February 15th 2025.
Brighton handed Enzo Maresca's Chelsea a tough loss, marking their third defeat in the past four matches. After their recent elimination from the FA Cup by the same team, the Chelsea boss admitted that his team needed to quickly find new solutions. Unfortunately, the Blues were unable to register a single shot on target and were dominated by Fabian Hurzeler's Brighton in a 3-0 Premier League defeat.
The first goal of the match came from a stunning solo effort by Kaoru Mitoma in the 27th minute, leaving Chelsea struggling to find a response. Yankuba Minteh added two more goals for Brighton on either side of halftime, increasing the deficit for the visitors on the south coast. This loss, combined with two previous defeats in other competitions, puts Chelsea in a precarious position as champions Manchester City can potentially overtake them in the top four with a win over Newcastle this weekend.
Chelsea's Cole Palmer had another disappointing performance, extending his goal drought to five appearances. To make matters worse, winger Noni Madueke was forced to leave the pitch in the first half due to a hamstring injury, adding to Chelsea's misery. Maresca confirmed in a post-match press conference that Madueke would be out for a significant amount of time, while Malo Gusto was doing well.
The match at Amex Stadium showed that Chelsea were missing the presence of their forward Nicolas Jackson, as they were unable to create any real scoring opportunities for their loyal fans in attendance. Maresca shared his thoughts on this concerning stat, saying that while they were able to get close to the opposition's box, they lacked the crucial final touch. The Chelsea boss also acknowledged the absence of key players like Jackson and Marc Guiu, emphasizing the need for the team to find new solutions.
Maresca continued to analyze the match, noting that his team had a few chances to score in the first half, but struggled to create any real danger for Brighton's defense. He also mentioned the team's frustration and disappointment with the result, assuring fans that they were all feeling the same way. The Italian coach stressed the importance of playing as a team and not just relying on individual efforts, pointing out that winning in football requires a collective effort.
The Chelsea boss also mentioned that before Mitoma's goal, his team was in control and close to creating scoring opportunities. However, after the goal, they seemed to lose their motivation and failed to mount a comeback. Maresca believes this is something that needs to be addressed and improved upon, especially with only 13 games left in the season. He also reminded his team of the potential to close the gap in the table with a win, emphasizing the need to review and improve their performance as a team.
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