Maresca is gone but red cards are still hurting Chelsea

Liam Rosenior will not fondly remember the start of his tenure on Chelsea’s bench.

Just one day after he was officially appointed, the reigning world club champions were beaten away at Fulham (2–1).

Follow our WhatsApp channel for more news

The 41-year-old Englishman did not coach the match (he made that decision because he had not yet managed to conduct a single training session with the team), but he was in the stands at Craven Cottage and was therefore able to identify Chelsea’s main problem this season up close – indiscipline, which once again came to the fore.

And it proved costly for the team from Stamford Bridge.

Indiscipline was embodied in red cards, as this time Mark Cucurella was sent off midway through the first half, leaving the team to play with ten men for about seventy minutes against a rampant opponent who knew how to exploit the numerical advantage and continue their run of excellent results.

The man most responsible for Fulham’s rise is Harry Wilson, the attacking midfielder, who once again proved to be the match-winner tonight with his goal in the 81st minute.

The Welsh international enters the new calendar year as the team’s top scorer and assist provider (seven goals, four assists), and that he is in the form of his life was also evident in the clash with their city rivals.

A goal late in the first half was disallowed for a marginal offside, but there was nothing controversial about the second.

The former Liverpool player – who also found the net in the previous round – struck first time with his weaker foot and, with a slight deflection, beat Robert Sanchez for celebrations at Craven Cottage.

Wilson also played a key role in the 22nd minute in the sending-off of Mark Cucurella.

After a long ball from Bernd Leno, he managed to get his body in front of the Spanish defender, escape him, and then force him, as the last man, to commit a foul on the edge of the penalty area worthy of a red card.

It was the eighth red card shown to a Chelsea player in all competitions since the start of the season, and the fifth in the Premier League.

No other team in the English top flight has received more than two.

From that moment on, Fulham controlled proceedings without major difficulty, and only a few centimeters – the amount by which Raul Jimenez’s foot was “sticking out” in an offside position – denied him an opening goal.

However, very soon after the restart, the Mexican made amends.

Given the situation, Marco Silva boldly decided to withdraw one of his three centre-backs (Jorge Cuenca) and send on a winger (Kevin), making his team even more attacking.

The reward for that courage came quickly.

In the 55th minute, Sander Berge sent the ball across from the flank, and Jimenez darted in ahead of Trevoh Chalobah and finished the move well.

Although he appeared powerless, Chelsea’s caretaker manager Callum McFarlane did not want to take Liam Delap off or make attacking changes, even when the former Ipswich striker missed a sitter midway through the second half.

Delap repaid that trust, as just a few minutes later he reacted to a rebound and bundled the ball into the net after a corner, scoring his long-awaited first league goal in a Chelsea shirt.

However, he will not remember it fondly, as it brought Chelsea absolutely nothing.

Chelsea have now gone five league matches without a win and currently sit seventh with 31 points.

And just a few weeks ago, they were being talked about as title contenders.

PREMIER LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 21

Tuesday

West Ham - Nottingham Forest 1-2 (1-0)

/Murillo 13 og - Dominguez 55, Gibbs-White 89 pen/

Wednesday

Bournemouth - Tottenham 3-2 (2-1)

/Evanilson 22, Kroupi 36, Semenyo 90+5 - Tel 5, Palhinha 78/

Brentford - Sunderland 3-0 (1-0)

/Thiago 30, 65, Yarmolyuk 73/

Crystal Palace - Aston Villa 0-0

Everton - Wolverhampton 1-1 (1-0)

/Keane 17 - Mane 69/

Fulham - Chelsea 2-1 (0-0)

/Jimenez 55, Wilson 81 - Delap 72

Man. City - Brighton 1-1 (1-0)

/Haaland 41 pen - Mitoma 60/

Burnley - Man. United 2-2 (1-0)

/Heaven 13 og, Anthony 66 - Sesko 50, 60/

Newcastle - Leeds 4-3 (1-2)

/Barnes 36, 90+12, Joelinton 54, Guimaraes 90+1 pen - Aaronson 32, 79, Calvert-Lewin 45+5 pen/

Thursday

23.00: (1.63) Arsenal (4.20) Liverpool (5.30)

***odds are subject to change***