“Shocking Acquisition!” – Chelsea Midfielder Heavily Criticized After Woeful Performance Against Copenhagen

Chelsea’s performance in the first half against Copenhagen was one of their worst this season. The team looked completely lifeless, lacking energy, creativity, and any real attacking threat. Fans watching the game were left frustrated as the Blues struggled to break down their opponents, making it a painful 45 minutes to witness.

From the very first whistle, Chelsea seemed slow and unimaginative. There was no urgency, no drive, and no sign of the attacking football expected in a European knockout game. Simon Johnson of The Athletic summed it up perfectly in his tweet:

“That’s the end of what was a very dull half. 0-0. #CFC playing too slow and with little imagination/ideas.”

On TNT Sports, former Chelsea player Joe Cole was also unimpressed, stating that the team was playing at only “85%” effort—a generous assessment given their lackluster display. In such a crucial match, anything less than 100% is unacceptable.

To put Chelsea’s struggles into perspective, their total expected goals (xG) for the first half was just 0.02—an embarrassingly low number that highlights their complete failure to create real scoring chances. While Copenhagen put up a solid defensive display, Chelsea should not have struggled this much against them.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, had one of the night’s most poor performances. He was supposed to assist in breaking down Copenhagen’s defense due to his free role in Chelsea’s attack. Fans were disappointed since he was unable to have any significant influence.

Social media was flooded with criticism for the £35 million summer signing. Some fans labeled him a “useless flop,” while others were even harsher in their assessment. Influential Chelsea commentator Alex Goldberg didn’t hold back, saying:

“The less said about Dewsbury-Hall the better. Shocking acquisition.”

Another fan brutally stated:

“What does Dewsbury-Hall actually do?”

His poor display was reflected in his final SofaScore rating of 6.6, the lowest of any Chelsea player who played the full match. His lack of influence raises serious questions about whether he is truly good enough for the level Chelsea wants to reach.

In the second half, Chelsea just could not afford to keep playing like that. The team’s enthusiasm, movement, and execution had to drastically improve with a knockout position on the line. Though it was unclear if the Blues would truly step up, it was anticipated that they would emerge stronger after halftime.

Thankfully for Chelsea, things changed after halftime. Enzo Maresca made key substitutions, and the team came out with renewed energy. Within minutes of the restart, Reece James gave Chelsea the lead with a brilliantly taken goal. The captain, playing in an unusual midfield role, struck a low, precise shot past the Copenhagen goalkeeper, bringing relief to Chelsea fans.

Chelsea had greater room to attack now that Copenhagen was pursuing the match. Then, with a strong finish, Enzo Fernandez increased the lead and gave the Blues the win.

Despite the positive result, Chelsea’s first-half struggles cannot be ignored. If they continue to start games this poorly, they will struggle against tougher opponents. Maresca will need to ensure his team shows the same second-half intensity from the very beginning in future matches.