Chelsea

Chelsea boss Graham Potter has said some of the club's new signings need to adapt to the Premier League, with the club's January spending spree yet to turn ...

"It's exciting, it tests you because you have to make sure you communicate properly and manage the environment because otherwise it can go not very positive, but it's been a good training week. The result means Chelsea have won just once in their last eight matches in all competitions. Potter said that managing a squad of that size is a challenge but also described the situation as "exciting." "That's just how it is, that's the way I see it and I'll just be honest to say how it is but I completely understand that people are frustrated if you don't win." [Reece James](http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/189007/Reece-James) up to speed, which is getting [Ben Chilwell](http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/225426/Ben-Chilwell) up to speed, which is getting [Ruben Loftus-Cheek](http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/186505/Ruben-Loftus-Cheek) up to speed, which is getting [Wesley Fofana](http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/270190/Wesley-Fofana) up to speed, which is getting [N'Golo Kante](http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/173556/N'Golo-Kanté) up to speed, which is adapting [Myhailo] Mudryk into the Premier League, which is adapting [Noni] Madueke into the Premier League, which adapting [Benoit Badiashile](http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/282585/Benoit-Badiashile) into the Premier League, which is adapting Joao Felix into the Premier League. "You can also see the potential of the team but you can also see where the work is, which is getting

The Portugal forward was an expensive loan signing, but even after two league appearances it is clear why Chelsea wanted him.

They face [Borussia Dortmund](https://theathletic.com/football/team/dortmund/) in the first leg of their last-16 tie on Wednesday in Germany and his name has been added to Chelsea’s squad for the knockout phase. They do not intend to sign another raft of players in the summer but are prepared to spend big again in a few key positions. It’s the Champions League — that’s the competition we want to win. Reports in Spain last week said Atletico value Joao Felix at £124m, although Chelsea believe they can be persuaded to accept a lower sum than that. There has not been a great deal for Chelsea fans to get excited about on the pitch. Our Champions League starts on Wednesday and it needs to be ours.” But Joao Felix’s well-timed run also caught West Ham’s defence unawares, and his finish was just too good for But Joao Felix is giving them some hope, a reason to get off their seats and a catchy song about coming from Portugal and ‘hating the I know everything. But for his second game running, the Portugal international was Chelsea’s best player. [Denis Zakaria](https://theathletic.com/football/player/denis-zakaria-xtJaqenVE1USfjH2/)) to join in the past two transfer windows, only [Benoit Badiashile](https://theathletic.com/football/player/benoit-badiashile-PjQKdFS2LzolyOLX/) and [Enzo Fernandez](https://theathletic.com/football/player/enzo-fernandez-mA2LkzPdMOcVkFoZ/) have made similarly strong starts. [Chelsea](https://theathletic.com/football/team/chelsea/)’s 1-1 draw at [West Ham United](https://theathletic.com/football/team/west-ham-united/) looked bittersweet.

Chelsea recorded their third consecutive draw in the Premier League as Graham Potter's side were held 1-1 by West Ham at the London Stadium.

Potter has previously hinted that Cucurella is dealing with off-field issues – the details of which nobody has a right to know – and if they are impacting his performances, then so be it. It paid dividends too, as it was Felix and the Argentine midfielder who combined for the opening goal. "As I said in the pre-match press conference, I don't think Marc is in his best moment. But at the same time, he's been part of a team that has kept a clean sheet at Anfield, a clean sheet against Fulham. [A perception has taken hold among many Chelsea supporters that Marc Cucurella is a poor player.](https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/news/potter-cucurella-chelsea-west-ham-26216399) That is simply not the case. In the modern-day game, there is a performance element required for coaching at a club like Chelsea. Ultimately, the Premier League champions didn't want to meet Brighton's asking price but a few weeks later, Chelsea paid up. "It looked like a handball to me," he said in his It is not to everyone's liking and perhaps not what is now expected of a top coach. [Chelsea](https://www.football.london/all-about/chelsea) should have been awarded a penalty in the final minutes of the game at the London Stadium. That the decision wasn't overturned by VAR – or that Pawson wasn't sent to the monitor to review the call – certainly was. [Conor Gallagher](https://www.football.london/all-about/conor-gallagher)'s goalbound effort struck the arm of West Ham United midfielder Tomas Soucek, who had thrown himself to the ground to make a block.

Turning a group of stars into a cohesive team is like gluing the Millennium Falcon together while hurtling through hyperspace.

A 1-1 half-time scoreline felt like the high point of the game. But there was still an energy here, a chemistry between the parts that will intrigue Chelsea’s supporters while they wait for the glorious future – so, so many glorious futures – to germinate. There is still something entertaining in the basic spectacle of Potter, the process man, trying to solve this. There was another lovely moment as Reece James played a precision forward pass for Félix to run on to and produce the most delicious floaty dink over Lukasz Fabianski, a moment of synergy, movement, timing, imagination, slightly undermined by the fact that it was offside. The London Stadium was a boisterous place at kick-off, gripped also with a note of curiosity. Never mind the brittleness in a With less than a minute gone João Félix and Mykhaylo Mudryk combined 40 yards from goal, romping forward side by side, a sudden flare of boyishly handsome energy that almost burst the defensive line. It is unrealistic to expect Chelsea’s swirl of starry players, a model that is unprecedented in English football, to click into a functioning shape straight away. He made the opening goal with some help from Mudryk, who lunged to win the ball back from Jarrod Bowen. A holiday. A caravan. Welcome to the new world.

Hammers midfielder Soucek was falling to his left and diverted the ball off-target with his left hand.

