Chelsea started 2025 by drawing 1-1 with Crystal Palace within the Premier League, extending their winless run within the prime flight to 4 video games.
Cole Palmer opened the scoring after simply 14 minutes, linking up nicely with Jadon Sancho to net his 13th top flight goal of the marketing campaign.
The Blues had loads of probabilities to increase the lead within the first half, registering nine shots in whole, and they might come to remorse lacking them.
With simply eight minutes of regular time remaining, the Stamford Bridge facet conceded an equaliser, with Jean-Philippe Mateta netting for Palace to sq. issues up. The sport completed with each groups sharing the spoils, however Enzo Maresca would have been upset along with his staff, particularly Nicolas Jackson…
Nicolas Jackson’s struggles vs Crystal Palace
The striker performed 81 minutes through the recreation, but he failed to get a shot on target, lacking three of his efforts whereas succeeding with only one dribble.
The centre-forward missed a fantastic likelihood to increase the lead through the first half after racing onto Palmer’s via ball, however he spurned the chance which might come again to hang-out him.
|
Crystal Palace vs Chelsea – Key Statistics |
|
|---|---|
|
Stat |
Highest Ranked |
|
Correct passes |
Levi Colwill (77) |
|
Key passes |
Cole Palmer (5) |
|
Tackles |
Tyrick Mitchell (6) |
|
Floor duels received |
Daniel Munoz (9) |
|
Profitable dribble makes an attempt |
Jadon Sancho (3) |
Jackson struggled to get entangled, taking simply 30 touches and finishing 9 passes, whereas he received simply 4 of the 11 duels he contested throughout his spell on the pitch.
It wasn’t the best efficiency by the Senegal worldwide, who was given a match rating of 4/10 for his show by the Categorical following the match.
Chalkboard
Soccer FanCast’s Chalkboard sequence presents a tactical dialogue from across the international recreation.
Jackson arguably wasn’t the worst of the bunch, nonetheless. That’s reserved for Marc Cucurella, who appeared a shadow of his former self this afternoon.
Marc Cucurella’s recreation in numbers vs Crystal Palace
The left-back has so usually impressed below Maresca this time period, buoyed by enjoying an essential function in Spain’s victorious European Championship squad through the summer time.
In opposition to Palace, he struggled badly, particularly going ahead. He attempted one dribble, made zero key passes whereas additionally failing to create a giant likelihood through the recreation.
Defensively, he wasn’t a lot better. Certainly, the Spaniard – who additionally did not maintain tempo with Mateta for the striker’s equaliser – misplaced possession ten occasions, misplaced 5 of his eight contested duels whereas being dribbled previous as soon as in what was a show to neglect.
The Categorical journalist Tom Parsons gave him a rating of 5/10 for his efficiency, stating that Cucurella ‘didn’t get too many alternatives to get ahead and allowed Palace to get too many crosses in from the proper’ through the conflict.
The Blues tackle Morecambe within the FA Cup subsequent weekend and this might see Maresca rotate his facet with a purpose to give some children an opportunity within the beginning XI.
Dropping the full-back to the bench – with Renato Veiga ready within the wings – may do Cucurella the world of excellent, particularly as Chelsea play Bournemouth simply three days after the cup tie.
Associated
Available for £0: Chelsea make contact over “genius” who could be Mata 2.0
Chelsea may land a marquee signing on a free switch
