Wolves moved degree on factors with Chelsea with an entertaining however error-strewn 2-1 win at Molineux on Christmas Eve.
Mario Lemina’s header early within the second half put Gary O’Neil’s group in entrance and substitute Matt Doherty doubled the benefit in stoppage time. Christopher Nkunku scored his first Chelsea objective quickly after however it was not sufficient for Mauricio Pochettino’s facet.
Chelsea had possibilities. Raheem Sterling missed the most effective likelihood of the primary half when one-on-one in opposition to Jose Sa. But it surely was a chaotic efficiency, brief on fashion or construction. They’ve now misplaced 19 Premier League video games in 2023. No group has misplaced extra.
They continue to be tenth within the desk. Wolves transfer as much as eleventh.
Pochettino stated: “We made a mistake, we have to blame ourselves. That is why we did not win right now, as a result of within the first half we had the probabilities to attain. Within the Premier League in the event you’re not scientific sufficient when you may have possibilities, all the time you’ll be able to concede.
“We did not compete within the first 5 minutes of the second half, we conceded too many corners. In these moments it is about competing higher and being stronger.
“I agree we’re our personal enemy. I do not need to take credit score away from Wolves. They scored and so they did their job. However within the first half we had been the higher facet. And due to lack of capability to attain, we did not win the sport.”
Participant scores
Wolves: Sa (7), Kilman (6), Dawson (7), Toti (7), Semedo (6), Lemina (8), Gomes (8), Ait-Nouri (7), Sarabia (6), Cunha (6), Hwang (7).
Subs: S.Bueno (6), Doyle (6), H.Bueno (7), Doherty (7).
Chelsea: Petrovic (6), Gusto (6), Disasi (6), Thiago Silva (5), Colwill (6), Ugochukwu (6), Gallagher (6), Sterling (6), Palmer (6), Jackson (4), Broja (5).
Subs: Nkunku (7), Mudryk (6), Maatsen (6), Madueke (7), Badiashile (5).
Participant of the match: Mario Lemina.
How Wolves received it
Pochettino went with Armando Broja up entrance with Nicolas Jackson for firm and Sterling in frequent help and the trio triggered loads of issues proper from the beginning however couldn’t get the objective within the first half. All will fancy they need to have scored.
Broja dallied over his likelihood, Jackson failed to regulate and when Sterling went clear by means of on objective he might solely discover the legs of Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa. It was an enormous alternative, gifted him by Joao Gomes’ poor contact when put in bother by Sa’s move.
Workforce information
Gary O’Neil made two adjustments to the Wolves group overwhelmed at West Ham. Jose Sa returned in objective, whereas Rayan Ait-Nouri was match to start out with Jean-Ricner Bellegarde dropping out.
Christopher Nkunku needed to await his first Premier League begin as Armando Broja was given the nod up entrance for Chelsea. Lesley Ugochukwu got here into midfield.
With Chelsea committing our bodies to their assaults, Wolves had been by no means snug however did have openings of their very own. A Lemina shot was blocked by Hee-Chan Hwang and the South Korean ought to have completed higher himself when put by means of by Pablo Sarabia.
Hints of high quality, moments of wastefulness and a whiff of self-destruction within the air, it was straightforward to see why these two groups have had combined outcomes this season. But it surely was Chelsea who began the second half significantly poorly, Thiago Silva’s error nearly resulting in a objective.
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Mario Lemina headed Wolves into the lead in opposition to Chelsea
The objective did come when Lemina headed in Sarabia’s right-wing nook. The midfielder didn’t want to leap, simply guiding the ball into the nook. Wolves actually took it to Chelsea for some time. Hwang taking place within the field, Lemina forcing one other save from Djordje Petrovic.
However the residence group supplied hope to Chelsea with errors of their very own. Jackson discovered house between two defenders and was by means of however tumbled down. Christopher Nkunku got here on and had an opportunity nearly instantly, Toti clearing his shot off the road.
Pochettino was taking part in 5 forwards by that stage, pushing laborious for the equaliser. Craig Dawson managed to dam Sterling’s shot however injured his knee within the course of. Wolves defended deeper and deeper, Chelsea throwing all the pieces, however it was disorganised.
