and allowed the hosts back into it.
Ben Brereton Diaz and Gustavo Hamer went close before the latter played a beautiful ball in behind the dawdling Marc Cucerella to Jayden Bogle.
Dorde Petrovic expected the cross so committed to his right just the wing-back played it towards the near post, with the ball deflecting off the keeper’s left leg and in.
PA
GettyIt’s now 12 games and six months since Chelsea kept a Prem clean sheet on the road.
What started so well ended in a desperately poor first half for Poch’s boys, who bossed possession but did diddly squat with it.
The Blades were the better side – words barely uttered in south Yorkshire this term.
And the hosts were inches away from taking the lead at the start of the second when Oli McBurnie outmuscled Chalobah but nodded Diaz’s cross wide.
The excellent Hamer was next, lashing a 20-yard rocket just the wrong side of Petrovic’s near post.
Getty
GettyChelsea were riding their luck now, shaky at the back and offering nothing up going forward.
Cole Palmer started brightly but rapidly faded while Nicolas Jackson was once again anonymous.
They finally mustered a decent opening with 25 minutes remaining, only for Madueke to lash miles over from the edge of the box.
A minute later though and the young winger put the unconvincing visitors back ahead.
Picking it up on the right, Madueke drove into the area and skipped past Auston Trusty with ease before letting fly off his left peg, with Blades keeper making a hash of it by diving to his right as the ball nestled in the middle of the net.
AFP
ReutersTwo shots on target and two goals, with Palmer then forcing Grbic to palm over from distance.
And they looked like they would just about hold on until they failed to deal with some aerial bombardment at the death, with McBurnie getting on the end of Hamer’s knockdown to send Bramall Lane wild in the dying moments.
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