On Thursday, December 16th, 2021 Chelsea unfortunately failed to play up to their potential as they conceded a draw against Everton with a final tally of 1 to 1. Following the tied match versus Everton on Thursday Chelsea ultimately dropped more points in the English Premier League (EPL) title race.
Chelsea undoubtedly conceded the equalizer in this contest during the 77th – minute of match play to the inferior and injury plagued Everton. Although Chelsea was playing without the services of the majority of their strikers due to the COVID – 19 virus or some other illness, they still found it troublesome to breakdown and pick apart Everton’s makeshift defense up until the 70th – minute of the game. That is when Reece James orchestrated a counterattack eventually feeding Mason Mount who scored a goal for the 4th – consecutive English Premier League match.
Chelsea’s defense lately has been struggling mightily, and it was once again deconstructed as the 19 – year – old defenseman, Jarrad Branthwaite, who was only playing in this contest due to the fact that Everton’s roster has been depleted because of their current injury issues, found the back of the net when shooting from the far post on a free – kick.
Chelsea has come out victorious in just 2 of their previous 5 – English Premier League matches, and they have drastically dropped out of the lead in the league table recently. Chelsea’s football club is not presently sitting in 3rd – place in the EPL, and they are 4 – points in back of the now 1st – place Manchester City 17 – matches into the 2021 – 2022 season.
The manager of Chelsea, Thomas Tuchel, can only watch in amazement as his club drew at home to Manchester United (6th – place in EPL) as well as losing at West Ham (5th – place in EPL) over the course of that 5 – match stretch, and they somehow only managed to defeat Leeds the previous weekend due to a fortunate stoppage – time penalty.
Tuchel and Chelsea better tighten up things surrounding their club in order to avoid falling even further behind in the 2021 – 2022 English Premier League table. There was no excuse for Chelsea drawing against Everton last Thursday.
Media Statements
“I would be more concerned if we were totally out of form and always conceding the first goal and struggling to come back,” the head coach of Chelsea Thomas Tuchel expressed. “Maybe that would be easier to analyze. I don’t think it’s so easy to analyze our situation.”
“We could be sat here,” Tuchel goes on to say. “Talking about a 3 – 0 win that would be fantastic because of the players we missed, but again it is mistakes that has cost us. No, we did not discuss one second about it. I don’t even know the rules and am not interested in knowing them, I just prepare my team. We knew at 12 o’clock who was ready to play and who was out. And the focus is always for the guys who play.”
Everton’s head coach Rafa Benitez stated, “You can say that, because we have so many issues, with injuries, with illness. The way the team played, reacted when we conceded, showed character. It’s a great point, not just the point but the way we claimed it. Everyone realized how important and how difficult it was afterwards.”
Sources:
The Associated Press News Services. “Chelsea held 1 – 1 by Everton, drops more points in title race”. The Associated Press. December 16, 2021.
“English Premier League Table 2021 – 22”. ESPN. December 17, 2021.