"I am tired of this now", "A clear and obvious error" - Chelsea fans hit out at Premier League referees after penalty call against Brentford
Frustration reached a boiling point among Chelsea supporters as VAR dismissed a potential penalty involving Raheem Sterling. The Blues' faithful took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) in droves, angrily arguing that a penalty should have been awarded.
Sterling appeared to be nudged by Brentford's Mads Roerslev inside the box, but officials operating the Video Assistant Referee system were unswayed by the winger's fall.
The Stamford Bridge faithful were shocked not to have had a chance to open the scoring from the penalty spot.
One of them stated,"I am tired of this now," while another claimed: "A clear and obvious error."
Here is a selection of their tweets:
With the scoreboard stuck at 0-0, the frustration only intensifies for the home side. Despite controlling nearly 70% of the possession and spending the majority of their time in Brentford's territory, the Blues have yet to capitalize.
Brentford manager Thomas Frank will feel like he's won a small victory. His side have successfully weathered the storm unleashed by Chelsea's attacking force, going into half-time level at 0-0 and even managing to create a few counterattacking opportunities.
Mauricio Pochettino, on the other hand, will no doubt be scratching his head in the locker room. His side's dominance in terms of ball possession and territorial advantage has yet to translate into goals. With 10 shots to Brentford's two, the scoreboard could easily have been different. As things stand, Pochettino has ample food for thought as his squad readies itself for the second half.
Chelsea fans will be hoping for more clinical finishing and, perhaps, a bit more luck with the refereeing decisions.
Mauricio Pochettino indicates Cole Palmer as Chelsea's go-to penalty specialist
Mauricio Pochettino revealed that Cole Palmer may have secured the coveted role of the team's primary penalty taker. The young talent, who made his way from Manchester City to Stamford Bridge over the summer, is rapidly making a name for himself in Blue.
He notched his first goal for Chelsea from the penalty spot in a match against Burnley earlier this month. He also slotted home a crucial penalty in the 2-2 stalemate with Arsenal last weekend.
The moments leading up to Palmer's penalty against Arsenal were marked by a heated exchange with teammate Raheem Sterling. Both players seemed eager to take on the responsibility, but ultimately, it was Palmer who stepped up to the plate and delivered.
Pochettino revealed (via Daily Post) that "it's not only one player, that this player is going to be in charge," before stating it would be Cole Palmer "normally."