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CHELSEA faced their second straight defeat, suffering a disheartening 2-0 loss at Ipswich this evening.
Enzo Maresca‘s squad approached the match looking to bounce back from their 2-1 home loss against Fulham on Boxing Day.
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The Blues were hopeful, especially since the Tractor Boys were still in pursuit of their first home victory this season.
However, a controversial penalty awarded to Liam Delap in the 12th minute gave the home team an unexpected advantage, followed by a second goal from former Chelsea player Omari Hutchinson, adding to Chelsea’s struggles.
On what turned out to be a disappointing evening for Chelsea, SunSport’s Jordan Davies assesses each player’s performance.
FILIP JORGENSEN – 6
His first action was an unnecessary penalty due to a clumsy challenge on Delap.
He made several commendable saves afterward, but the initial error was costly.
AXEL DISASI – 4
Made little impact until he delivered a decent pass early in the second half to set up Madueke.
Unfortunately, this was overshadowed by a defensive blunder that allowed the hosts to net their second goal.
TOSIN ADARABIOYO – 5
Had difficulty dealing with Delap’s physicality and pace throughout the match, appearing reluctant to engage.
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LEVI COLWILL – 6
Looked more competent with a dependable defensive partner, which he lacked during this fixture.
Not his best outing, but certainly not his worst either.
Enzo Maresca gives a blunt two-word response when asked about Noni Madueke’s omission from Chelsea
MARC CUCURELLA – 5
Had a nervous clearance early on that almost resulted in Delap scoring again, and he was frequently caught out of position during Ipswich’s counterattacks.
Struggled to make an impact offensively.
ENZO FERNANDEZ – 6
Showed a mix of good and poor moments, finding space but getting overmatched at times.
MOISES CAICEDO – 6
Missed a superb chance from the edge of the box by blasting it over.
Managed the game reasonably well from a deeper role at times.
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NONI MADUEKE – 7
Played a key role in Chelsea’s positive moves, testing defenders and was unlucky not to score in the first half.
Formed effective combinations with Palmer and Enzo.
COLE PALMER – 8
A clear standout. His cleverly disguised free-kick struck the post, and his cross to Joao Felix would have led to a goal if not for an offside flag.
He also had a remarkable curling shot saved, and he certainly didn’t deserve to finish on the losing side. The best player on the pitch by a significant margin.
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JOAO FELIX – 6
Although it may appear harsh, he should have stayed onside for what could have been a leveler from Palmer’s fantastic cross.
He also saw a header cleared off the line just after halftime.
CHRISTOPHER NKUNKU – 5
A mostly quiet first half followed by little impact in the second, leading to his substitution shortly after the hour mark.
It feels as if he missed a valuable opportunity from Maresca to create a significant impact.
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Nicolas Jackson (for Felix, 55) – 6
Missed a glaring one-on-one opportunity but was saved by a late offside call.
Jadon Sancho (for Nkunku, 65) – 6
Had little impact, as the match was mostly decided by the time he came on.
Malo Gusto (for Disasi, 77) – 6
Made his entry for Disasi, leaving his mark with a late confrontation with Davis.
Pedro Neto (for Madueke, 77) – 5
Injected some energy but disappointed by going down easily after a light touch from Kalvin Phillips.
