By Jacob Steinberg, at Stamford Bridge & Miles Starforth, at the Stadium of Light
Relegation beckons when all it takes to undo 51 minutes of hard graft is a full-back without a goal in 165 games for club and country popping up to break the deadlock.
This is the reality for Wolves now. They are in a miserable state, so much so that it is hard to see why Rob Edwards is prepared to leave Middlesbrough to take the vacancy at Molineux, and they looked utterly bereft of fight as Chelsea handed them their ninth defeat of the season, Saturday night, 8 November.
It turned into a rout once Malo Gusto had set Chelsea on the path to victory by scoring the first senior goal of his career.
Further strikes from Pedro Neto and João Pedro added a more realistic look to the scoreline. Chelsea, who are up to second, were dominant. They took a while to get going but sprinted away once Gusto had settled their nerves.
There was defiance from Wolves at first. They were led by their Under-21s Manager, James Collins, who has stepped into the breach since the departure of Vítor Pereira, and they stifled Chelsea during a disappointing opening period.
Wolves Cannot Defend
Ultimately, though, there is a reason why Wolves are rooted to the bottom of the league. There is simply nothing to them. They cannot defend, carry zero attacking threat and remain winless after their first 11 games.
Collins had tried to find solutions against superior opposition. Coming up with answers against a deep back five has often been a problem for Enzo Maresca.
Chelsea, stung by Sunderland in their previous home game, struggle when they fail to move the ball with enough intensity. It leads to them drifting into sterile domination, testing the patience of their fans, and even this threatened to turn into a slog once Wolves had managed to come through a difficult opening 10 minutes without conceding.
Wolves had resembled easy prey. Chelsea flew at them from the start and made several chances. Enzo Fernández, seemingly operating a shoot-on-sight policy, began in a vibrant mood. The midfielder went close with an ambitious free-kick in the third minute and then produced a lofted ball to release Alejandro Garnacho, who should have done more than bobble a tame shot straight at Sam Johnstone.
Chelsea’s Conditioning, Vast Resources
There was little suggestion of Chelsea suffering from fatigue after their 5,000-mile round trip to Azerbaijan. Maresca’s resources go far. The Italian’s squad is deeper than most, his rotation policy is backed by his bosses and he was able to make eight changes to the team that drew 2-2 with Qarabag in the Champions League in Baku on Wednesday.
There was more than enough attacking talent at Chelsea’s disposal. Liam Delap, stupidly sent off when these sides met in the Carabao Cup last month, was under pressure to make a positive impression on his first start since suffering a hamstring injury in August. The problem, though, was getting the ball to the striker. He was not given space to run in behind and was shoved to the margins during an unremarkable first half.
Chelsea flickered. Fernández drew another save from Johnstone. João Pedro, floating behind Delap, dragged a shot wide from 20 yards. Neto and Garnacho were being crowded out on the flanks.
Yet Wolves lacked belief on the ball. A surge from João Gomes created a three-on-two situation in the 19th minute but the move broke down when Jørgen Strand Larsen dribbled away from goal.
The visitors focused on spoiling. Chelsea were booed off at half-time and jeered again when a malfunctioning corner routine ended with the ball going all the way back to Robert Sánchez in the 50th minute.
The Goals
The home fans had too much faith in Wolves’ defence. It was only another minute before they were celebrating the opening goal. Garnacho crossed from the left and Gusto, ghosting between Toti Gomes and Hugo Bueno, was free to head past Johnstone from close range.
Tension lifted, Chelsea pushed on. Estêvão Willian replaced the ineffective Delap and made an instant impact. The Brazilian moved to the right flank and soon claimed an assist, dancing past Hugo Bueno and pulling the ball back for João Pedro to slam in his first goal at Stamford Bridge since August.
Wolves collapsed. Garnacho, so dangerous in transitions, sped down the left and crossed for Neto to score against his former club, leaving Chelsea to enjoy the rarity of an emphatic home win in the league.
Sunderland Show How To Hold Arsenal
Maybe it should not have come as such a surprise that the team that was able to slow Arsenal’s title charge would be led by Granit Xhaka, their former captain.
The substitute Brian Brobbey scored an injury-time equaliser after second-half goals from Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard had put the visitors in the lead following a first-half goal from the Sunderland captain, Dan Ballard.
It was a rocky night for the Premier League leaders, but Arsenal have a seven-point advantage over Manchester City – who are at home to Liverpool today, Sunday– and Sunderland, though Chelsea cut the lead to six by beating Wolves in Saturday’s later game.
