OK, that’s it from me – thanks a lot for your company. Here’s Dominic Fifield’s match report:
And I’m sure I can interest you in Ben Fisher’s MBM of Arsenal v Manchester United ...
Cheerio!
As for Chelsea, where does this leave Sarri? In, out, in, out ... ? I think he has to be left to it until early next season, at least, but this performance did feel like a bit of a step back and it boded ill to hear Jorginho getting some stick again.
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While Wolves did focus pretty much exclusively on defence there, in fairness we know they’re capable of playing some scintillating stuff and that’s where Nuno should be admired – he’s created a team that can shape itself according to the task in hand.
They have Manchester United at home in the FA Cup next weekend. You really can’t discount them there – it’s going to be a belting tie. Chelsea are at Everton in the league a week from now, after what is surely the formality of a Europa League return leg at Dynamo Kyiv on Thursday.
Wolves in London:
— Paul Johnson (@paul__johnson) March 10, 2019
West Ham 1-0 Win
Palace 1-0 Win
Arsenal 1-1 Draw
Fulham 1-1 Draw
Spurs 3-1 Win
Chelsea 1-1 Draw
P 6 W 3 D 3 L 0#Wolves
@NickAmes82 pic.twitter.com/2goqXwWmDE
Wolves love a trip to the capital! That’s some record. Their fans were in great voice even after that late disappointment, it must be said.
On the plus side for Chelsea, they did keep plugging away there. Afternoons like this do happen. And I’d repeat my point from earlier that this 6th v 7th clash, in which one side packed their defence all afternoon, wasn’t exactly a glowing endorsement for the top flight. In short: positives and negatives for everyone, and probably a game best moved on from.
Full-time: Chelsea 1-1 Wolves
Well, Wolves will be a bit gutted there. They gave Chelsea almost nothing all afternoon. The home side were looking very frustrated but they have a man who, even on his quietest days, can deliver from out of nowhere and that’s exactly what Hazard has just done!
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90+4 min: Traore has what I guess is Wolves’ second shot of the day, bobbling wide from 25 yards with such little power that it barely goes out.
90+3 min: The crowd are up now and Chelsea come again in search of a winner. Another corner arrived but comes to nothing. That equaliser really never looked on!
Goal! Chelsea 1-1 Wolves (Hazard 90+2)
Did I say he’d been quiet? Chelsea work the left-sided corner short and Hazard, getting an iota of space 25 yards out for the first time all afternoon, cracks an outstanding low finish across Patricio and into the far corner!
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90+1 min: Four added minutes to be played here – and in the first of them, Loftus-Cheek finds a rare bit of space but drags his shot and it’s put behind. The corner is, and I’m almost tired of saying this, cleared. But now they earn another. From which ...
90 min: Hudson-Odoi puts over perhaps Chelsea’s best cross of the afternoon but Loftus-Cheek isn’t quite tall enough to power it towards goal. They are running out of time ...
89 min: Jimenez comes off now, to be replaced by Adama Traore. Nuno gives him a nice hug as he departs.
87 min: And this is as close as Chelsea have come – Willian jinking inside to whip a right-footer towards the far corner, which Patricio sees all the way and parries behind! From the corner, Emerson has an effort blocked.
86 min: I’ve rarely seen Eden Hazard have a game this quiet. He has been shackled immaculately.
85 min: Chelsea just don’t look like scoring at all. Famous last words, and all that, but Wolves have had them at arm’s length all afternoon. There was a little flurry straight after the goal but, thereafter, we’ve seen very little bar huff and puff.
83 min: Gibbs-White does well immediately with a bursting run but can’t get onto Jimenez’s return pass inside the box.
81 min: Wolves make a change now, goal-maker Jota replaced by Morgan Gibbs-White.
80 min: A reminder that, after 80 minutes, Wolves have scored from their only goal attempt – and even that was a real bundled effort that Azpilicueta kind of tackled in. Jota, while we ruminate on that, is booked.
78 min: Rudiger is booked for cleaning out a wriggly Jota on halfway. He looks a tad frustrated, as Chelsea might well be.
77 min: But, yet again, Chelsea can’t make it count. The wall deflects Willian’s effort over and Jimenez, whose defensive contribution has been notable, heads the corner behind for another. That one is caught by Patricio and Chelsea’s deliveries have been so, so disappointing today.
75 min: Loftus-Cheek is dumped over by Boly, who is booked, in a central position 22 yards out. If Wolves are playing with fire in any sense it’s through conceding a lot of free-kicks in dangerous areas ...
72 min: Willian replaces Jorginho to unnaturally loud cheers. It is ludicrous that Jorginho is their fans’ fall guy, absolutely ludicrous. With his first touch he undercooks a well-placed free-kick on the left side of the box.
70 min: Rudiger absolutely belts one from about 30 yards and it loops up off Neves. Loftus-Cheek makes some contact with the ball as it drops, but not enough to prevent Patricio diving to save comfortable.
68 min: Wolves, though, do not exactly look uncomfortable here. It might not have made for a thrilling tussle but they’ve done their jobs expertly so far.
