Do not make the mistake of assuming this was a backs-to-the-wall effort from Hull. Their remarkable start to the season goes on and a point was the least Sergej Jakirovic’s side deserved after they pushed Chelsea to the limit in an absorbing game. This was the first time Chelsea have dominated possession in a league game this season and it did not lead to anything pretty.
Xabi Alonso’s attack was contained for long spells, even though goals from Morgan Rogers and João Pedro ended Hull’s spotless defensive record, and the Spaniard’s side remain a mess without the ball. Chelsea are conceding at a rate of two a game and saw their winless run in home games against promoted sides stretched to five after Mohamed Belloumi twice punished defensive errors during the first half. A rejig from Alonso, whose omission of Maxence Lacroix in central defence enabled a switch from a back three to a 4-2-3-1 system, did not work.
It was a bold move from Chelsea’s manager and the early signs were encouraging. Chelsea made a fast start and were ahead after leaving four players forward at a Hull corner in the seventh minute. A scorching counterattacking ended with Rogers taking a pass from João Pedro and smashing a low shot inside Konstantinos Tzolakis’s near post after skipping round Regan Slater on the left.
Hull’s hopes of dragging Chelsea into a grind appeared to be over. Having to chasing an equaliser against the league’s most potent counterattacking seemed less than ideal. It was set up for Chelsea to push for more and they looked comfortable at first, going close to doubling their lead when Pedro Neto drew a save from Tzolakis with a shot from the right.
Perhaps it was too simple for Chelsea. Unable to detect danger, they dozed off when Tzolakis launched a clearance into their own half. Malo Gusto failed to deal with the loose ball and was muscled off it by Ryan Giles.
The Hull left-back was able to hook a cross to the far post and when Jorrel Hato misjudged the bounce Belloumi was free to smash a clinical shot past Emi Martínez. Rattled, Chelsea forgot how to do the basics. They were too open and lacked alertness off the ball.
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