Chelsea have ensured Champions League qualification for subsequent season with a one-goal triumph towards Nottingham Forest on the Metropolis Floor on Sunday, within the ultimate spherical of the Premier League marketing campaign.
The one objective of the match was the work of Levi Colwill, slightly below 5 minutes into the second half.
Groups
Two names had been lacking from the Forest squad via damage, particularly Eric da Silva Moreira and Taiwo Awoniyi.
With Mats Sels in objective, the usual centre-back partnership of Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo was flanked by Neco Williams and Ola Aina. Ibrahim Sangare anchored a diamond-shaped midfield, with Nicolas Dominguez and Elliot Anderson in box-to-box roles, and Morgan Gibbs-White on the tip. Anthony Elanga joined Chris Wooden in assault.
As for Chelsea, Wesley Fofana and Omari Kellyman had been out via damage, whereas Mykhaylo Mudryk (alleged doping) and Nicolas Jackson (purple card) had been suspended.
Robert Sanchez stood between the posts, shielded by the again 4 of centre-backs Tosin Adarabioyo and Colwill, left-back Marc Cucurella and right-back Reece James. Moises Caicedo paired up with Enzo Fernandez in the course of the park, whereas the trio of Jadon Sancho, Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke performed simply behind Pedro Neto as a makeshift striker.
Match recap
The sport noticed few clear possibilities in a nervy first half, with Pedro Neto – deputising up entrance because of Nicolas Jackson’s suspension – firing a weak volley over the bar, and Forest striker Chris Wooden lacking an open objective after beating Robert Sanchez to a cross.
Colwill introduced a little bit of readability shortly after the break, poking dwelling from shut vary after Neto’s scuffed supply throughout the field. From there, Chelsea adopted an uncharacteristically passive method, surrendering the vast majority of possession however successfully stifling Forest’s counterattacking weapons.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s facet struggled to interrupt down Chelsea’s deep block, and whereas Morgan Gibbs-White and Anthony Elanga posed a risk, Forest discovered no well past a resilient backline marshalled by Tosin Adarabioyo and Colwill, with Sanchez dealing confidently with aerial strain.
Forest’s finest likelihood to equalize got here in stoppage time when Wooden discovered area within the field, however a poor first contact let him down and he ballooned his effort over.
Chin up, Forest
Such has been the usual of Nottingham Forest’s season that securing a spot within the Convention League could really feel like a bittersweet final result. Nuno Espirito Santo’s males spent a lot of the marketing campaign entrenched within the Premier League’s high 5, solely to fall agonisingly in need of a historic Champions League qualification.
In the end, their undoing got here at dwelling, the place a once-imposing Metropolis Floor noticed Forest go winless of their ultimate 5 matches. That late stoop, coupled with the slender defeat to Chelsea on the ultimate day, leaves them reflecting on what might need been – regardless of reaching European qualification for the primary time in over 20 years.
That’s stated, qualifying for any European competitors represents enormous success for a crew that hardly managed to safe Premier League survival a 12 months in the past. If something, Forest followers needs to be (and possibly are) happy with their supervisor and the crew.
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Chelsea again among the many finest
It was a really shut factor – had Wooden scored his possibilities, Forest would’ve taken Chelsea’s spot within the Champions League. As it’s, it’s the Blues who’ll be taking part in in UEFA’s elite competitors subsequent season.
After years of spending huge quantities of cash on gamers who, one after one other, didn’t justify such investments, it appears issues are beginning to click on into place at Stamford Bridge. Different costly signings seem to have lastly discovered the suitable rhythm.
Some stories prompt Maresca’s job would’ve been on the road had they didn’t make the highest 5, however different, extra dependable journalists keep that the membership at all times had religion within the 45-year-old tactician and by no means even considered parting methods with him this summer time.
However mockingly, it stays clear that Maresca wants additional reinforcements if the plan is to take the subsequent step and correctly problem for the Premier League title and Champions League glory once more. It should, after all, imply there shall be outgoings as nicely.
The summer time window is about to open, so we’ll see what occurs quickly sufficient.
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