Narrow Defeat At Stamford Bridge
West Ham United are still looking for their first away win of 2025, after a Chelsea comeback saw them fall to a 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge on Monday night.
Edson Álvarez and Lucas Paquetá were both missing through injury, meaning Graham Potter made two changes to the side that claimed a vital point against Aston Villa eight days ago, Captain Jarrod Bowen returned to the starting line-up for the first time since sustaining a foot injury in the home match against Liverpool on December 29, while Andrew Irving finally made his full debut.
Konstantinos Mavropanos returned from suspension and was named on the bench, along with youngsters Luis Guilherme, Oliver Scarles, Lewis Orford and Kaelan Casey.
It was a cagey start to the match with both defences on top but after fifteen minutes, Nicolas Jackson played the ball through to Noni Madueke but thankfully for the Hammers, his attempt missed the target.
This was after both Jackson and Marc Cucurella had shots blocked.
Shortly after, goalkeeper Filip Jørgensen made a good save when he was tested by Bowen after the ball fell to him from Aaron Cresswell’s corner. Then, Irving thought he would try his luck but unfortunately, he couldn’t follow in the footsteps of his teammate as he instead shot the bar after the Scotsman collected possession from Carlos Soler.
After that short spell from the Irons, the Blues put their opponents under pressure once again, as Cole Palmer, Cucurella and Enzo Fernández all went close but thankfully, Potter’s men survived.
Control swung back in favour of Enzo Maresca’s side once again and Jaden Sancho picked up possession but only sent his shot over the top from outside the area.
During his time in charge in East London, the former Chelsea boss has clearly implemented the high press into his team’s style of play. Well, it worked again here as just before the break, Mohammed Kudus pressured Levi Colwill into a mistake and Bowen latched onto the ball and with only two touches, it was past Jørgensen. Nevertheless, it had the travelling support cheering.
If Chelsea were going to be level going into half-time, they needed to find something and in stoppage time at the end of the half, they almost did through a free-kick from Palmer but Alphonse Areola managed to get his hand to the effort and tip it over.
The Hammers maintained their resilience and when referee Stuart Attwell blew the whistle, the visitors were dreaming of another good Monday night’s work.
West Ham could have extended their advantage just minutes into the second-half but former Blues player Emerson Palmieri was unable to make the most of the opportunity after he linked up well with Bowen, Kudus and Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The visitors had another chance when a cross from Vladimír Coufal fell to Cresswell but the defender sent the ball wide.
On fifty two minutes, Maresca turned to his bench and sent on both Pedro Neto and Marc Guiu in place of Sancho and Jackson.
It didn’t take long for the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man to equalise, as just twelve minutes after his introduction, he had beaten Areola.
The visitors were aggrieved, as they thought that there was a clear foul on Bowen in the build-up.
A lengthy VAR check took place for a potential offside but in the end, no conclusive evidence was found to rule the effort out.
Eight minutes later and Potter made a double change, as he replaced both Palmieri and Coufal with Scarles and Mavropanos.
No sooner had the Head-Coach made those changes, than his side saw their lead disappear. Palmer sent a shot across goal which took a huge deflection and went in off Wan-Bissaka.
Potter made two more changes after three further minutes had passed, as Orford and Danny Ings took the places of both Irving and Soler.
The hosts were then unlucky not to extend their advantage when Areola pushed away a header from Tosin Adarabioyo, following a free-kick. Palmer then tried his luck again but fortunately for those in the away end, his latest attempt went narrowly wide.
In the closing stages of the game, the East Londoners were trying to find an equaliser but there was no way through and even when Kudus was through on goal, he was brilliantly denied by a block from Adarabioyo.
On eighty seven minutes, the Hammers made a final change with Guilherme replacing Cresswell.
Seven minutes of stoppage time were added but Potter’s men couldn’t stop the West London side making up for their defeat to Manchester City last time out.
West Ham are not in action again until February 15, due to their elimination from the Emirates FA Cup but new signing Evan Ferguson, as well as the returning James Ward-Prowse will be available to Potter for their next encounter at home to Brentford.
One final move that happened prior to the game against the Blues, was a loan switch out of East London for Development Squad striker Bradley Dolaghan. The 20-year-old has followed in the footsteps of teammate Regan Clayton in spending the rest of the season in the Vanarama National League with the player joining Aldershot Town.