66 min: Hudson-Odoi makes ground and picks out Loftus-Cheek at the far post with a decent cross, but he can’t find anyone with his header across goal. David Luiz then has an effort blocked as the pressure steps up again ... and then Saiss is booked for a foul out on the left.
63 min: A meaty Azpilicueta strike is blocked. It’s going to be all hands to the pump for Wolves now, you fancy.
61 min: Here comes Callum Hudson-Odoi – he’s on for Pedro and that perks the home fans up a bit.
60 min: Pedro now has a go from 25 yards and Patricio tips over. Chelsea could have done with firing shots in like this a little earlier. The corner is flicked on by Jimenez, inadvertently, and Higuain somehow fails to get a crucial touch at the far post, perhaps put off by a player diving in front of him!
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59 min: As things stand you would have to call this a *textbook* away performance from Wolves, whose supporters are in deafening voice now.
58 min: Chelsea look to rally and Rui Patricio tips a low Higuain effort wide! They bring on Loftus-Cheek for Kovacic, too.
Well, well, well! It was a nice, swift move from one box to another. Jimenez found Jota and continued his run; before he knew it, his accomplice had played him one-on-one with Kepa and odds-on to score. In the event, Azpilicueta slid in at the last and got a lot on the ball – but it bobbled in slow motion beyond the keeper and in. Wolves went wild!
Goal! Chelsea 0-1 Wolves (Jimenez 56)
They go ahead with their first effort on goal!
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54 min: Chelsea are readying Loftus-Cheek. They need something ...
51 min: ... Well, it was a chance, but the wall deflects David Luiz’s free-kick high and wide. Once again, Hazard can’t produce an adequate corner afterwards.
50 min: Hazard gets to have a scamper into space at last and is fouled *just* outside the box by Doherty. This is a chance ...
48 min: Wolves fan Phil Russell has sent us this nice, informative email about Jimenez and Wolves. Thanks Phil!
“At the start of the season he looked like he wouldn’t be able to hit the proverbial barn door and that we would struggle for goals this season. It didn’t help that Jota was also finding the step up from the Championship hard. The change in system has helped – Nuno brought in an extra midfielder (Dendoncker), dropped Cavaleiro to the bench and pushed Moutinho into the ‘hole’. The fact it’s virtually the same team every week means over time they’ve developed a really good understanding. Once Jimenez and Jota got themselves a couple of goals their confidence has soared. Also Nuno is generally ace and has built a real team ethos and the team want to play for him.
“With regards to today’s game I think Nuno is very wary of Chelsea’s threat up front and has set the team up to neutralise this, hence it being so dull! However we have been very sluggish in the first 15 of the second half this season as a rule so think we might see a goal before too long ...”
46 min: Emerson makes a determined run into the box within 35 seconds and squares to Higuain, whose effort is blocked at close quarters. More of that dynamism please, from either team!
Peeeeep! Back underway!
Here goes ...
They’re back out at Stamford Bridge – Wolves are, anyway, going through an energetic group warm-up – and you’d think this can only get more enjoyable.
And this is Andy Hunter’s match report from Liverpool 4-2 Burnley:
Did you know, by the way, that Jack Grealish ended up scoring the winner in that Birmingham v Villa match? As fine an answer as you can possibly give, in the circumstances.
Half-time: Chelsea 0-0 Wolves
It has been tactically intriguing pretty rubbish. I can barely think of a highlights-worthy moment. Chelsea have had all the play but hardly created a chance and the crowd aren’t especially happy as they go off.
44 min: Saiss does very well indeed to get to a looping ball in the box before Hazard, his leg cocked, can strike at goal.
43 min: A few signs, as we get towards half-time, that Wolves are happy to begin pressing a bit higher.
41 min: Wolves have a moment now though, Neves appearing to have played Jota through on goal – but the wind seems to hold the ball up and confuse the forward, bouncing up and hitting his hand. Free-kick to Chelsea, and Wolves still await their first goal attempt.
40 min: You’d have to say that, given we are watching 6th v 7th here, the nature of this game – one side parking the bus emphatically, the other short of wit to do much about it – does not speak well of the Premier League.
37 min: Doherty makes more of an impact at the other end, fouling Hazard and going into the book. Chelsea have a dangerous left-sided free-kick – but Jimenez heads it away near the penalty spot.
35 min: Doherty tries a trademark bit of marauding down the right for Wolves but has literally nobody with him and ends up apologetically knocking the ball straight to Kepa.
34 min: It would be ... difficult to construct a highlights reel of this half so far.
32 min: A rare slip by Wolves sees Kante win possession but Boly recovers and whacks the ball against Kovacic. It pings behind.
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30 min: It’s still pass, pass, pass from Chelsea but it is almost exclusively happening right in front of Wolves. Not that Chelsea are playing poorly: they’re up against a team that is incredibly hard to play through or round.
27 min: They have now been treated, but Chelsea have a corner as the header took a deflection. It’s another bad delivery from Hazard but Jimenez, swinging and making a mess of his clearance, seems to kick it onto his own arm and the crowd scream for handball. Nothing given by Michael Oliver.
