> Internacional > Texto
FLIPPING HECK Ipswich 2 Chelsea 0: Blues’ nightmare Christmas goes on as brilliant Tractor Boys all-but kill off faint title hopes
{by} Thesun.co.uk

That was the wounding barb spat out by Gary Neville last season to describe Mauricio Pochettino’s under-achieving Blues.


Liam Delap helped fire Ipswich to their first home win in the Premier League since 2002

Enzo Maresca seemed to have consigned all of that to the trash - whatever day the binmen might be coming this week.

But here, Chelsea’s lavishly-assembled team were made to look foolish by an Ipswich side who hadn’t won at home all season.

Maresca was right about one thing - Chelsea were never in a title race.

After taking just one point out of nine over the festive period, they are now ten points adrift of Liverpool having played a game more.

The Scousers will be crowing before Easter at this rate.

But Maresca has been wrong about everything else of late, including his team selection here - as he dropped Nicolas Jackson and Jadon Sancho, among five changes, and saw his side defeated for a second successive match.

Maresca was involved in a Championship title race with Ipswich while in charge of Leicester last season and so he should have known that lightweight options like Joao Felix and Christopher Nkunku might be vulnerable to a bullying here. So it proved.

Chelsea’s owners were also made to look daft by the identity of Ipswich’s second goalscorer, Omari Hutchinson, one of the promising homegrown youngsters they flogged for what they call ‘pure profit’ under Profit and Sustainability Rules.

The £20m received from the Tractor Boys for the winger last summer will not look so pure after this.

Aside from the sublime Cole Palmer - who hit the woodwork twice and delivered the pass of the night for a disallowed Felix goal - Chelsea were bang average.

Ipswich, who led through an early penalty won and converted by Liam Delap, are now just a point away from the safety line after finally breaking their Portman Road duck.

On Boxing Day, the Blues didn’t even look to be the best team in their London SW6 postcode, when Fulham stormed Stamford Bridge.

That shock defeat led to wholesale changes, including Filip Jorgensen replacing Robert Sanchez in goal.

This was Chelsea’s first visit to Portman Road for a quarter of a century, predating Roman Abramovich’s takeover of the club.

And while the novelty of welcoming the Premier League elite teams was beginning to wear off for the Tractor Boys fans, McKenna’s men sensed from the off that Chelsea were wobbly.

Hutchinson provided the early threat, darting down the right and centring for Nathan Broadhead, whose shot was blocked near the line by Tosin Adarabioyo.

Soon, the breakthrough arrived and it was a shocker for Jorgensen.

Leif Davis delivered a through-ball which wrong-footed Moises Caicedo and the Chelsea keeper rushed off his line to clip the trailing leg of Delap.

Ref John Brooks pointed to the spot and there wasn’t enough evidence to overturn it. Delap rammed home the spot-kick.

Delap almost had another soon after - Marc Cucurella’s attempted clearance charged down by Hutchinson, allowing the centre-forward to leather a shot which Jorgensen pushed out.

The confidence which had been surging through Maresca’s side just a fortnight ago appeared to be gone.

Chelsea did, though, have Cole Palmer, who never has to worry about confidence and will win the Ballon d’Or before long.

When Nkunku won a free-kick outside the box, Chelsea’s man from the chiller cabinet curled his shot against the post - Nkunku’s follow-up straight at Walton.

Then Palmer - who imagines passes nobody else could ever dream of - thought of a picturesque centre with the outside of his boot, then delivered it to the far post.

There, Felix found the roof of the net and VAR Michael Oliver took approximately half an hour to agree with what was obvious from a single glance at the replay. Felix was offside.

Chelsea decided they ought to pass Ipswich into oblivion but it was still too frantic in front of goal.

Cucurella belted one wide, Caicedo hammered one over. They needed one to fall for their iceman.

On an Ipswich break, Delap thumped a shot towards the near post and Jorgensen tipped it wide.

But then it was Palmer again. Turning a misplaced pass from Enzo Fernandez into an opportunity to humiliate his marker, Jens Cajuste, Palmer advanced and curled a wicked shot which Walton pushed onto the bar.

After the break, Felix had a header cleared off the line by Wes Burns, Madueke was repelled by Walton.

But just like the first half, Ipswich stunned their visitors with an early goal.

Dozy Axel Disasi played a ridiculous pass straight to Delap who advanced and laid off for Hutchinson to wriggle between two defenders to steer a shot past Jorgensen.

All too late, Maresca sent for Jackson but Ipswich had their tails up now and Delap threatened a third goal.

Late on, Davis started - and won - a shoving match with sub Malo Gusto.

Chelsea’s billionaire kids had had their dinner money stolen.

Arsenal watching Nkunku situation at Chelsea

Arsenal are watching Christopher Nkunku's situation at Chelsea.Nkunku has found himself benched regularly this season under manager Enzo Maresca. Indeed, the France international is now finding himself relegated in favour of academy youngster Tyrique George in reccent games.Watching the situation has been Arsenal, says RMC, which are now weighing up a summer move for the France international.Bayer...

