A Frustrating Night for Chelsea: Lack of Movement and Tensions Erupt
Undoubtedly, the evening was frustrating for Chelsea and their supporters, and Frank Lampard felt the same way. Chelsea’s players experienced moments of annoyance during the entire 90 minutes that went beyond the 4-1 loss.
There were obviously hints of discontent before the game slipped away. As they searched for movement from their colleagues up front, players on the ball found themselves bewildered and frequently raised their arms and heads in shock. When Mykhailo Mudryk handled the ball improperly, delaying Chelsea’s effort to test the opponent goal, Enzo Fernandez’s annoyance was evident.
Chelsea were progressively more irritated as the game went on. After Jadon Sancho made physical contact with the World Cup winner after Bruno Fernandes’ second-half penalty, Fernandez and Sancho got into a heated argument. A number of players gathered in the penalty area after Fred intervened to diffuse the incident, with Kepa Arrizabalaga serving as the mediating figure.
In retrospect, Fernandez could have felt more confident and a sense of camaraderie if more teammates had been there to encourage him. Trevoh Chalobah sought to mediate while Fofana tried to separate Fernandez and Fernandes. However, when a team is down, feelings frequently run high, giving the impression that composure has been lost.
Similar to Christian Pulisic, David De Gea unnerved him. With the goalkeeper, the American winger blocked Azpilicueta’s cross, resulting in a collision. Despite Pulisic’s obvious annoyance, De Gea responded with a push, and Victor Lindelof made sure he could not go any closer.
