The recent match between Ipswich Town and Chelsea on December 30, 2024, marked a significant milestone in the history of Ipswich football. With a 2-0 victory at Portman Road, Ipswich secured their first Premier League home win since 2002, effectively ending a prolonged period of disappointment for the club . The goals came from Liam Delap, who scored a penalty—their first in over two decades—and Omari Hutchinson, who capitalized on an error by Chelsea defender Axel Disasi to seal the win . This triumph not only represents a turning point for Ipswich but also highlights the ongoing struggles faced by Chelsea under manager Enzo Maresca.
Ipswich were relegated a month later. Delap and Hutchinson were born in 2003.
Since then the club have been to League One and back, while Chelsea have won five Premier League titles and two Champions Leagues during the same period.
But, at a bouncing Portman Road on Monday night, the fourth-placed Blues were blown away as Kieran McKenna's side finally recorded their first home league win of the season.
Chelsea was caught cold. Delap crashed into Levi Colwill with unseasonal intent to begin his wrecking ball display. The early energy brought swift reward. Leif Davis’s ball sent Delap away and Jörgensen’s penalty-box challenge was hasty. Did Delap accentuate contact? It looked that way but the referee’s call was followed.
Delap drilled home and might have had another soon after, only for Jörgensen to partially redeem himself. Chelsea were sluggish, as lethargic in attack as defence, Félix incapable of staying upright. His resigning remains a riddle. Christopher Nkunku, equally, was slow to pounce when Cole Palmer’s free-kick hit the post, the Frenchman failing to beat Walton.
Ipswich’s soft underbelly, so often weighing down a team who win hearts through attacking play, was exposed when Palmer’s pass found Félix in position to score and then perform an elaborate celebration targeted at the haters. Problematically for the one-time €100m-plus playmaker, he had been half-a-yard offside. Disturbingly for Ipswich, Palmer was now strolling with intent, with far too much freedom.
Despite this historic achievement, it is essential to contextualize Ipswich's victory within their current league standing. Although they celebrated this much-needed win, they remain in the relegation zone—just one point away from safety. This juxtaposition underscores the challenges that continue to plague the team as they strive to secure their position in the Premier League. Conversely, Chelsea's inability to convert opportunities during the match emphasizes their declining form; they have now gone three matches without a victory and find themselves ten points behind league leaders Liverpool
In conclusion, Ipswich Town's historic home win over Chelsea serves as both a celebration and a reminder of the complexities inherent in competitive football. While it marks an important step forward for Ipswich after years of struggle at home (Brewin, 2024), it simultaneously reflects broader issues within Chelsea’s squad management and performance consistency. As both teams move forward from this encounter, their trajectories will be closely monitored by fans and analysts alike.
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