Frustration boiled over at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night as Chelsea's winless run stretched to just one victory in seven Premier League games following a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth.
Substitution Sparks Fan Fury
The atmosphere turned toxic in the 63rd minute when head coach Enzo Maresca opted to substitute star player Cole Palmer. The home crowd, desperate for a winning goal, loudly chanted "you don't know what you're doing" towards the home dugout. Palmer, who had recently returned from a long injury lay-off, had been a bright spark for the struggling Blues.
Assistant coach Willy Caballero, who faced the media post-match due to Maresca's illness, defended the controversial decision. "Any supporter wants to have the best players on the pitch," Caballero said. "We want to have that as well. But Cole is coming from a long injury. In this case we need to find a way to go for the game and also to look after the health of our players."
Pressure Mounts on Maresca
The result means Chelsea have now dropped 13 points from winning positions at home this season, piling pressure on the Italian manager. Caballero, however, insisted Maresca remains a key figure. "He's dealing well, he's very professional," Caballero stated. "He does a lot of hours every single day... He's an example for me and all of the staff."
Maresca was absent from his media duties after feeling unwell for two days, with a fever, but had taken training sessions before the match.
Match Details and Bournemouth Boost
On the pitch, Bournemouth took a shock lead after just six minutes through David Brooks. Chelsea fought back, with Palmer equalising from the penalty spot before Enzo Fernandez fired the hosts ahead. Yet another lead was squandered before half-time, however, as Justin Kluivert tapped in from a long throw-in by Antoine Semenyo.
The match was rumoured to be Semenyo's last for Bournemouth ahead of a potential move to Manchester City, and he appeared to wave goodbye to fans. Manager Andoni Iraola was more confident, saying, "It's not his last game here with us. I think he will play [against Arsenal]."
For Chelsea, the search for consistency and a way to hold onto a lead continues, with fan patience wearing thin after another disappointing result at the Bridge.
