Liam Rosenior got a good indication of just how difficult his time at Chelsea could be during their 3-2 loss against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup. And one player needs to raise his game if he wants to be part of their long-term plans.
The Blues went behind in comical fashion as Robert Sanchez failed to claim a Declan Rice corner, which allowed Ben White to head the ball in from close range with just seven minutes on the clock. And while the home side did rally, they conceded once again after an error from Sanchez, who let a low cross through his hands and into the path of Viktor Gyokeres for the Gunners' second.
After substitute Alejandro Garnacho pulled one back, Martin Zubimendi then notched a third for Mikel Arteta's side, dancing through the Chelsea defence before lashing a shot in. It seemed as though the west Londoners would have no hope of reaching the final of the competition, but Garnacho scored a second to give them some cause for optimism heading into the second leg at the Emirates.
Viktor Gyokeres Related
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The Swedish international will be hoping his goal at Stamford Bridge helps him build some momentum following a tricky start to life at Arsenal.
Chelsea Star Struggles vs Arsenal Amid Sanchez Horror-Show
Arsenal's Ben White scores their first goal past Chelsea's Robert Sanchez
Much of the spotlight following the match was on Sanchez's performance, after he produced two calamitous errors which gave Chelsea a mountain to climb in the game. But displays across the board for the Blues were well below par, especially in defence.
One man that Rosenior and fans would have expected more from is Wesley Fofana. Signed from Leicester City for £70m in 2022, there was hope that the French international could be the standard-setting centre-back that the club sorely needed for the long-term.
But what supporters were treated to on Wednesday night fell way below what they would have expected from him. His defending for Zubimendi's goal was particularly poor, as he allowed the Spaniard to skirt around him with a desperate lunge to block the shot.
Build-up play also proved to be something of an issue for the defender on the night, with Fofana asked to play as a central centre-back or on the left rather than on his preferred right side. And he didn't look comfortable for parts of the game when asked to play out from the back.
Given until the 75th minute, Fofana was eventually brought off for Jorrel Hato, looking frustrated on the bench after his withdrawal. Seemingly knowing that he hadn't been at his best, the 25-year-old needs to show more in the coming weeks if Rosenior is to continue picking him.
Check Out Fofana's Statistics vs Arsenal Below:
Wesley Fofana's Statistics vs Arsenal
Minutes Played
Defensive Contributions
Ground Duels (Won)
Aerial Duels (Won)
Fouls
Accurate Passes
Touches
Chelsea Fans Slam Fofana for 'Horrendous' Performance vs Arsenal
Arsenal's Kepa Arrizabalaga in action with Chelsea's Wesley Fofana
Supporters were vocal in their criticism of Fofana both during and after the match, citing a number of his shortcomings against Arsenal. Several spoke about his passing issues, with someone writing: "Fofana is struggling with the passing angles at LCB."
And that was echoed by another when Fofana was playing centrally, who said: "I don't know why Rosenior has Fofana in the middle and Chalobah on the right, should be swapping them right now! I'm worried with Fofana in the middle."
Meanwhile, Fofana's defensive errors were also the subject of criticism from supporters, particularly after Arsenal's third goal. One fan wrote: "Andrey Santos and Wesley Fofana just let a DM fake shot both of them in the box to score."
And another added: "Wesley Fofana, please leave my club ASAP. Absolutely thrown this game away with the 2nd & 3rd goals, should be 1-1. Some of these players are just not good enough."
Someone else said: "Fofana should be playing Mario Kart, not football." And one final Chelsea supporter wrote: "Fofana and Santos got sent to the shadow realm by Zubimendi. Horrendous, and no one got close."