Chelsea's worst 'record'

(Baonghean.vn) - The red card shown to captain Gary Cahill in the 14th minute was the turning point that led to Chelsea's 2-3 defeat against Burnley. From the 81st minute onwards, The Blues were reduced to nine men when Fabregas received his second yellow card at the end of the match.Coach Antonio Conte has transformed Chelsea into the first-ever reigning Premier League champion.They conceded 3 goals in the opening match.

Objectively speaking, Chelsea were lacking both the squad and the morale to host Burnley. Two key players who helped the Blues win the title last season, Diego Costa and Eden Hazard, were absent. However, Burnley were only a team teetering on the brink of relegation last season, so Chelsea fans still believed in a good start and a secure three points.

45 terrible minutes

Playing in their familiar 3-4-3 formation, the Stamford Bridge side didn't rush to attack. They started slowly, trying to control the ball and create an attacking game. But the disastrous red card in the 14th minute for center-back Gary Cahill became the biggest turning point, causing Antonio Conte's team to collapse.

The red card shown to captain Gary Cahill in the 14th minute was the turning point that led to Chelsea's 2-3 defeat against Burnley. (Image: Internet)

Noticing the lack of cohesion in the four-man midfield, particularly between left winger Alonso and Kante, coach Sam Vokes instructed his players to focus their attack on the right wing. The ball was constantly crossed into the 16.5-meter area in front of goalkeeper Courtois.

Before new signing Rudiger had even settled into Stamford Bridge, The Blues' net had already been breached three times. Striker Vokes, playing in a 4-5-1 formation, scored two goals on opening day in the 24th and 43rd minutes, with Ward scoring the third in the 39th minute. Despite having tall central defenders, Chelsea showed weakness in defending against aerial balls.

The class and pride of Coach Conte's players only flared up in the second half after falling behind 0-3. After coming on as a substitute, the expensive new signing Alvaro Morata helped the home team pull one back. But the Blues' glimmer of hope was quickly dashed in the 81st minute when Cesc Fabregas received his second yellow card and was sent off. With 9 men against 11, center-back David Luiz's excellent effort only managed to reduce the deficit to 2-3.

David Luiz's excellent effort only served to narrow the gap. Photo: Internet

Sad record

To date, Chelsea is the first reigning Premier League champion in history to concede three goals in the opening match of the following season. This is also the first time Chelsea has conceded such a dismal three goals in the first half.

Chelsea captain Gary Cahill was sent off for the first time in over five years at Stamford Bridge. Prior to Cahill's red card, Chelsea had gone 40 consecutive Premier League matches without receiving a red card. This was the first time since March 2014 that Chelsea had received two red cards in the same match.

Who is responsible?

Chelsea are entering the new season in the worst possible way. Starting with the budget-balancing policies of Director Marina Granovskaia and Sporting Director Michael Emenalo, Chelsea have spent approximately £140 million to sign Alvaro Morata – a versatile striker, defensive midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko, and multi-talented center-back Antonio Rudiger. At the same time, they have offloaded Asmir Begovic, Juan Cuadrado, Christian Atsu, Bertrand Traore, Nathan Ake, Nathaniel Chalobah, and Nemanja Matic.

With revenue of £110 million, Chelsea's actual spending was only £30 million – far too little for a team that will be missing two of its biggest stars from last season: Eden Hazard out with a long-term injury and Diego Costa, who have long been looking to leave Stamford Bridge, while Nemanja Matic has been sold to Manchester United.

To reduce the wage bill, 26 other players were also loaned out, including promising names like Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Marco van Ginkel, and Kurt Zouma.

After a disastrous opening day defeat, The Blues will face Tottenham, Everton, Arsenal, and Man City. Without Hazard, Pedro, Cahill, Fabregas, and even new signing Bakayoko, it wouldn't be surprising if they fall into a crisis similar to two years ago. Manager Conte is currently considered by bookmakers to be the most likely to be sacked, but for those familiar with the team, Granovskaia and Emenalo are undoubtedly the first to be held responsible for all these poor results.

An Thanh