Chelsea booed off as Elanga brings blues back to the Bridge
ONLY GOAL: Nottingham Forest's Anthony Elanga (2nd from right) scores their side's winner at Stamford Bridge, London. Pic: PA wire
OVER A BILLION Euros spent in the past year and Chelsea look no closer to challenging for trophies than they did in a disastrous last season, as Anthony Elanga gave Nottingham Forest their first victory at Stamford Bridge for 28 years.
This was Chelsea's second defeat in four league games under Mauricio Pochettino, and was a return to the dark days of last season, when teams with far fewer resources would come to Stamford Bridge confident of picking up points.
There was booing at the final whistle, some for the officials but also for a Chelsea side that have yet to show the star quality that should come with the sort of astronomic spending undertaken by Todd Boehly and Behdad Egbahli.
For Steve Cooper, though, this was a superb result and well deserved. Forest defended like lions when under pressure, and took their one clear chance clinically.
They had given as good as they got, and had two of the best chances to break the deadlock in the first half, both falling to Taiwo Awoniyi, who volleyed over and wide from close range amid chaotic scenes in the Chelsea penalty area.
The Blues found their best routes towards goal from the flanks, with Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell firing in dangerous crosses, but Nicolas Jackson was unable to convert, and the striker was subsequently booked for waving an imaginary yellow card when fouled by Ola Aina. Referee Tim Robinson had no alternative under new guidelines but to book Jackson for unsporting conduct.
Enzo Fernandes, finally playing the number eight role that matches his squad number, fired a couple of shots over the bar and straight at Matt Turner, the Forest goalkeeper who was rarely stretched before the break.
Forest, even without the departed Brennan Johnson who was sold to Spurs on Friday, looked dangerous on the break but suffered a blow when Danilo pulled up with what appeared to be a hamstring injury and had to be replaced by Elanga, signed from Manchester United last week.
And the Swedish winger soon made the breakthrough with his first goal for the club, three minutes after the break. Moises Caiedo, Chelsea's record signing, gave the ball away in the centre circle and Forest broke quickly. Awoniyi played a precision pass through the legs of Thiago Silva and Elanga ran on, held off the attention of two defenders, and coolly slotted the ball past Robert Sanchez into the corner of goal.
Forest's noisy band of fans celebrated, just as they had done towards the end of last season when a well-deserved 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge effectively confirmed their Premier League survival.
Now they are looking to build on that first season and thrive rather than simply survive, and Steve Cooper has a well-drilled unit.
Forest had other chances to score, with Awoniyi wasting a good opening on the break before being replaced by Chris Wood. But mostly Forest were content to soak up Chelsea's pressure, and defended superbly, with captain Joe Worrall leading by example.
Even when Pochettino sent on his latest signing Cole Palmer, another expensive acquisition from Manchester City on Friday, Chelsea struggled to create clear openings. Sterling raced to the byline to cut back for Jackson, but the Senegal striker spooned his shot over the bar horribly from less than five yards.
And when, deep in stoppage time, Sterling shot wide of the far post, and then missed his kick completely a minute later, it summed up a bad day at the office for the Blues. “What a waste of money,” Forest’s fans sang mockingly – and they had a point.
Sanchez 6; Disasi 6, Silva 6, Colwill 6; Gusto 6, Caicedo 5, Fernandes 6, Gallagher 7, Chilwell 6; Sterling 6, Jackson 5Â
Turner 7; Aurier 7, Worrall 9, Boly 8, McKenna 6; Danilo 6 (Elanga 45+1), Mangala 6, Yates 7, Gibbs-White 7, Aina 7; Awoniyi 7Â
Tim Robinson
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