New season, same old Chelsea.
Chelsea had a lot of the ball but rarely looked like scoring against a West Ham United side that played a lot of the second half with 10 men.
The game did not start well for Chelsea, when West Ham nearly took a third minute lead from a James Ward-Prowse corner. Chelsea did not learn their lesson and the Hammers took the lead from a near identical corner on 7 minutes, Nayef Aguerd heading home at the back post.
Chelsea did come back into it and Carney Chukwuemeka equalised in 28th minute, cutting in from the left before curling the ball in at the far-post.
Chelsea dominated the play in the first half from then on but failed to capitalise on their superiority. Raheem Sterling and Nicolas Jackson were particularly threatening.
Then two key incidents that perhaps shaped what was to come in the second half. First, Chelsea got a penalty in the 43rd minute for a foul on Sterling. Enzo Fernandez stepped up to take but it was saved by Alphonse Areola.
And in first-half stoppage time, the ever dangerous Chukwuemeka pulled up with an injury.
That set-up what would prove a torrid second half for Chelsea. Sloppy play in the midfield allowed the ball to break to Michail Antonio, who's low drive into the bottom left corner gave West Ham a 53rd minute lead.
Chelsea continued to dominate the play but West Ham were now sitting deeper to counteract Jackson and Sterling's runs. Chelsea hardly troubled the West Ham goal.
Chelsea were given hope in the 67th minute when Aguerd got a second yellow card for a clumsy foul on Jackson but truthfully, Chelsea looked no more likely to score against 10 men then they did against 11.
Chelsea's record signing Moises Caicedo came on for a frankly underwhelming debut. If you had never seen him before, you would struggle to believe this is the guy Chelsea went to so much trouble to sign. His poor display was topped off when he conceded an injury-time penalty, duely converted by Lucas Paqueta.
It's difficult to look for positives when it looks all so familiar. The Liverpool game perhaps gave false hope things had changed. Liverpool play a more attacking style than most so there is always space that can be exploited. So against a more defensive side like West Ham, the old problems surface. Lots of the ball in attacking areas but no bite to it.
Next up for Chelsea is Luton Town at Stamford Bridge on Friday night. Mauricio Pochettino will be looking for far more from his players then they showed today.
Team: Sanchez 5, Disasi 4, Silva 6, Colwill 6, Gusto 5 (Burstow 83'), Fernandez 4, Gallagher 5 (Madueke 75'), Chillwell 5 (Caicedo 61', 3), Chukwuemeka 8 (Mudryk 45', 3), Jackson 6, Sterling 7
Unused subs: Cucurella, Ugochukwu, Maatsen, Bergstrom, Humphreys
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