25 min: Higuain heads wide at the near post from a dipping Pedro cross. He comes away unscathed but two Wolves defenders – Saiss and Coady – collide in the aftermath. They require some treatment.
24 min: A sharp move down the right, their most likely area so far, earns Chelsea their third corner. Hazard’s delivery is poor and cleared at the near post. Jota tries to capitalise on the counter but Kante is, characteristically, haring back to clean up.
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22 min: You do wonder if Wolves might show a *tad* more ambition here than they have so far. It’s to some extent a free hit for them. But can’t deny they have looked supremely drilled.
20 min: Neves aims a ball out left to the breaking Jonny but it sails out. A few longer, higher balls have caught the wind so far. It’s a day for keeping it on the deck! Chelsea do exactly that and promptly have their first shot on target, Kante sliding in Higuain for an effort at an impossibly tight angle that Patricio fumbles behind. The corner comes to nought.
17 min: Chelsea are moving the ball about fairly well but Wolves are just so, so compact. Hardly any spaces for Hazard to roam into so far.
15 min: It’s still Chelsea having all of the play, Jorginho clipping a nice pass over to Pedro, at an awkward angle on the right, to end up on his backside after attempting an ambitious volley.
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12 min: Pedro finds Higuain and it’s Chelsea’s first real half-sight of goal, but Saiss deflects his shot behind. The resulting corner is flicked on dangerously at the near post but Dendoncker is able to control and clear.
10 min: Wolves get on the ball inside Chelsea’s half for literally the first time and put some nice passes together. It doesn’t come to anything but should give them some confidence that they can exit their shell.
8 min: Wolves are so quick to surround Chelsea as soon as they get near the box – I counted eight of them around Higuain and Hazard as they attempted an awkward headed one-two just now.
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6 min: The ball has almost entirely been in Wolves’ half so far – but you sense already that it may be an afternoon where Chelsea have to be pretty patient.
3 min: Kovacic, in decent form recently, has a crack on the edge of the box but Neves charges it down well.
2 min: Chelsea have been allowed to pass the ball about pretty much as they wish early on, mainly from side to side, with Wolves happy to sit deep.
Peeeep! Play has commenced!
Chelsea shoot right to left, for your mind’s eye.
Liverpool beat Burnley 4-2 in the end, by the way – it got a little hairier than they’d have liked!
The teams are about to emerge at Stamford Bridge. It’s sunny and very windy in London today. Who’ll fare better?
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Sarri speaks: “It’s an opportunity but we have to play 10 matches and every match will be a risk but also a big opportunity. The match in Wolverhampton we played a good match for 60-65 minutes, then we conceded a goal and stopped playing for 10 or 15 minutes.”
Liverpool are 3-1 up now over Burnley – they’ve had to come back from a goal down there – and it’s almost done, so the title race remains a Thing.
Today’s dangerman for Wolves is definitely Raul Jimenez – he has 15 goals this season and I must admit I didn’t see this coming when he joined them on loan from Benfica. He was never prolific there but he’s come to England and hit the form of his life! Any Wolves fans want to tell me what’s gone so right?
In case you missed it, a decidedly unsavoury story from this lunchtime’s Birmingham derby, in which Jack Grealish has been attacked by a crowd member:
Team news
Chelsea: Kepa; Azpilicueta, Luiz, Rudiger, Emerson; Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic; Pedro, Higuain, Hazard. Subs: Caballero, Barkley, Giroud, Christensen, Willian, Loftus-Cheek, Hudson-Odoi.
Wolves: Patricio; Coady, Boly, Saiss; Doherty, Dendoncker, Neves, Moutinho, Jonny; Jota; Jimenez. Subs: Ruddy, Gibbs-White, Cavaleiro, Costa, Traore, Kilman, Vinagre.
Digest those for a little bit, and I’ll be back with you sharpish. We also have live action from Liverpool v Burnley with Ben Fisher right here:
Hello
Chelsea are in red hot form, or one result away from a crisis, or whichever direction we’re lurching in this week. Actually it’s more like the former, isn’t it – Maurizio Sarri was, apparently, on the brink a month back but they’ve won three in a row since that ... errm ... eventful League Cup final defeat, an occasion you’d have to say he emerged from rather well. Perhaps that was a watershed moment; perhaps they had just, as all teams in transition do, had a blip in the month or two before then. Whichever way you slice it, things look rosier now – but they need to keep the wins coming if they’re to make the top four.
They’ll overtake at least one of Arsenal and Manchester United if they win today, and still have a game in hand. Will they do it? They face Wolves, the team directly below them and a mere ... THIRTEEN POINTS behind. That tells you enough about the top six and the rest, although Wolves have the ambition to close it pretty quickly. They tend to enjoy these games against the top teams and put on a show – they certainly did that in beating Chelsea 2-1 at home in December. They also occasionally turn in displays like the 1-0 defeat to Huddersfield a couple of weeks back, so let’s see if we get the side that goes toe-to-toe with the big boys today. If we do, this middle fixture in today’s triple-header could be the best. Let’s hope so! Get your emails and predictions in to me, and we’ll have team news for you soon.
