Chelsea

Chelsea were held to a 1-1 draw at West Ham United on Saturday as Joao Felix's opener was cancelled out by ex-Blues defender Emerson Palmieri, ...

"I was hoping it was going to be our day but we had a couple of close calls as well. We will get better from the experience." They stayed ninth in the table, nine points behind fourth-placed Newcastle who have played a game less.

Why Chelsea were denied a late penalty against West Ham — and what was said after the game...

But it’s not for me to say about VAR. They also tweaked the law on scoring after a handball. It looks like one of those ones that if it had been given I don’t think it would have been overturned. Sometimes they go for you and sometimes they don’t, you just have to accept that.” - Touches the ball with their hand/arm when it has made their body unnaturally bigger. Now, these rules apply exclusively to the scorer. But it hasn’t been given, so I don’t know. I didn’t know Tomas could get down that easily and save like that. “It hasn’t been given so there’s nothing for me to say. Last season, a goal would be disallowed if the creator or scorer was adjudged to have handled the ball, whether intentional or not. [Chelsea](https://theathletic.com/football/team/chelsea/) and [West Ham](https://theathletic.com/football/team/west-ham-united/) played out a 1-1 draw in the [Premier League](https://theathletic.com/football/premier-league/) on Saturday, but there was late controversy at the London Stadium. [Kepa Arrizabalaga](https://theathletic.com/football/player/kepa-arrizabalaga-1P8FuxeJbZr6pWPM/) denied [Declan Rice](https://theathletic.com/football/player/declan-rice-duZsAMRHQ2yZkpLT/) from a header.

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.

Chelsea fans have enjoyed watching Joao Felix during his loan spell from Atletico Madrid. · Graham Potter on Chelsea's draw to West Ham United · Related articles.

Reports suggest that Potter would be willing to let him leave in the summer just 12 months after his arrival. Ziyech looked set to depart Chelsea in January but his move to PSG fell through in the final moments of deadline day following a technical error. Kovacic has been a regular for Chelsea this season but may find his game time reduced when he returns from injury after the arrival of Enzo Fernandez. Atletico boss Diego Simeone tends to like having a target man up front and Lukaku would fit the bill. He was linked with Atletico Madrid during the transfer window but the move would not have been possible after already featuring for two clubs this season. [Graham Potter](/latest/graham-potter) may look to make his move permanent over the summer if he continues to perform like he did against the Irons however there is no option to buy written into his contract.