- Bakary Sako puts Crystal Palace ahead host moments after clearing off the line at the other end
- Falcao equalises 14 minutes later with a header from a Pedro cross
- But Joel Ward makes it 2-1 to visitors just moments later to put Palace back ahead
- Champions Chelsea fall eight points behind leaders Manchester City after just four games
The internet was awash with advice and mock sympathy for Jose Mourinho on Saturday night. His thwarted quest for a centre-back and his club’s unexpected re-acquaintance with ordinariness were both the subjects of enough mirth to fuel the Chelsea manager’s conspiracy theories for months to come.
Everton fans, still glorying in their club’s rejection of Chelsea’s overtures to John Stones, said it was such a pity that Mourinho had missed out on Jonny Evans. Liverpool fans, fresh from their loss to West Ham, were quick to offer him Dejan Lovren. West Brom supporters chastised him for being beaten to the punch by Aston Villa for Joleon Lescott.
Everybody likes it when a big club fail to get their own way. Everybody likes it when money fails to talk. And everybody likes it when the champions show a little fallibility. Chelsea have four points from their first four games and are already eight points behind Manchester City. ‘In another league, I would say “game over”,’ Mourinho said.
MATCH FACTS, MATCH ZONE, PLAYER RATINGS AND LEAGUE TABLE
Chelsea: Courtois 6; Ivanovic 4, Zouma 6, Cahill 5, Azpilicueta 4(Kenedy 6); Fabregas 5, Matic 5(Loftus Cheek 5); Pedro 7, Hazard 6, Willian 6(Falcao 6); Diego Costa 5
- Subs not used: Begovic, Baba, Mikel, Remy
- Booked: Cahill
- Goal: Falcao 79
Crystal Palace: McCarthy 7; Ward 7, Dann 7, Delaney 7, Souare 6; Puncheon 7, Cabaye 6, McArthur 6, Zaha 5(Bolasie 7); Wickham 5, Sako 8
- Subs: Mariappa, Hennessey, Gayle, Mutc
- Booked: Cabaye
- Goals: Sako 65, Ward 81
It was scant consolation but in this ignominious home defeat by Crystal Palace on Saturday, his team, obedient to the last, had at least provided irrefutable proof of why Mourinho was so desperate to sign Stones.
Chelsea’s defence, which has conceded nine goals in four games, was ripped to pieces by a man-of-the-match performance by Bakary Sako, a close-season free transfer from Wolves. There were times in the second half when they were reduced to a rabble.
Before Saturday, Mourinho had lost only one of his 99 league games at the Bridge. Now it is two out of 100. On this showing, he will be desperate to draft his suspended captain, John Terry, back into his team after the international break.
Then again, he may decide that desperate times require desperate remedies. Chelsea need to strengthen their back four, although on Saturday the most glaring problems appeared at full-back, where Branislav Ivanovic, once again, looked horribly vulnerable.
Mourinho said he was angry with himself for allowing one of his players to stay on the pitch for 90 minutes because he had played so badly. He said the player in question only survived because he had already used his three substitutes. He would not name names but the smart money was on Ivanovic.
If Chelsea really have given up on Stones, they need to look elsewhere. Quickly. Mourinho suggested that was unlikely and that he was happy with the central defensive performances of Kurt Zouma and Gary Cahill.
But the back four’s defending for Palace’s second goal, in particular, was shambolic.
Stones, playing for Everton in north London on Saturday, rather than for Chelsea in west London, dominated the day even though he was not here. Chelsea found themselves under attack even before the game started.
Everton boss Roberto Martinez criticised their pursuit of Stones and said that Everton stood for ‘more important values’.
For many, it is a source of encouragement that a less affluent club like Everton have resisted Chelsea’s attempts to buy the central defender and have, in their own way, stood up to the might of the Premier League’s fabulously rich.
At the same time, it is hard to see why Chelsea are being vilified for trying to sign a player they think will strengthen their team. Transfers happen. Players move up the food chain. Everton plucked Stones from Barnsley two years ago, now Chelsea are trying to buy him from them.
There is certainly no need for Everton fans to make Stones fear for his safety. Chelsea made three bids for him, as is their right. Everton turned them down, as is their right. End of story.
When the game began, Chelsea took their time to mount an attack of their own. It was the 20th minute before Pedro cut in from the right and whipped in a curling left-foot shot that whistled just wide.
Now, suddenly, the game erupted. Diego Costa was singled out for rough treatment by Scott Dann and, as is his custom, responded in kind. After Costa was bundled over by the touchline, Mourinho berated the fourth official for his inaction.
Zouma had a penalty appeal turned down when it appeared his shirt had been pulled as he leapt for a corner but Palace reminded their hosts that they posed a danger, too, when Thibaut Courtois had to save a fierce shot by Sako with his legs.
Chelsea’s problems are not just in defence. They are also lacking creativity and it was Palace who fashioned the best chance of the half when Wilfried Zaha turned beautifully past Nemanja Matic and rolled the ball into the path of Yohan Cabaye. He should have scored but he shot too close to Courtois and too tamely. It was a simple save for the Belgian keeper and a let-off for Mourinho and his team.
They finally posed a threat a few minutes before half-time when Costa lashed in a cross-shot that Alex McCarthy could only push back out. Cesc Fabregas was waiting to meet it and struck the follow-up cleanly but McCarthy was equal to it. He scrambled across his goal and blocked the ball with his right hand before it was hacked away.
Palace emerged the stronger after the break. Capitalising on the continuing uncertainty of Ivanovic, Sako waltzed past him and cut back a cross that Connor Wickham miskicked.
Palace manager Alan Pardew had pulled on an overcoat at half-time but now, midway through the half, the game began to heat up and after Sako had headed off the line from Cahill, he went up to the other end and put Palace ahead.
Pape Souare played the ball down the line to substitute Yannick Bolasie, who cut the ball back into the path of Sako. His first effort was blocked by Cesar Azpilicueta but it fell kindly to him and he slotted it home, high past Courtois. Pardew took his coat off again and rolled up his sleeves.
Palace should have gone further ahead when the rampaging Sako delivered a perfect cross into the path of Bolasie, but he sliced his shot high and wide.
Chelsea seized on their reprieve and forced an equaliser in the 79th minutes. Pedro curled in a beautiful cross from the right, hit with pace and precision, and substitute Radamel Falcao flung himself at it at the near post, guiding it past McCarthy.
A few seconds later, Bolasie made amends for his earlier miss when he picked out Sako unmarked at the back post. Sako turned the ball back into the path of Joel Ward, who swept it into the net. The Palace fans erupted in disbelieving joy, the Chelsea fans yelled out their dismay.
Mourinho suggested after the game that it was too late to strengthen his team now. A hint of irritation crept into his voice when he said he had submitted his plans for the new season last April and that now it was the end of August.
He suggested Chelsea would have to fight with what they have got. Their plight is unlikely to elicit anything other than another barrage of that mock sympathy.
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EA
SPORTS DISTANCE STATS
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MINS
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KM
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MILES
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Chelsea
|
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111.3
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69.2
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Cesc Fabregas
|
90
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11.9
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7.4
|
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Pedro
|
90
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11.0
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6.8
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Eden Hazard
|
90
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10.8
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6.7
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Crystal Palace
|
|
113.1
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70.3
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James McArthur
|
90
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11.8
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7.2
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Connor Wickham
|
90
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11.6
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7.2
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Jason Puncheon
|
90
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11.5
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7.1
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Data courtesy of the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, the Official
Player Rating Index of the Barclays Premier League
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