Chelsea were held to a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge by Nottingham Forest last weekend. Forest have beaten Liverpool at Anfield this season and this is the second time they have knocked points off a top-six club. The match could’ve gone either way and with some late scuffle, the intensity of the content went through the roof. Robert Sanchez and Matz Sels both the goalkeepers put up exceptional performances. Chelsea would be disappointed; they could’ve won it after Forest went down to 10 men. With the next four league fixtures against Liverpool, Newcastle United, Manchester United, and Arsenal, Maresca and his team are up for a real test. To add to their misery, Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana won’t be available at Anfield.
After the match ended in a draw, Robert Sanchez and Enzo Maresca talked about the game. The manager and the goalkeeper had similar things to say. Both were happy with Chelsea at fourth on the table but prioritized something else. They emphasized that implementing the ideas of the manager is more important for now. Robert also talked about Cucurella and Fofana’s suspension.
The game against Forest
The 26-year-old Spanish keeper was instrumental in securing a point at the Bridge this weekend. He made eight saves in the match but the two saves at the end were stunning. The first half had it’s moments but ended goalless. In the second half, Chris Wood scored the first goal of the contest. The 32-year-old Kiwi has bagged his fourth goal in the league this season and put Forest in the lead. The lead lasted just eight minutes as Noni Madueke equalized in the fifty-seventh minute, thanks to a Cole Palmer assist.
The game went on and in the seventy-eighth minute, James Ward Prowse got a second yellow and left his team down to 10 men. Chelsea threw the kitchen sink at it. Maresca sent in attackers and tried to overwhelm the outnumbered Forest. But the visitors held on to it. They showed great resistance, but it was the two goalkeepers who starred throughout. Sanchez made big saves late in the game to keep Chelsea alive, but Joao Felix and Christopher Nkunku should’ve done better with the chances they got.
Chelsea had most of the ball and took more than twenty shots but could not beat Forest. Not to forget that this Nottingham team also beat Liverpool at Anfield with the same low block. Yes, Fans, players, and coaches would’ve loved to get a late winner, but the process cannot be rushed.
Robert Sanchez and Enzo Maresca after the game
Robert Sanchez was happy he could deliver whenever called upon in the game. He was also satisfied that Chelsea are placed fourth after seven games in the league. There seems to be a belief amongst fans that they could get a Champions League spot if all goes well.
The Goalkeeper however was critical of his teammates, Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana. He said that they should stop talking to the ref. A very simple advice. Cucurella getting the yellow card was a bit harsh, it was him who got pushed and both he and the offender got the same treatment by the referee.
Enzo Maresca also looked all right. He did say that he would have liked to win the game considering the opposition played with one man less for the last twenty-odd minutes. The manager just like his goalkeeper is pleased to be fourth in the league but said that this season is not about finishing in the top four or anything like that. This season is about developing the chemistry and getting used to the manager’s system. With a tough stretch of fixtures coming up and their cup game against Newcastle also around the corner, many tests await Enzo Maresca and Chelsea.
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