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Matt Doherty slid within the second for Wolves in opposition to Chelsea late on
The chaos was summed up when Hwang was left on the midway line alone, each Chelsea outfield participant having gone up, however Sa couldn’t discover him. Wolves did seem to seal it when Doherty latched onto Benoit Badiashile’s weak clearance. However there was nonetheless drama.
Nkunku, on instead, nodded in unmarked from Sterling’s cross and arrange a nervy end. That may have been harsh on a spirited Wolves facet however they held on. Chelsea had been overwhelmed once more, a fourth away defeat in a row. And no signal of an finish to the malaise.
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Christopher Nkunku pulled one again along with his first Chelsea objective
Pochettino defends Jackson’s type
“We really feel very disenchanted as a result of I feel we deserve far more,” Pochettino informed Sky Sports activities. “This competitors wounds you if you end up not scientific sufficient. We created possibilities. That’s the reason it’s so disappointing. We conceded after a number of corners.
“We have to rating if we need to win the video games. We’re very disenchanted. Generally we now have to maintain a clear sheet if we can not rating. We conceded too many corners. We have to hold going and pushing. Younger groups be taught from this form of sport.”
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Mauricio Pochettino says his group obtained punished for not being scientific at Wolves
Talking within the press convention afterwards, Pochettino addressed the ironic cheers that the Chelsea supporters geared toward Jackson when he was withdrawn within the second half. “I didn’t hear the followers,” he stated, earlier than happening to defend the striker’s type.
“It’s the way you handle expectations, the way you set expectations. For those who evaluate Jackson to others his age who arrive in a brand new league, he’s scoring targets. We can not blame him. We have to play extra collectively as a result of it’s a group sport. We can not blame just one. He’s younger, first season within the Premier League and expectation is very large at Chelsea.”
When it was put to Pochettino that his group have missed extra large possibilities than some other group, he added: “It’s troublesome as a result of all the time we speak about creating possibilities, placing your gamers in the most effective scenario to attain. That’s the reason we’re pissed off. It isn’t a straightforward factor to handle. It’s about time, serving to the gamers to be extra scientific in entrance of objective. As a result of they’ve the capability. That’s the reason they’re right here.”
O’Neil’s techniques assist Wolves to win
Lemina informed Sky Sports activities after his player-of-the-match efficiency that O’Neil’s tactical adjustments helped Wolves to fight Chelsea. Curiously, the primary of these didn’t occur at half-time however quarter-hour into the match when Rayan Ait-Nouri went down.
“It labored very well,” stated Lemina. Asking O’Neil about that within the press convention afterwards, the Wolves boss elaborated. “It was a possibility to tweak a number of issues. Chelsea have used a number of methods and it was one which we had not prepped for.”
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Gary O’Neil believes his group’s 2-1 win in opposition to Chelsea was deserved
He added: “I might see within the first 12 to fifteen minutes it was going to trigger us one or two issues tactically. I used to be capable of transfer a number of issues round when Rayan went down that helped us. I used to be capable of put a bit extra element on it at half-time.
“The lads took it very well as a result of it may be laborious to take it on shortly with a Premier League sport happening. After the primary quarter-hour, the construction was actually good off the ball. We used three or 4 totally different constructions right now which is nice.
“The lads actually struggled with that after I first got here. The group I left that I might had for some time, they had been actually good at being adaptable and I used to be capable of throw stuff on them fairly late. I might see with this group early on that it was an issue for them.
“I needed to make it extra predictable and easy however right now was not that predictable and never that easy however they handled it very well, so actually good from the lads to take it on the best way that they did.” It’s a cause for optimism that Wolves can enhance in 2024.
The match in statsOnly Almeria, Werder Bremen and Empoli have misplaced extra video games throughout the 5 large European leagues than Chelsea in 2023.Chelsea have misplaced 4 consecutive away Premier League video games for the primary time since 2000.Chelsea have missed 36 of their 57 large possibilities within the Premier League this season, greater than some other facet.Wolves have scored in 16 consecutive top-flight video games at Molineux for the primary time since 1970.What’s subsequent?
Wolves go to Brentford on Wednesday; kick-off 7.30pm. Gary O’Neil’s facet then play their remaining fixture of 2023 on December 30 at residence to Everton; kick-off 3pm.
Chelsea face a London derby on Wednesday as they host Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge; kick-off 7.30pm. The Blues’ remaining fixture of the yr comes at Kenilworth Street as they face relegation strugglers Luton on December 30; kick-off 12.30pm.