Chelsea
By Ab Susan
Chelsea thrashed West Ham 5-1 in a Premier League match at the London Stadium, piling pressure on West Ham’s manager Graham Potter. The Blues dominated the game, with goals from Joao Pedro, Pedro Neto, Enzo Fernández, Moisés Caicedo, and Trevoh Chalobah. West Ham’s Lucas Paquetá scored the only goal for the home team.
The match saw Chelsea’s ball possession at 60%, with 5 corner kicks and 6 shots on target. West Ham had 40% ball possession, 7 corner kicks, and 4 shots on target. Chelsea’s youngster Estevao, who started in place of injured Cole Palmer, marked his first Premier League start with a fine assist for Fernández’s goal, becoming the youngest player to register an assist for Chelsea in the Premier League at 18 years and 120 days old.
Graham Potter’s side has now conceded 8 goals in their opening 2 Premier League games, the most they’ve conceded in their first 2 games of a top-flight season. Potter expressed his disappointment with the result and the manner of the goals conceded, saying, “A tough evening for us… Bitterly disappointed with the result, with the manner of the goals we concede after starting the game well. Too cheap against a top team.”
West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen was also fuming with the team’s start, stating, “That’s eight goals in two games West Ham have conceded. I look at that squad – I know we’re only two games in – that’s a squad that’s going to be in a relegation fight. Unless they give the manager some help… They need four, five, six new signings. They haven’t got the quality.”
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca emphasized the team’s responsibility, saying, “We’re all responsible, we all have to do better… Everyone has to look in the mirror and be brutally honest.” The win was a confident display from Chelsea, showcasing their attacking prowess and depth, with Estevao, Pedro, and Neto all making significant contributions
