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Chelsea were held to a 2-2 draw by relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday, May 13.
The Blues entered this game on the back of a 3-1 win over Bournemouth, which ended their six-game losing streak. It was also their first win under Frank Lampard since his return as caretaker manager.
Forest, on the other hand, were two points above the drop zone prior to kickoff, with 33 points from 35 games. Steve Cooper fielded a strong side, knowing a win or a draw would be great results.
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Chelsea were on the back foot early in the game as they found themselves chasing the game after just 13 minutes. Renan Lodi picked the ball up on the left flank and played a teasing ball into the box which confused 'keeper Edouard Mendy. With indecision about charging out or staying put, Mendy was left stranded as Taiwo Awoniyi headed in from close-range to make it 1-0.
Despite five attempts of their own, the hosts were unable to claw their way back into the game in the first half. Joao Felix had the Blues' best chance but he fired his effort straight at Keylor Navas in goal. Chelsea dominated with 73% possession but had work to do as they trailed 1-0 at the interval.
Despite enjoying a narrow lead after the first period, Nottingham Forest were pegged down a level or two soon after the restart. Raheem Sterling was sharp in the box to convert a deflected pass from Trevoh Chalobah to make it 1-1. He then showed his class with a lovely finish just six minutes later to put Chelsea ahead 2-1. Ruben Loftus-Cheek provided an assist for the second goal.
However, Forest did not give up and fought back to equalize just four minutes after going down. Awoniyi was on the scoreboard once again as he headed in to make it 2-2 after 62 minutes. Both managers made multiple changes but their teams were unable to alter the scoreline.
The game ended in a 2-2 draw and on that note, let's take a look at the five talking points.
#5. Chelsea made another nervy start to a game
Prior to their 3-1 win against Bournemouth last time out, the Blues lost six on the bounce and looked abysmal in attack and defense. Despite having a talented and threatening lineup on paper, Lampard's men have been unable to translate that onto the pitch since he returned as the caretaker manager.
The hosts found themselves a goal down after just 13 minutes as Edouard Mendy made an erroneous judgment and missed the ball, allowing Forest to score. They looked shaky for a bit and were unable to find an equalizer in the first period.
#4. Nottingham Forest inch closer to safety with a point
With 34 points from 36 games played, Forest are now two places and three points clear of 18th-placed Leeds United and the relegation zone. As things stand, they would need two points to relatively ensure safety or to at least match Leeds' next two results.
#3. The Blues create an unwanted record
Stamford Bridge was one of the most feared grounds in the Premier League at the turn of the millennium when then-manager Jose Mourinho made it a fortress during his time with the club. Since then, the ground has historically been a great hunting ground for Chelsea. However, they have won just six games out of 17 at home so far this season.
Today's 2-2 draw was also the first time in 28 years the Blues have gone six games without a win on their own turf, creating a rather unwanted record.
#2. It was the Sterling and Awoniyi show in the end
Both teams relied on their star forwards to step up, and step up they did. Awoniyi netted two sharp headers from around six yards on either side of the Blues' goals. The tall Nigerian forward was an imposing presence and caused several problems for the hosts' backline and goalkeeper.
Sterling scored a seven-minute brace early in the second period but it wasn't enough for Chelsea to win all three points. However, the quality of his finishes will give him and his teammates some much-needed confidence as he scored with clean strikes at the end of well-worked moves.
#1. Chelsea will need a culture overhaul to compete
It is a rather extraordinary sight seeing Chelsea lose confidence because of a leaky defense, and more so, because of a lack of goalscoring threats.
The Blues have scored just 36 goals in the Premier League this season, the joint-fourth lowest total among the 20 clubs. They have also conceded 41 goals and have a negative goal difference at this stage of the campaign for the first time.
Despite investing upwards of £600 million in players, the club has been unable to find a winning combination despite three managerial changes as well. Should they look to compete next season, they will need to restructure their team drastically.
