BEVERLY HILLS, Aprill 03, (THEWILL) – The day was always going to come when the fairy tale start to life in the English Premier League for German coach Thomas Tuchel at Stamford Bridge will come to an end. But, even the most negative prediction would never have believed it was going to come out in this manner. Even those who delight in seeing foreign managers struggle so that they can laugh at them for thinking life in the EPL was easy could not have imagined such a disastrous day in the office for the former Paris Saint-Germain manager.
It was a match that the coach and club will want to forget in a hurry because everything that could have gone wrong for Chelsea well and truly did as Sam Allardyce’s West Bromwich Albion played such football that belied their relegation-battling standings in the league table against a side that had demonstrated thriftiness in defense and discipline at home, away and in Europe.
West Brom’s star man Matheus Pereira and Callum Robinson each scored braces after Chelsea’s returning defender Thiago Silva was sent off, to secure a stunning 5-2 Premier League win away from home at Stamford Bridge.
There were several factors that contributed to make this even more incredible than it appears on the surface. Tuchel’s side was unbeaten in 14 games since parting ways with former coach club icon Frank Lampard and had not conceded a goal in seven matches. In fact, of the two times the team had conceded in those 14 matches, one of the goals was an own-goal by Blues defender Antonio Rudiger.
To add to that, Chelsea were playing at home in Stamford Bridge against a side 15 places below them on the table, a side that had only 3 wins in 29 matches, that was embroiled in the relegation battles and had spent the entire year stuck in the second-from-bottom spot with the only side worse than them being the rock bottom Sheffield United. The easiest prediction, given these stats, was a clear Chelsea win.
That was exactly how it started. Christian Pulisic put Chelsea in front in the 27th minute after Alonso’s 25 yards strike struck the post and fell mercifully for him to break the deadlock. It appeared to be an indicator of what was to come, even if it came against the run of play at the time. However, the immediate boost the goal gave the hosts evaporated two minutes after when Thiago Silva got a second bookable offence and left the match 29 minutes into his return from injury.
It all went downhill from that point as a Man of the Match, West Brom’s clinical Pereira struck twice in first-half stoppage time to begin the trouncing that nobody yet knew was to come in the second period orchestrated all the more by Pereira’s giftedness. Robinson and Mbaye Diagne joined Pereira to help Albion up the ante with a three-goal advantage in the second half.
Tuchel, who was receiving his own long-delayed portion of a rude EPL welcome specially reserved for every coach that dared to work in England’s top flight, introduced Mason Mount, who pulled one back through an unselfish Timo Werner’s assist. It softened the harshness of the scoreline for a bit and provide the spur that pushed the team to go for more.
But, the last laugh belonged to Robinson. Of all the five goals he has ever scored in the EPL, all five have come against Chelsea. For the fifth, the player applied the finishing touches in injury time as the brilliant Baggies secured a first away league victory over the London club since 1978. It is the sort of victory that will give Allardyce’s charges the hopes to believe they can survive relegation with the time left in this season.
The victory was all down to the mesmerising game of Pereira, who turned himself into a true menace to what turned out to be a fragile Chelsea defence after the sending off of Silva. He could easily have had a hat-trick of goals and of assists in the same match. The Brazilian hit the target with four of his six attempts and also made three key passes in a livewire performance that was beautiful to watch.
Nigeria’s Semi Ajayi was also inspiring in his spirited efforts at the heart of the visitors’ defense to make certain that the victory and all the points went back to the Hawthorns in their bag. His block was instrumental to the victory as he prevented Chelsea from equalising by diverting Alonso’s scuffed shot against the post with the scores at 2-1 and contributed to Albion’s sensational fourth win of the season in the top flight.
The same Albion that appeared doomed heading into the international break, produced a season-high display and remarkable performance to halt a run of 15 away games without a league win. Although the odds are still stacked against them avoiding the drop, they have shown that they possess what is takes with this incredible display to stay afloat. The points move them to seven behind Newcastle United, who are just above the relegation zone. And, there are eight games left in the season.
This Chelsea’s first loss after the Lampard era will sting badly, especially in the manner in which it came and the goals it took. It is also a dent in their quest to qualify for the Champions League. With three points down the drain, they only lead the closest chasers West Ham and Tottenham by two and three points respectively and both London clubs have a game in hand over Chelsea.
How the season ends is anyone’s guess but this result can do wonders to West Brom’s season here on out and can mean the coming off of the wheels for Chelsea’s. Or, it could simply be a blip and normal programming will resume by the next match and Chelsea will return to their dominating selves while West Brom will go on being West Brom. There very uncertainty makes what is ahead all the most interesting. That is the spirit of the EPL.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
