Chelsea have already lost twice in the Premier League this season. Only once in the history of the competition have the Blues lost as many as three of their first six matches, doing so in the 2015-16 campaign. They were sitting in the 10th position on the table.

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Chelsea couldn't afford less than three points. After the dissapointion loss, Chelsea changed their formation, which included all three expensive new signings in defense.

CHELSEA XI (3-5-2) - Edouard Mendy; Wesley Fofana, Thiago Silva (c), Kalidou Koulibaly; Reece James, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Conor Gallagher, Mateo Kovacic, Marc Cucurella; Raheem Sterling, Christian Pulisic.

SUBS - Kepa Arrizabalaga, Jorginho, Trevoh Chalobah, Armando Broja, Mason Mount, Ben Chilwell, Hakin Ziyech, Cesar Azpilicueta, Kai Havertz.

Your Chelsea team news! 🔵@ParimatchGlobal | #CheWhu pic.twitter.com/j948ENkTX5

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 3, 2022

West Ham won three of their last six Premier League games against Chelsea, as many as they had in their previous 26. West Ham have scored just twice in their opening five Premier League matches this season, their fewest at this stage of a league season since 1994-95. The Hammers have converted just 3.4% of their efforts at goal (2/59). Currently, they were placed in the 15th position on the table.

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A win was a must to turn things around. To help that cause, their new man in midfield, Lucas Paqueta, started the game while Said Benrahma was preferred as a bench warmer.

WEST HAM UNITED XI (4-2-3-1) - Lukasz Fabianski; Vladimir Coufal, Thilo Kehrer, Kurt Zouma, Emersen; Declan Rice (c), Tomas Soucek; Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paqueta, Pablo Fornals; Michail Antonio.

SUBS - Darren Randolph, Manuel Lanzini, Flynn Downes, Alphonse Areola, Maxwel Cornet, Angelo Ogbonna, Said Benrahma, Conor Coventry.

Lucas Paqueta starts! 🤩#CHEWHU pic.twitter.com/3lsV8wbzlj

— West Ham United (@WestHam) September 3, 2022

Chelsea had a fast start to the game, keeping the ball inside their attacking half for the majority of the time. Blues were being patient in possession as they chipped the ball around the middle of the ground, looking for an opening. In contrast, West Ham had minimal time inside their attacking half. They needed to switch to an attacking mentality. The hammers held a disciplined shape in the middle, forcing Chelsea to give up space and retreat into defense. It's been thirty minutes, and Chelsea had one shot on goal, which was off target, while West Ham was yet to test the keeper at all.

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Chelsea had 70% of the possession of the ball but couldn't make the most of the dominance in the middle. West Ham's defense was nothing short of brilliance, but they lacked link-up in the middle to feed the ball into their attackers.

Chelsea continued to control possession of the ball inside their attacking half. But that day, football was cruel to them. WEST HAM took the lead through Michail Gregory Antonio, Chelsea 0-1!! Mendy parried the ball away after Bowen had a crack at goal, but it only traveled as far as Rice, who kept it alive. Rice crossed it over to Antonio, with Mendy still down on the ground, as Antonio tapped it into the back of the net.

ANTONIOOOOOOOO!!!!!#CHEWHU pic.twitter.com/ULP2NpBxGQ

— West Ham United (@WestHam) September 3, 2022

After Chelsea had most of the possession for the match, still sitting at 70%, they now had to dig deep to come back from one goal down. West Ham's defense continued to play it cool and kept clearing the ball away from their defensive half.

Chelsea lost just one of their last 16 home league games against West Ham, going down 1-0 in November 2019.

Chelsea wanted to write a different chapter with a different manager in a different year. Silva crossed it into the box for Chilwell as Fabianski came out to meet him, but Chilwell chipped it past him at the back post, and it dribbled into the back of the net to level the scores. Game on!!!

The control, the megs! 🥜 pic.twitter.com/DN0W0vRaE6

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 3, 2022

Chelsea continued to retain possession, with West Ham throwing caution to the wind, but were unable to find possession of the ball. West Ham thought they were going home with something, but they got what they deserved from the game. Chilwell crossed it into the center of the box as Havertz sent it past Fabianski into the bottom left corner of the net. Chelsea led before just two munites of injury time.

Scenes. 😍 pic.twitter.com/G78OGij9kB

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 3, 2022

The Blues deserved all three points, and there is no denying that. With 68% of possession and sixteen tackles, they earned it all—no less than a well-deserved victory. Though Chelsea should be cautious as their forwards only managed to trouble Fabianski thrice. With that much liberty on the ball, it's awful for a team like Chelsea.

HIGHLIGHTS

What a brilliant second half we were treated to. This one had it all, goals, controversy, with plenty of talking points to come out of the game. Chelsea won their second game in a row at home, beating West Ham 2-1.

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