Mason Mount has issued an apology to Chelsea supporters on social media following the terrible display at Newcastle United on Saturday.
Mount uploaded a post to Instagram less than 24 hours after the 1-0 loss at Saint James’ Park in order to address those wounded fans sporting blue.
“You all deserve more from us,” wrote the midfielder.
“We have the best fans in the country and we will make you proud this season.”
Mount apology not quite enough
Saying sorry is the very least those who made the nearly ten-hour round trip from London to Newcastle yesterday deserve.
They were forced to witness another dismal display from their side, who gave the away support very little reason to watch them on the road again.
Newcastle were as efficient as Chelsea were inefficient.
Eddie Howe pretty much nailed his game plan of pressuring the Blues and forcing turnover of possession.
Graham Potter’s men appeared apprehensive on the ball, as they have in the past few fixtures.
Perhaps the atmosphere overwhelmed them, or simply the intensity of Newcastle’s approach.
But for grown and experienced professionals, this is merely not a good enough excuse.
Chelsea cut and bruised
Despite Potter’s numerous injury absentees, a list potentially getting longer after Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Cesar Azpilicueta’s were forced off, Chelsea still had enough quality on paper to match their hosts.
There was also plenty of pedigree on the bench that Potter turned to when the Magpies flew in front through Joe Willock.
Kai Havertz, Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic entered the fray in the second-half, whilst Thiago Silva came on to replace Loftus-Cheek after seven minutes.
None of the attacking substitutes managed to swing the tie in Chelsea’s favour.
Silva was pretty helpless to deny Willock’s wicked effort, with Kalidou Koulibaly the guilty party for not preventing Miguel Almiron’s assist.
Meanwhile, all of Newcastle’s recruits played their roles excellently.
That’s the difference between Potter and Howe’s squads at the moment: one is harmonious, the other is hardly ominous.
