Chelsea – Brighton 1:3: how a red card and two goals from Welbeck sent the aristocrats into crisis.

The Decline of Chelsea: A Return to Earth

According to The Sun: Smoke from dry ice and blue smoke bombs greeted the team, but one thing remains clear – Chelsea is losing positions and control.

This was already the third defeat in four matches, and the increased indiscipline of the players raises questions about the status of the so-called world champion.

ReutersChelsea suffered defeat against Brighton

After being reduced to ten men, Chelsea showed only a mass brawl during added time, just before Brighton scored the decisive goal on a terrible day for coach Enzo Maresca.

The way the game ended sharply contrasts with the recent flashy innovations at football matches organized by the club owners.

White smoke from CO2 canisters at the entrance of the tunnel is a new trick to please the supporters.

They are served by blue fireworks that burst in the air and leave a fog on the pitch. If all this is intended to intimidate the opponent, it looks rather strange.

After the goal scored by midfielder Enzo Fernandez, Chelsea began to fall apart quickly, and they were lucky not to concede more than three goals in the 11 minutes of injury time in the second half.

Danny Welbeck, 34, scored twice in the second half, sending coach Maresca to the bottom.

Opposition fans mocked: 'you are just bad Brighton & Hove Albion', as goals flew in one after another, and Maresca's world collapsed.

They recalled FOUR former Brighton players who played for Chelsea – part of the £257 million that their crafty nests earned from financiers over three years since Todd Boehly and business partner Behdad Eghbali purchased the club.

Substitutes and Team Problems

None of these former players justified their cost.

After early successes, the backbone of Maresca's collective fell apart, and the players left the field to loud boos from their fans.

Defender Trevo Chalobah received a red card and will miss the match against Premier League champions Liverpool next week.

Key players such as Cole Palmer, striker Liam Delap, Tosin, and Wesley Fofana are also out due to injuries, making the situation even harder.

Meanwhile, former coach Jose Mourinho will arrive in two days.

After four away matches, Chelsea returned to their ground with just one win in a trophy match, where they needed to come back in a game against Lincoln from League One.

Even when the 'blues' opened the scoring in the first half, there was a great element of luck.

ReutersEnzo Fernandez scored for Chelsea GettyThe situation looked promising for the 'blues'

The player was able to easily deliver the ball to Fernandez's head, who was under no pressure and finished the pass without problems.

This is already the third goal of the season for the Argentine, who, given Palmer's absence, occupied a purely attacking position. He traditionally plays in defense, but is currently Chelsea's top scorer after eight games.

If Fernandez had hoped that playing against his former club would inspire Joao Pedro to score, his hopes were not realized.

The Brazilian striker has scored only twice in the Premier League this season and looked rarely ready for new successes.

Pedro played among the four former Brighton players who perform for Chelsea. The hugs and smiles before the game disappeared, and by the 30th minute he suffered a powerful blow from former teammate Jan Paul van Hecke, vanishing from the game.

However, there are again defensive problems for Maresca as he approaches an important week of the season, trying to avoid a second consecutive defeat in Europe.

Injuries forced him to choose left-back Yarrel Hato for the center position alongside Chalobah – a decision that proved incorrect.

Shutterstock EditorialTrevo Chalobah received a red card PAThis was the beginning of the end for Chelsea AFPDanny Welbeck equalized AFPThis was only the beginning

Diego Gomes scored four goals in the 6-0 demolition in the Carabao Cup against Lincoln. He was pivotal in a key moment of the game early in the second half when Maresca's defensive woes intensified.

Gomes had a goal opportunity when Chalobah, stripped of his usual dreads, took down the striker. Referee Simon Hooper consulted with the monitor and rightly showed a red card to the defender for preventing a goal-scoring opportunity, leaving Chelsea a man down with 37 minutes until the end of the game.

Although Chalobah will be able to play against Benfica in two days, he will miss the match against Liverpool at home.

Brighton wasted a free kick, but in the end, it became the price for Chelsea.

Right where Chalobah should have been, Welbeck found himself in space, impressively heading the ball from a beautiful cross from Yankuba Minteh.

Chelsea began to fall apart, and Brighton took advantage of it. Substitute Maxim De Kuyper scored 2:1 with a header in the second minute of added time, and Welbeck struck again, scoring a third goal after 10 MINUTES of added time.

ReutersMaxim De Kuyper drastically changed the course of the game Shutterstock EditorialChelsea lost again

The situation for Chelsea looks critical, as the team has already lost three times this season, raising doubts about their chances of recovery and positive results in the upcoming matches. Their next goal will be to rebuild trust in the matches next week, particularly the crucial match against Liverpool, where they need to pull together and show all their strength. Although the team has suffered serious losses due to injuries, it is already known that some players may return, which could affect the outcomes of the next matches.