Chelsea got the three goals needed to defeat Fulham 3-2, and the four required to beat Brighton 4-3, but this time, the awesomeness of the attack did not outweigh the direness of the defending.
We knew it would catch up with Chelsea eventually. It simply isn’t sustainable, relying on outscoring the opposition every single week. Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro got a goal apiece so that Xabi Alonso could avoid losing to Sergej Jakirovic’s streetwise Hull side, at least.
But Chelsea cannot continue in this way, as thrilling as it all is. They have ‘JPMorgan’ up top, but a piggy bank at the back, waiting to be smashed open at the slightest knock, as it was twice here.
Do not let the ball bounce. It is defending 101. The no-no we are all taught as children when we dream of making it as a professional player, like Jorrel Hato is for Chelsea today.
Yet Hato broke that basic rule. He let the ball bounce in front of him and loop over him after it was launched into the box from the left wing by Ryan Giles, with Malo Gusto having failed to stop that from happening. While Hato was watching, Mohamed Belloumi was waiting, there behind him to blast beyond Emiliano Martinez and make it 1-1.
Hato was hooked at half-time for good reason. This 28th-minute equaliser made it 20 Premier League matches in succession that Chelsea have failed to secure a clean sheet. Their last one arrived in a 2-0 win over Brentford in January, in what was Liam Rosenior‘s first league match as head coach as he kickstarted his doomed tenure.
Chelsea have ‘JPMorgan’ up top, but a piggy bank at the back, waiting to be smashed open at the slightest knock, as it was twice here
Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro got a goal apiece so that Xabi Alonso could avoid losing to Sergej Jakirovic’s streetwise Hull side
That leveller injected belief into Hull. Sergej Jakirovic’s visitors were in the ascendancy from then on, and they scored again in the 34th minute after yet more Looney Tunes defending from Chelsea. Emiliano Martinez was flapping as Hull’s corner came in. Semi Ajayi headed into the crossbar. The rebound fell to Belloumi, who, via two deflections which made Chelsea’s six-yard box resemble a pinball machine, scored for 2-1.
The Hull fans loved it, of course. ‘We’re top of the league,’ they sang. ‘We’re gonna win the league,’ they added. ‘Sorba Thomas, he parks where he wants,’ they chanted in a nod to their winger who crashed his car on the way into the training ground this week. Despite flipping his Land Rover Defender upside down, Thomas escaped without harm, and came on as a substitute here.
Their formidable start to this season is no fluke. They are a solid, organised side who play to their strengths, though it was always going to be a tall task for Hull to hold on to their 2-1 lead.
That is because we know how good Chelsea’s attackers are. They had scored within the opening five minutes of their first three Premier League fixtures against Fulham, Brighton and Arsenal.
This time it took a little longer – six minutes and 16 seconds via Rogers – but it put Chelsea into a strong position until their defence undid them. While trailing 2-1, it took Cole Palmer carrying the ball down the left before setting up Joao Pedro for Chelsea to equalise. It was a fine finish from the Premier League’s player of the month; precisely what we have come to expect from the Brazilian.
Chelsea searched for their late winner with Alonso going for it, throwing on Danny Welbeck and Estevao. But Hull, with their low block, were solid. The visitors held firm and so, after riding their luck in wins over Fulham and Brighton, Chelsea’s defence finally cost them.