The goal from Ballard, a former Arsenal academy player, ended a run of eight successive clean sheets in all competitions for Arsenal.
“They make it very difficult,” said Mikel Arteta. “The game did not end in the manner that we wanted.”
Xhaka –who left the Emirates Stadium in 2023 looking for what he described as a new challenge –has been outstanding in the promoted side’s midfield this season after signing from Bayer Leverkusen, but the 33-year-old’s form on Wearside will not have surprised Arsenal fans.
The Switzerland international turned his Arsenal career around under Arteta, who did not want to lose him.
Sunderland went into the game with nothing to lose after making the best start to a Premier League season by a promoted side over 10 games since Hull in 2008-09.
A deflected strike from Xhaka against Everton on Monday night had lifted Sunderland up to fourth, a position few home supporters would have envisaged before a ball was kicked given that their team had spent eight years outside the top flight.
Xhaka’s experience, much of it gained during his seven years at Arsenal, and leadership have helped the team quickly adjust to Premier League football. He seemed to revel in the physicality of the contest.
Arteta, again without Gabriel Jesus, Martin Ødegaard, Kai Havertz, Noni Madueke, Viktor Gyökeres and Gabriel Martinelli, had an early concern when Mikel Merino, playing up front after netting two goals in Tuesday night’s 3-0 Champions League win at Slavia Prague, was caught by an elbow from Ballard as he attacked a ball into the home box. Merino was able to play on.
Eberechi Eze almost took advantage of an error from Enzo Le Fée, who lost the ball on the edge of the box, but the shot flew over the bar.
Wilson Isidor shot wide at the other end before another lengthy stoppage after a clash of heads between Le Fée and Jurriën Timber, who had to continue with a head bandage.
Arsenal Concedes First Goal In 8 Games
A more painful blow was to come next for bruised Arsenal. Sunderland launched a free-kick into the visiting box and Ballard, signed from Arsenal three years ago, held off Declan Rice to lash the ball past David Raya after it was knocked out. It was the first goal Arsenal had conceded in eight games since their last visit to the north-east in late September, when they had underlined their title credentials with a late win over Newcastle at St James’ Park.
Sunderland ensured that it was another uncomfortable visit to the region for Arsenal, who found themselves pegged back for spells after the break.
The Equalizer
They needed a moment of quality, and it came in the 54th minute. Rice took the ball off Le Fée and a flowing move involving Eze and Merino ended with Saka beating Robin Roefs at his near post.
Arsenal pushed for a second goal and Le Bris made three changes to his attack – he sent on Brobbey, Chemsdine Talbi and Simon Adingra – midway through the second half.
Another moment of quality was not long in coming. Arsenal worked the ball from right to left, and Trossard, just outside the box, found enough space to lash a right-foot shot into the top left corner.
Sunderland Draws Level
Raya had to be alert in the last 10 minutes as Sunderland pressed for a second goal, but could not stop an acrobatic finish from Brobbey after the ball was headed into the box. The strike was greeted by a huge roar.
Fittingly, the former Gunner Ballard had the final say with a flying block at the feet of Merino in the game’s last action.
“Here at Sunderland, we have many players who will give their life to keep a clean sheet or stop a shot,” said Le Bris.
Results From Across Domestic Leagues In Europe, Saturday 8 Nov:
ENGLAND: Premier League
Tottenham – Manchester Utd 2:2
Everton – Fulham 2:0
West Ham – Burnley 3:2
Sunderland – Arsenal 2:2
Chelsea – Wolves 3:0
FRANCE: Ligue 1
Marseille – Brest 3:0
Le Havre – Nantes 1:1
Monaco – Lens 1:4
GERMANY: Bundesliga
Bayer Leverkusen – Heidenheim 6:0
Hamburger SV – Dortmund 1:1
Hoffenheim – RB Leipzig 3:1
Union Berlin – Bayern Munich 2:2
B. Monchengladbach – FC Koln 3:1
ITALY: Serie A
Como – Cagliari 0:0
Lecce – Verona 0:0
Juventus – Torino 0:0
Parma – AC Milan 2:2
NETHERLANDS: Eredivisie
Excelsior – Heracles 1:2
FC Volendam – NAC Breda 2:1
Sittard – Heerenveen 2:0
Zwolle – Sparta Rotterdam 1:0
SPAIN: LaLiga
Girona – Alaves 1:0
Sevilla – Osasuna 1:0
Atl. Madrid – Levante 3:1
Espanyol – Villarreal 0:2
*PHOTO CAPTION: João Pedro (number 20) doubles Chelsea’s lead from close range in the 65th minute.
