“You deserve this”, “Puts a smile on my face” – Rival fans enjoy downfall of 21-year-old Chelsea star after Nottingham Forest defeat
Rival fans were in sheer delight as Chelsea's freshly acquired midfield dynamo Moises Caicedo experienced another hiccup following his megamove from Brighton. His gaffe contributed to Nottingham Forest's slim yet momentous 1-0 victory at Stamford Bridge.
Acquired from the Seagulls at a staggering British record of £115 million earlier in the season, Caicedo made waves by opting for Chelsea over Liverpool. However, his initial weeks in west London have been marred by shaky performances, making him an object of ridicule among rival supporters.
His debut for Chelsea already offered a cautionary tale. Last weekend, mere moments after being subbed in, Caicedo was responsible for conceding a penalty to West Ham. As if on cue, he once again found himself in hot water against Nottingham Forest. A stray pass from the Ecuadorian found its way to Taiwo Awoniyi, who set up Anthony Elanga's goal.
Elanga, who had been subbed in during the first half due to an injury to Danilo, displayed good composure to capitalize on a disastrous mix-up between Caicedo and Conor Gallagher.
This marked Elanga's first goal after a 44-game club drought, and it enabled Nottingham Forest to taste victory at Stamford Bridge for the first time since January 1995.
While Elanga's precise finishing put him the spotlight, it was Caicedo who inadvertently stole the show for all the wrong reasons. Social media was ablaze with taunts targeting the young Chelsea player, as rival fans couldn't help but revel in his continued misfortune. Here is a selection of their tweets:
Chelsea's new faces can't prevent a Nottingham Forest win at Stamford Bridge
Amid the gloom of defeat, the Stamford Bridge faithful got to see new acquisitions Cole Palmer and Deivid Washington warm the bench for the first time. Their presence highlighted the fresh reinforcements manager Mauricio Pochettino now has at his disposal following the close of the transfer window last Friday.
Right from the first whistle, the Blues set a frenetic pace, hungrily chasing that elusive early goal. Despite this initial burst of energy, they couldn't crack open Nottingham Forest's resolute defense. Even though they dominated possession, the ball seemed allergic to finding the back of Forest goalkeeper Matt Turner's net.
Nottingham Forest successfully matched Chelsea's energy but with a sense of menace. Their relentless pressing game forced a catastrophic error between midfield duo Moises Caicedo and Conor Gallagher. Seizing the moment, Anthony Elanga pounced and found the back of the net in the second half, much to the delight of the traveling Forest supporters.
Throughout the remainder of the match, the Blues kept knocking on the door but couldn't score. Each miss only increased the frustration among the players in Blue, while Forest held on to enjoy a historical win.