Chelsea ended the year on a result very few foresaw. The 2-0 loss to newly promoted Ipswich Town spoke volumes about Chelsea's performance and brought to life a very old saying: that in the Premiership, no team is small.
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Enzo Maresca's team arrived in London as the clear favourite. After all, they were up against the second-to-last team in the competition, one that hadn't won at home in nine matches. What no one expected was for modest Ipswich to leave Chelsea without answers, securing their first win of the season at Portman Road.
Chelsea's blackout
Chelsea had the game with great chances to take the lead and even João Félix could score, but the intervention of VAR crushed any celebration. Chances yes, the ball simply didn't want to get in. For the fans, a painful déjà vu: the Blues failed to score for the second game in a row away from home, something they hadn't experienced since 2019.
Sometimes, when we create so many chances, the post, the VAR, the goalkeeper, or the defenders decide. It wasn't our day," said Maresca. The words of the coach summed up the frustration lingering upon the team.
The insistence of Maresca to rotate the squad finally seemed to take its toll. First-team goalkeeper Robert Sánchez was rested and Filip Jorgensen did not have a great game as he committed a careless penalty just 12 minutes into the match that Liam Delap converted with ease.
Ipswich break taboo and reignite relegation fight
Besides being their first home win of the season, the result ended a historical drought against Chelsea. The last time Ipswich beat the Blues in the Premier League was back in 1993. With this triumph, Kieran McKenna's team showed they still have hope in the relegation battle, moving up from second-to-last to 18th place, with 15 points.
This victory also reaffirmed the team's resilience at home. Ipswich has maintained their record of never losing to Chelsea in six Premier League encounters at Portman Road, an impressive feat for a team considered an underdog.
Maths that gives Blues the heebie-jeebies
This defeat complicated Chelsea's position in the standings. With 35 points now, the Blues have fallen back to fourth, watching leaders Liverpool pull ten points ahead-with a game in hand. Losing second place to Arsenal is another blow to a team that had been showing consistency.
Crisis or necessary adjustment?
Such losses are commonly referred to as "bumps in the road," but Chelsea's case appears somewhat grave. Offensive and defensive problems which have afflicted the team become not the investment that was invested into the squad.
Meanwhile, Enzo Maresca attempts to be cold as ice: "I don't think it's to do with physicality or condition. When you create that many chances and don't score, sometimes it's just one of those days," said the coach.