“Aguerd had a bit of a groin issue. “Losing Paqueta was a blow but we don’t know the answer yet,” added Moyes. I don’t know if he’s popped his shoulder or if it’s just the way it feels. It looks like one of those ones that if it had been given I don’t think it would have been overturned. “I thought it was a good save,” smiled Blues boss Potter. “It hasn’t been given so there’s nothing for me to say.

There was a moment of controversy late on in West Ham's 1-1 draw with Chelsea when midfielder Tomas Soucek appeared to handle the ball in the box.

The VAR thinks the arm is in a natural position to break his fall. He said: "There is a shot to goal that is being blocked. Asked about the VAR incident in his post-match interview, Chelsea boss Graham Potter said: "It looks it [a penalty]. The law says about unnaturally bigger, making that area of the ball to strike. "It's a great save. It's the wrong decision in my opinion." The distance between the person taking the shot and Soucek is one of the key elements." If he's right next to him and he's two yards from the ball with his arm then you can argue 'no penalty'. "It's a definite stonewall penalty, I don't understand how you can't give that. After a swift VAR review, the decision was made to play on. "Soucek as he is going down... He even has a little bit of a look.

But West Ham equalised thanks to Chelsea old boy Emerson Palmieri and, once again, Graham Potter's expensively-assembled side were unable to find a winner. It ...

West Ham thought they had won it with nine minutes left after Tomas Soucek snaffled a rebound at the far post, but after a lengthy VAR review Rice, whose initial header had been saved, was ruled offside. Yet the hosts equalised in the 28th minute when Vladimir Coufal’s cross was flicked on by Jarrod Bowen for Emerson to tuck away at the far post. The Blues, boosted by a £300 million (€338 million) spending spree last month and £500 million (€564 million) over the last two windows, took the lead through one of their seven January buys, Joao Felix.

Joao Felix got his first Chelsea goal in the draw with West Ham on Saturday with his performance impressing Declan Rice as he felt aggrieved the Hammers did ...

We managed to get the goal from that and exploit that. He said: "With the team they put out they started really sharply, really quickly. The forward said: "I think we did enough to win, but this is football and you have to accept that West Ham defended well throughout the game. "The way he worked from side to side to get on the ball and find space he’s an unbelievable player. "We created plenty of good situations and had many chances to score again. [West Ham](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/west-ham-united-fc) were able to claim a point at the London Stadium after falling behind to an early goal.

Two of the Blues' January signings combined for the opening goal as Joao Felix tucked home Enzo Fernandez's cute cross as the visitors started the game in a ...

Gallagher has a shot from the edge of the box which is blocked by Soucek's arm on the floor. Chelsea try to play it out from the back, make a mess of it. Soufal's cross finds Bowen who flicks it to the back post for an unmarked Emerson to equalise from a tight angle! The playmaker, on loan from Atletico Madrid, made his return to the team after his three match ban. The second half was a more scrappy affair with the visitors not showing as much attacking intent. Vladimir Coufal's cross was flicked on Jarrod Bowen and former Blues defender Emerson Palmieri equalised at the far post.

Chelsea transfer news: Catch all the latest Chelsea headlines including updates on Jude Bellingham snubbing the Blues, David Raya's minimum price tag and a ...

[scouted numerous times ahead of his arrival](https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/transfer-news/chelsea-joao-felix-transfer-broja-25744531#google_vignette). Chelsea supporters have pleaded with Todd Boehly to sign Joao Felix in the summer on a permanent deal following the forward's first-half volley against West Ham. [ The Portugal international has already shown glimpses of his talent](https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/news/liverpool-sniffing-chelsea-bellingham-transfer-26196204) with much of that on display in his Blues debut against Fulham, which was marred by a second half red card which saw him miss the next three Premier League games. Despite being boosted by the returns of Reece James and Ben Chilwell, injuries still continue to plague Potter's squad with Raheem Sterling suffering a setback in the week. [Chelsea](https://www.football.london/all-about/chelsea) should have been awarded a penalty in the final minutes of the game at the London Stadium. One of the youngsters looked across to the 38-year-old Silva and offered his hand with great enthusiasm to the Chelsea ace. [Conor Gallagher](https://www.football.london/all-about/conor-gallagher)'s goalbound effort struck the arm of West Ham United midfielder Tomas Soucek, who had thrown himself to the ground to make a block. The Brazilian defender has been the epitome of calm, class and cool in a tumultuous and difficult season. [Enzo Fernandez and Joao Felix were the major signs of things getting better at Stamford Bridge](https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/news/chelsea-player-ratings-joao-felix-26215401) as they combined to put the Blues in front against the Hammers. Immediately it was clear to see his impact had been missed with jinking runs and clever passes causing the Hammers a number of problems in the early stages. [Graham Potter watched on as his side were held at the London Stadium by West Ham](https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/news/west-ham-vs-chelsea-live-26205837), but the Blues' first half display will certainly build confidence at Chelsea. Thiago Silva has hit out at Craig Pawson's decision not to award Chelsea a penalty in the last minute of their Premier League clash against West Ham on Saturday.

Chelsea news: The latest on the Blues' attempts to extend Mason Mount's stay at Stamford Bridge.

Liverpool are looking to add their own midfielders in the summer and could turn to Mount. James and Broja have both penned deals beyond 2028 and the host of new signings are signed up to contracts keeping them at SW6 for even longer than that. In the run to the 2021 triumph, he scored in the quarter-finals and the semi-finals. He has a Carabao Cup runners-up medal as well, the 24-year-old has been a champion of the world. Here, football.london rounds up the latest on his contract and what is to come for Mount. The Blues' attacking fulcrum of the 2021/22 season has a future far from certain despite his list of achievements in his still young career.