Sunderland came to Stamford Bridge and pulled off an impressive upset and according to Ben Foster, they were helped considerably by two Chelsea men.
Enzo Maresca has had to endure plenty of errors from his players this season, from own goals to brainless reds, but this mistake was a failure in basic principles.
It was a long 90 minutes that got up and running quickly with Alejandro Garnacho grabbing his first Chelsea goal, but it would be the only joy the Blues found as Sunderland came back to win 2-1.
And the 93rd-minute winner is where Foster — as well as any Chelsea fan who was watching — saw some poor defending from the centre-halves.
Trevoh Chalobah and Tosin Adarabioyo of Chelsea during a training session at Chelsea
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Ben Foster calls out Tosin Adarabioyo and Trevoh Chalobah for Sunderland’s winner
As the clock ticked toward the full-time whistle, a 1-1 draw didn’t seem an unfair result, albeit disappointing for the home side.
Although Chelsea dominated possession, in terms of chances created, it was pretty even.
But a late corner would be gathered up and hoofed forward to Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey, who both Trevoh Chalobah and Tosin Adarabioyo were marking.
Brian Brobbey held the ball up in the box for at least five seconds despite having both Tosin and Chalobah defending him 😮
In that time, Talbi was able to make it up the pitch and Brobbey laid it off for him to score the winner for Sunderland. pic.twitter.com/CxFpVXT5Y0
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) October 25, 2025
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The ball would pass over them both and into the penalty area, where Brobbey would hold it up awaiting the oncoming runners.
On his show, The Fozcast, Foster voiced his disbelief over neither centre-back trying to dispossess the Dutchman, saying: “The two defenders, Chalobah and Tosin. Somebody at that point has to go.
“One of you get round him, one of you try and nibble the ball off him. We both don’t need to just stand there and, like you say, you get the other runner and it’s just it’s criminal. It really is.”
Chelsea’s two defenders stood like deer in headlights and Chemsdine Talbi arrived at the edge of the box to finish off the chance — and the tie.
Tosin and Chalobah not the right pairing for Chelsea
This defensive duo hasn’t garnered too much praise from the Chelsea support.
Fans were not happy with the duo’s performance against Bayern last month, and they have right not to be too happy again.
They don’t inspire the same confidence alongside one another as they do in pairings with Levi Colwill or Benoit Badiashile, and this is just the latest proof.
If Chelsea do bring in a new centre-back — either in winter or summer — you would imagine one of these two would be going the other way, with Axel Disasi also likely to leave Chelsea in January.
It’s not that they aren’t good defenders, but it’s the reality of competing for minutes at a top club.