The Blues headed into their third home game in eight days seeking to complete a hat-trick of victory, this time against a Forest side that has struggled on the road since their return to the Premier League. They only won once away from home in the League last season, and that total has already been matched.
After a scoreless first half, Forest took the lead three minutes into the second half when Taiwo Awoniyi slid the ball through to Anthony Elanga, who finished into the bottom corner.
Mauricio Pochettino turned to his bench as the second half began.
1. Thiago Silva
It’s always tough when a player who has previously been solid starts to falter. That’s exactly the situation that seems to be unfolding with Thiago Silva of Chelsea. Silva, who has been an instrumental part of Chelsea’s defense last season, hasn’t been performing at his best lately. The latest example of this came in today’s match against Nottingham Forest.
Silva made a costly mistake that led to Forest’s goal. He stepped up when he perhaps didn’t need to, leaving a gap in the defense that Anthony Elanga was able to exploit and finish the ball in the back of the net. It was a frustrating moment for Chelsea fans and a reminder that even the best players can have their off days.
2. Ben Chilwell
Today’s match against Nottingham Forest showed that Ben Chilwell just does not fit as a left winger. Although he did have a few half chances, an out-and-out attacker would have done better. It feels like the system does not get the best out of what Chilwell does well. Whether a change in position would be beneficial remains to be seen, but it may be worth considering in order to maximize Chilwell’s potential on the pitch.
3. Nicolas Jackson
As Nikolas Jackson walked off the field, his head hung low. It had not been his day up front. The striker had tried his hardest to make an impact, but unfortunately, his efforts were overshadowed by his antics on the pitch.
In the first half, Nikolas tried to get Ryan Yates a yellow card for a bookable offense. However, it was rather hilariously deemed unnecessary by the referee, leaving Nikolas feeling a bit embarrassed. As the match wore on, Nikolas found himself with a chance to redeem himself. A huge opportunity presented itself, and it was all up to him to put the ball in the back of the net.
Unfortunately, fate had other plans. In what seemed like a cruel twist of fate, Nikolas missed the opportunity, leaving his head buried in his hands. It was a bitter pill to swallow, and Nikolas knew that he had let down both his team and his fans.
