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Following Chelsea’s damaging 2-1 defeat to Sunderland on Saturday, defender Marc Cucurella emphasised the team’s urgent need to develop a “killer instinct” to close out games.
This latest loss at Stamford Bridge, secured by Chemsdine Talbi’s stoppage-time winner for Sunderland, means Enzo Maresca’s side has now squandered eight points from winning positions this season.
Chelsea had initially taken an early lead in the fourth minute via a goal from Alejandro Garnacho (his first since joining the club from Manchester United), but Sunderland quickly equalised in the 22nd minute with a strike from Wilson Isidor. Despite dominating possession, the Blues failed to regain the lead, resulting in another frustrating performance.
The loss halts Chelsea’s four-game winning streak across all competitions, leaving them struggling in the Premier League mid-table.
Cucurella told the club website that the team must “manage the game better” and “kill games off when we are on top,” especially against opponents like Sunderland, who adopt a compact and narrow defence.
The defender also pointed out that the team were undone by a long throw-in for the second time this season, which led to Isidor’s equaliser after Nordi Mukiele’s launch caused chaos.
Cucurella admitted the team had specifically worked on defending long throws but conceded they may have “relaxed a little bit, and they punished us.”
He concluded that the team must learn from these mistakes and ensure they are not repeated.
