Chelsea 0-1 Nottingham Forest: Elanga nets winner at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea 0-1 Nottingham Forest: Steve Cooper’s side secure SHOCK victory over Mauricio Pochettino’s big-spending Blues as former Man United man Anthony Elanga scores superb winner

• Chelsea suffered their second loss of the season against Nottingham Forest 
• Former Manchester United forward Anthony Elanga scored the only goal 
• Nicolas Jackson missed from six yards in the late stages of the encounter 

Mauricio Pochettino did warn it will be a while before Chelsea start to look like how much they have cost.

Though he might not have expected more forceful evidence that backed up his tempering of expectations to come so quickly and against Nottingham Forest.

A day after Chelsea’s spending under their new owners ticked past the £1billion mark following the £42.5million arrival of Cole Palmer from Manchester City, Steve Cooper’s side turned up at Stamford Bridge and left with their first win here since 1995 and just their second on the road in 22 attempts since they returned to the Premier League last season.

As they have been under Pochetttino, Chelsea were the dominant side. But they made one big mistake in possession which was clinically punished by one of Forest’s own summer signings, substitute Anthony Elanga, and failed to make the most of the promising situations they created themselves. A bad combination.

The best of them by far fell to Nicolas Jackson who endured a day to forget and could only produce a miss-of-the-season contender from inside the six-yard box, somehow scooping Raheem Sterling’s cut back over an unguarded net.

Nottingham Forest secured their first away win of season against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge

Anthony Elanga scored the only goal of the match after being set up by Taiwo Awoniyi 

Chelsea created opportunities of their own but could not find the equaliser against Forest 

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It was a blown chance to level late on and summed up Chelsea’s ruthlessness — or lack of it — against Forest who defended defiantly with great discipline to protect their hard-earned lead.

MATCH FACTS AND RATINGS

CHELSEA (3-4-3): Sanchez 6.5; Disasi 6.5, Silva 6, Colwill 7; Gusto 7.5 (Mudryk 77), Caicedo 6.5 (Maatsen 77), Gallagher 6.5 (Madueke 62, 6), Chilwell 7.5 (Palmer 62, 6) ; Fernandez 7, Sterling 6.5; Jackson 5.

Subs not used: Bergstrom, Petrovic, Cucurella, Ugochukwu, Washington

Booked: Chilwell, Jackson

Manager: Mauricio Pochettino 6

NOTTINGHAM FOREST (5-2-3): Turner 7.5; Aurier 7.5 (Montiel 72, 6), Boly 8, Worrall 8.5, McKenna 8, Aina 8 (Tavares 72, 6); Mangala 7.5 (Kouyate 73, 6), Yates 7.5; Danilo 6 (Elanga 45, 7.5), Gibbs-White 7.5; Awoniyi 7 (Wood 65, 6.5).

Subs not used: Horvath, Felipe, Niakhate, Aguilera

Scorer: Elanga

Booked: Aina, Yates, Tavares, Turner

Manager: Steve Cooper 8

Referee: Tim Robinson 6

In the end Chelsea ran out ideas, even after Palmer, Noni Madueke and Mykhailo Mudryk were among those also chucked at the problem, and the final whistle was greeted with boos.

Just one league win, two defeats and one draw from their opening four league games would not have been the return expected following the latest stage of Chelsea’s expensive overhaul.

The first half was full of near misses for both sides but especially Chelsea, a sign of things to come. The pattern began just two minutes in after Jackson passed up the chance to shoot but Ben Chilwell crossed for in-form Sterling. He seemed all set for a simple tap-in until Ola Aina appeared and came to Forest’s rescue with a brilliantly-timed challenge.

A couple more equally-dangerous situations followed that almost led to chances for Jackson, the second following another teasing ball in from the left from Chilwell. Later on the in the half, he was the recipient of a delivery from the right from Sterling but failed to connect with the winger’s cross.

Before that Conor Gallagher, still at Chelsea after Tottenham’s deadline day interest did not quite develop into a move, drove forward and fired just wide of the top corner with his weaker left foot.

Enzo Fernandez was also off target with a tame curler and Jackson’s touch took him too wide allowing the increasingly impressive and defiant Joe Worrall to get across and block out his shot.

The half ended in familiar fashion for Chelsea, Chilwell getting away down the left and crossing but the ball just evading Sterling.

Forest’s threat during the half had come mainly from set-pieces. Twice in five minutes they threatened. From the first free-kick dropped deep into their box, Chelsea failed to clear and Worrall could not keep his volley down, sending it over.

The second opportunity fell to a far more likely scorer in Taiwo Awoniyi but he could only hook his acrobatic volley wide.

The best chance of the game for Chelsea fell to Nicolas Jackson, who missed from close-range

The Senegalese forward’s glaring miss came after some good work out wide from Raheem Sterling

Cole Palmer came off the bench for his Chelsea debut, but could not help them avoid defeat

Elanga has made an instant impact at Forest since his summer arrival from Manchester United

An open play opportunity finally arrived for the visitors early in the second half and from it they scored. They were given a bit of assistance from Chelsea. Gallagher and Moises Caicedo failed to get the ball under control in the midfield and, under pressure, the former could only play a pass to Awoniyi rather than a team-mate.

The Forest striker cleverly slipped the ball through Thiago Silva’s legs to put Elanga through and he side-footed Forest ahead, scoring his first goal since his summer move from Man United.

For Chelsea, it was more of a repeat of the first half. Chilwell got to the byline for the umpteenth time and saw his low cross cut out before Jackson was put into what looked like a promising position only to take a touch which improved Forest’s chances of keeping him out.

Pochettino turned to Palmer and Madueke off his bench and the former quickly got the Chelsea crowd off their seats with some quick feet on the edge of the box and his willingness to run with the ball.

Mauricio Pochettino did warn it will be a while before Chelsea truly start to show their quality

When he was in possession they sensed something might happen. Or hoped anyway. Chelsea needed something as the game entered the final 20 minutes.

Almost all of it was played out deep in Forest’s half and when Sterling dribbled to the byline and pulled the ball back with seven minutes left, Jackson appeared to have the simplest of tasks.

Keeper Matt Turner was grounded — having come out to close the angle down as Sterling raced through — and the Bridge held its breath. But, falling back, Jackson could only lift the ball over the bar and that was as close as Chelsea came to snatching a point.

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