Chelsea are yet to move on from the title challenge that never was. Carelessness is weighing them down at both ends of the pitch and, as Enzo Maresca left after this draw with a spirited Crystal Palace, he could take little solace in seeing further proof that he was right to insist his team are not ready to compete for major honours.
For Maresca, the worry must be that this is becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. The theory that a young group have eased off after hearing their head coach repeatedly play down their chances of challenging is gaining momentum. Is belief lacking? This is still an inexperienced team and the big takeaway from Chelsea’s latest slip is that they still lack ruthlessness.
It was infuriating. Palace were there for the taking during the first half. Chelsea went ahead through Cole Palmer, whose 13th goal of the season owed much to fine work from Jadon Sancho, and Nicolas Jackson could have had a hat-trick by half-time.
Yet Palace were a different proposition in the second half. Their intensity rose and their passing was snappier. Eberechi Eze and Maxence Lacroix had chances and it was not a surprise when Jean-Philippe Mateta equalised with eight minutes left. Chelsea, winless in four games, their hold on fourth under threat from Newcastle and Manchester City, had done it to themselves.
“We created chances but you need to win the game,” Maresca said. “Otherwise the game is open. Two weeks ago we were talking about the title race. But we knew Newcastle, Aston Villa, City would be there. It is not about the table. The performance was very good.”
Maresca was calm about Chelsea’s slide from title contenders to top-four hopefuls. Blame, though, has come his way. Questions have been asked about his squad management in recent weeks. Has he been too passive? He waited until the 81st minute before making his first change here. Christopher Nkunku and João Félix did not get on even after Palace’s equaliser.
In Maresca’s defence his initial choices worked. The Italian made six changes after last Monday’s defeat at Ipswich and there was the eye-catching call to shake up his back four by leaving out Axel Disasi and Tosin Adarabioyo for Josh Acheampong, an 18-year-old academy graduate making his first league start.
Was this Maresca sending out a message about the need for defensive reinforcements given that Benoît Badiashile and Wesley Fofana are long-term absentees? Not so, he said. Acheampong, fresh from signing a new deal last month, did not look out of place alongside Levi Colwill. “Josh was our best player,” Maresca said.
Admittedly the youngster was helped by Palace’s reluctance to test him during the first half. “We were too passive,” Palace manager, Oliver Glasner said. Chelsea were comfortable. A deflected effort from Mateta was the closest Palace came.
Chelsea had shown authority from the start. Their pressing drew errors from Palace and their forwards were lively. Pedro Neto ran at Tyrick Mitchell on the right. Palmer was a menace.
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Palace were befuddled, Cheick Doucouré and Jefferson Lerma both unsure who was supposed to be tracking Chelsea’s main threat. Palmer was in his element and he had help. Fourteen minutes had passed when Chris Richards, starting with Trevoh Chalobah ineligible against his parent club, was beaten by an outrageous dummy from Sancho on the left. It was impudent stuff from the winger and he backed it up with a clever pass for Palmer, who slipped a low shot past Dean Henderson.
Sensing weakness, Chelsea went for more. The problem, though, is that Jackson’s confidence has dipped in front of goal. Palmer smiled ruefully when he played the striker in to stab wide.
The profligacy gave Palace hope. Eze shot wide at the start of the second half and Robert Sánchez denied Lacroix. Daniel Muñoz was a buccaneering force on the right. Chelsea’s composure faded, Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernández lost control in midfield.
There was a sense of inevitability about the equaliser after Jackson and Fernández spurned chances to double the lead. Eventually Muñoz picked Palmer’s pocket and found Ismaïla Sarr. Chelsea were open and Sarr released Eze, who unselfishly squared for Mateta to score. “A deserved point,” Glasner said. It was hard to argue.
