Brentford 2 Chelsea 2: Disasi equalises late after Wissa bicycle kick but dropped points pile pressure on Pochettino
IS THIS the day that Chelsea fans finally called time on Mauricio Pochettino?
Moments after Yoane Wissa scored an overhead kick to complete Brentford’s comeback in the 69th minute, the away end at the Gtech Stadium began a chorus of chants with huge potential ramifications.
First, they hailed their old owner Roman Abramovich, before turning on Todd Boehly, the American billionaire currently in the Stamford Bridge hotseat. “Boehly, you’re a c***”, they sang.
And then, for the first time since he took over last summer, they took aim at Pochettino – the man they briefly believed could fix this mess and take them back to former glories.
“F**k off Mauricio” were the cries, and to rub more salt into the wounds of the struggling Argentine coach, a rendition of “Jose Mourinho” filled the air.
It seems the Chelsea supporters have produced their verdict. Another poor result in an abysmal season that sees them 16 points off the top four, 16 points off the bottom three.
Axel Disasi’s late equaliser almost seemed irrelevant. Those chants cannot be unheard.
When these West Londoners turn on you, it very rarely ends well. To come back from this will need a miraculous turnaround that right now looks a million miles away.
In truth, the doubts over Poch began before kick-off with the announcement of the team news suggesting Chelsea would match Brentford with a 3-5-2 formation.
In short, Poch had decided that Chelsea would not be playing on their own terms, instead adapting to a side that had lost ten of their last 12 Prem outings and fielding just two attack-minded players in Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer.
BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS
That decision backfired, just like in extra-time of the Carabao Cup final, one that culminated in Virgil van Dijk’s winning header for Liverpool in the 118th minute and Gary Neville coining the phrase ‘Blue Billion pound bottle-jobs’.
With Poch’s influence and decision-making, they fell apart against Klopp’s kids, and they struggled for large periods to do it against a club fighting for their lives at the bottom of the table.
Since when did Chelsea accept their fate like this? Where is the confidence, the self-belief, the arrogance to turn up and play to win, instead of playing not to lose?
It smacks of a team and a manager that is scared right now. Scared to be themselves. Scared to take risks. Scared of what will happen after another bad result.
The days of Chelsea being an imposing powerhouse look to be well in the past. They are passive, predictable – everything Pochettino previously would not stand for.
Chelsea’s start was tepid, struggling with the match-up in formation that rid them of any width or pace, with Jackson and Palmer isolated up top.
Brentford were caught napping from the off last weekend at the London Stadium, conceding twice in the opening seven minutes in their 4-2 defeat at West Ham.
Not today – the Bees could smell the hesitancy from Poch’s men.
Ivan Toney’s volley at the back post was blocked by Ben Chilwell and Wissa’s curling effort went just wide after Moises Caicedo was stripped of the ball inside his own half.
Pochettino’s men were drowning in their hesitancy, summed up as Jackson was played in by Enzo Fernandez and rounded the keeper only to hit a shot so weak and lacking in any conviction that Zanka was able to get back and clear off the line.
Five minutes later, the Senegalese international redeemed himself with an accurate header into the bottom corner from Malo Gusto’s cross.
Chelsea hobbled into the break with a lead they arguably did not deserve, but got what was coming to them in the 50th minute.
Toney raced in behind and delivered a looping ball that Disasi and Gusto did not deal with. Sergio Reguilon’s shot was blocked and Roerslev reacted first to tap in the extras.
The Bees were fired up, while the visitors went into hiding. Vitaly Janelt smacked the post in a danger shot to Chelsea before Wissa’s spectacular acrobatic finish beat Djordje Petrovic all ends up.
Chelsea got their equaliser in the 83rd minute, but at what cost? How long will Pochettino fight on? How much more of this can the fans take?
On evidence alone, you would suggest Poch is in big, big trouble.