Chelsea finally managed to grab the winner late on against Pafos in the Champions League, after squandering so many chances.
Liam Rosenior rang the changes for Chelsea’s clash with Pafos, giving Marc Cucurella and Robert Sanchez a rest on the substitutes’ bench.
However, Robert Sanchez had to be brought on for Filip Jorgensen, and Cucurella entered the game halfway through the second-half, with the game not going exactly how we had hoped.
The one notable absence was Cole Palmer, who has picked up a slight strain. But there is hope that the midfielder will return for the Crystal Palace clash at the weekend.
There was a bigger talking point in the eyes of Joe Cole, though, as he claims he spotted a major error by VAR that should have gone for Chelsea.
Cole Palmer’s absence explained for Pafos🤕
What do you make of this, Chelsea fans?
Cole Palmer absence explained vs Pafos
Photo by Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
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Joe Cole says Chelsea should have had a penalty vs Pafos
In the end, Chelsea secured a vital three points, but it could have been an easier night.
An incident in the second-half saw Pafos player Vlad Dragomir attempt to head the ball away from a corner, but he jumped forward with both his arms, and the ball bounced off both of them.
Play was waved away, and there seemed to be no pause for VAR, which saw Joe Cole bring it up.
Speaking on TNT Sports, he said.
“It’s a penalty for me, that. How has VAR not had a look at that? Who has ever headed the ball with their hands like that?”
Who was your Man of the Match vs Pafos?
Or did we miss anyone? Let us know!
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What can we take away from Chelsea’s win over Pafos?
The main takeaway from tonight’s 1-0 win is that Chelsea remains a work in progress under Liam Rosenior, as it took until the 78th minute for Moises Caicedo to finally break down Pafos.
While the three points are vital for finishing in the top eight, the performance highlighted a recurring struggle to convert overwhelming possession into clear-cut chances against a low block.
Most concerning was the defensive fragility exposed in the first half when Pafos hit the post, and Wesley Fofana getting dragged across the pitch on several occasions. Proving that Rosenior’s aggressive man-marking system still leaves the back line dangerously vulnerable to simple counter-attacks.
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