Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino bemoaned his side's narrow loss to Nottingham Forest on Saturday. The Blues ended their home stint before the international break with an unexpected twist as ex-Manchester United winger Anthony Elanga propelled Nottingham Forest to a stunning 1-0 victory at Stamford Bridge.
Pochettino’s Blues had entered their third home fixture in just eight days, aiming for a triumphant hat-trick of wins.
The match remained goalless during the first half, with both teams battling fiercely. However, the game's dynamics transformed within three minutes of the second half. Taiwo Awoniyi delivered a precise pass to Anthony Elanga, who expertly slotted the ball into the bottom corner, giving Forest a crucial lead.
Then Pochettino made a strategic move by introducing Cole Palmer from the bench. Palmer, who had recently made a £40 million switch from Manchester City on the deadline day, marked his Chelsea debut. With eight minutes of added time, hope grew among the Stamford Bridge faithful for a late comeback. Nevertheless, Nottingham Forest's resolute defence held strong, securing a historic victory in the heart of west London.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Pochettino said: “It is so difficult because I think we should win this game but we made one mistake, one we cannot make. That is why we feel really disappointed and then we created a lot of chances but were not clinical in front of goal.
“We should be more clinical because we dominated the game and then we knew Nottingham Forest play with a low block and are difficult to break down. We made a big effort but then we made some mistakes.
"We became rash in our decisions and were not capable of scoring. It is part of the process. We need to continue working. The competition is tough, we are a young team and we need to learn from this."
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