James Maddison felt we should have picked up that precious, defining point against Chelsea – but wasn’t to be on another ‘frustrating’ night for us at Stamford Bridge.
After a bright start – Mathys Tel headed against the post – Chelsea grabbed the initiative via Enzo Fernandez’s strike on 18 minutes and then doubled their advantage when Andrey Santos finished a counter-attack midway through the second half.
We responded when Richarlison tapped home from Pape Matar Sarr’s backheel assist on 74 minutes but couldn’t find the equaliser that would have left us three points clear of West Ham with a plus-12 goal advantage going into the final weekend of fixtures in the Premier League.
Instead, it’s a two-point advantage, plus that +12 goal difference, as we take on Everton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday (4pm). West Ham host Leeds.
Off the bench for his second appearance since returning from an ACL injury, ‘Madders’ spoke to us afterwards…
Can you give us an insight into the changing room – what’s the overriding emotion after that?
Madders: “Right now, frustration, obviously. We should have had a result tonight with the way the game went, especially when we were pushing in the last 20 minutes, but just didn’t quite find the composure in a few moments, which is frustrating because we had some key moments that were almost broke down on us rather than good defending or a good save or whatever. So, frustration, but it’s in our hands. We have a massive game on Sunday for this football club. So, we need to be ready. It’s important every player is ready to come and have that responsibility and be brave and strong.”
Madders in action at Stamford Bridge
I know at the moment it’s very much about the team, but I think fans would definitely want to know how you’re getting on and how you felt physically tonight…
Madders: “I felt good, yes. I’ve obviously been out for a long time, so I don’t feel 100% sharp and fit, but I felt pretty good. That’s why it’s disappointing we didn’t get anything out of the game, because I felt like we were pushing and I felt involved in that but, like I said, just that lack of quality in the front third just let us down on a few moments in a game where we probably should have got something, I think.”
It feels like in the immediate aftermath of that, the thing that is going to be most important is that everyone gives absolutely everything that they have over the course of these next few days, and that is across the club – fans, of course, playing their part. How crucial is it that everyone brings the best version of themselves on Sunday?
Madders: “Our fans just need to keep doing what they’re doing. They were unbelievable tonight. They’ve watched the team lose a lot of games this season, which we should take personally from the players who have played, kind of thing. Even tonight, I just thought they were brilliant. They were so loud. We need to repay that on Sunday, just avoid the disastrous situation, come out of this relegation battle on the right side of the line and rebuild, because they deserve that. We’ll be making sure we’re ready to give back to them for the support that they give us, undoubtedly, every game.”
‘The fans were unbelievable… we need to repay that!’ – Maddison after Chelsea loss