Arsenal
Chelsea
Christopher Nkunku
{by} Tribalfootball.com
Transfer news & rumours LIVE: Aston Villa & Cesc Fabregas' Como weigh up move for free agent Kevin De Buyne

Three English clubs show interest in Palace's GuehiPer Fabrizio Romano, three Premier League clubs, Tottenham, Chelsea and Newcastle, are keen on signing England international defender Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace in the summer. The journalist further claimed that there is a possibility that Guehi might exit Selhurst Park for free in June 2026.Why Ronaldo never played in Germany explainedEx-Live...

Aston Villa
Chelsea
Manchester City
{by} Goal.com
Daily Laugh - Totttenham 1-2 N Forest

Let's start our Daily Laugh today.Good bye Farewell !?Saka last night Do you remember this moment ?Totttenham 1-2 N ForestOne thing rival fans are agreeing on in the Premier League this season Fede Valverde is the master of scoring golazos Find Please stay tuned on Daily Laugh. There will be more fun tomorrow!(Credit: Justtoonit, BleacherReportFootball, originaltrollfootball)...

Tottenham
Chelsea
Arsenal
{by} 7M Sport
Arne Slot returns Jurgen Klopp compliment after winning title with Liverpool

Liverpool manager Arne Slot chanted the name of his predecessor Jurgen Klopp after guiding the Reds to a record-equalling 20th top-flight title on Sunday.Slot’s side secured the Premier League crown with four games to spare as they came from behind to thrash Tottenham 5-1 on a sunny afternoon at Anfield.The Dutchman had a tough act to follow after replacing the hugely popular and successful ...

{by} PA
Pep Guardiola: Winning FA Cup not enough to make Man City season a success

Pep Guardiola admitted winning the FA Cup will not be enough to call Manchester City’s season a success on the day his side reached the final but were dethroned as Premier League champions.Rico Lewis scored after just 109 seconds against Nottingham Forest at Wembley before Josko Gvardiol extended City’s advantage in the second half.City then rode their luck when Forest struck the woodw...

{by} PA
Manchester City beat Nottingham Forest to reach third successive FA Cup final

Rico Lewis scored after just 109 seconds to send Manchester City on their way to a third consecutive FA Cup final following a 2-0 defeat of Nottingham Forest at Wembley.Josko Gvardiol extended City’s advantage after 51 minutes before they rode their luck when Morgan Gibbs-White hit the crossbar, and then the post, as Forest attempted a comeback.Taiwo Awoniyi struck the City woodwork for a th...

{by} PA
Chris Davies says Birmingham’s League One points total may never be matched

Chris Davies believes Birmingham’s new League One points record will not be broken after their 4-0 victory over Mansfield took their tally to 105.Goals from Keshi Anderson, Willum Willumsson, Kieran Dowell and Tomoki Iwata, gave Birmingham their 32nd victory of the league campaign and saw them move past Wolves’ record of 103 set in 2013-14.The hosts were presented with the trophy after...

{by} PA
Liverpool secure Premier League title with crushing win against Tottenham

Liverpool clinched the Premier League title in style as they came from behind to thrash Tottenham 5-1 at Anfield.First-half strikes from Luis Diaz, Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo all but wrapped up a record-equalling 20th top-flight title before Mohammed Salah’s 28th goal of a prolific campaign and a Destiny Udogie own goal made the scoreline emphatic.Spurs briefly threatened to spoil a ...

{by} PA
Everything can change – Ruben Amorim offers hope to Man Utd fans

Ruben Amorim reassured Manchester United fans “everything can change” in the balance of Premier League power after rivals Liverpool emulated his club’s record 20 top-flight titles.While Arne Slot’s runaway leaders were on the cusp of being crowned champions with victory over Tottenham at Anfield, 14th-placed United required an added-time equaliser from Rasmus Hojlund to scr...

{by} PA
It’s nice but we wanted more – Stevenage boss Alex Revell

Stevenage manager Alex Revell felt his side’s 1-1 draw against Rotherham was “a nice way to finish” – but he wanted more.Sam Nombe had put the Millers ahead in the eighth minute and that seemed to be enough until centre-half Dan Sweeney, thrown on as a makeshift striker after 88 minutes, snuck in to head the ball over goalkeeper Dillon Phillips two minutes into stoppage tim...

{by} PA
Dalian Aerbin(féminines)
06/03/2019 04:00 VS Pas commencé
Dalian Aerbin(féminines)
Classement
D E
Matchs joués
73.5% Victoires 26.5%
Pts: 82 Rang: 1 Pts: 82 Rang: 1
Domicile
73.5% Victoires 26.5%
Pts: 82 Rang: 1 Pts: 82 Rang: 1
Extérieur
73.5% Victoires 26.5%
Pts: 82 Rang: 1 Pts: 82 Rang: 1
Últimos 6
73.5% Victoires 26.5%
Pts: 82 Rang: 1 Pts: 82 Rang: 1
Derniers 8 paris (AH)
D E
G P G P G P G P
Victoires: 62.50%
G P G P G P G P
Victoires: 62.50%
Plus
Rang
Équipe
Pts
Rang
Équipe
Pts
Rang
Équipe
Pts
Rang
Équipe
Pts
Rang
Équipe
Pts
Rang
Équipe
Pts