# Paul Merson Highlights Major Problem for Chelsea After Loss to Nottingham Forest
Chelsea suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at home to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, leaving them with just one win in their four Premier League games under new head coach Mauricio Pochettino. Anthony Elanga scored the only goal of the match as Steve Cooper’s side left Stamford Bridge with all three points in a stunning result.
Paul Merson, who watched the game for Sky Sports, highlighted a major problem for Chelsea after the match. He said that the Blues ‘never looked like scoring’ and are still unable to break teams down when they put 10 men behind the ball – something that Pochettino needs to address urgently.
## Chelsea’s Struggles to Break Teams Down
Merson said: ‘It happened again today, they never looked like scoring a goal. It’s disappointing. I think they’ll be alright away from home, when teams have a go, because of Nicolas Jackson and Raheem Sterling’s pace.
‘This has been happening for a couple of years now, trying to break teams down. Against Liverpool they were really good because Liverpool came out and played, but when teams come and sit with 10 men behind the ball… Luton did it last week. Chelsea scored after 10 minutes and you thought it was going to be a cricket score.
‘But for the next 30-50 minutes, it was slow, the fans were getting frustrated. Mauricio Pochettino’s job is to get this team up and really pressing.’
The Blues have been struggling to break teams down for some time now, and it is an issue that Pochettino needs to address if he is to get the best out of his side. Chelsea have some of the best attacking talent in the league, but if they can’t find a way to break down teams who sit back and defend, then they will struggle to make an impact in the Premier League this season.
## Finding Solutions to Break Teams Down
Pochettino will need to find solutions to this problem if he is to get the best out of his side. He could look to deploy a more attacking formation, with two strikers up front and two wingers on either side of them. This would give Chelsea more attacking options and allow them to stretch teams who are sitting back and defending.
Another option could be to use more direct passing and movement off the ball. This would allow Chelsea to move the ball quickly and create space for their attackers to run into. They could also look to use more set pieces and crosses into the box, as this could be an effective way of breaking down teams who are sitting deep.
Finally, Pochettino could look to use more pressing from his players. This would force teams to make mistakes and give Chelsea more chances to score. It would also put pressure on teams who are trying to defend, which could open up space for Chelsea’s attackers to exploit.
## Conclusion
Chelsea have some of the best attacking talent in the Premier League, but they are struggling to break teams down when they sit back and defend. Paul Merson highlighted this problem after their 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, and it is something that Mauricio Pochettino needs to address if he is to get the best out of his side.
There are a few solutions that Pochettino could look to implement, such as deploying a more attacking formation, using more direct passing and movement off the ball, using more set pieces and crosses into the box, and using more pressing from his players. If he can find a way to get his side breaking teams down more effectively, then Chelsea could be a real force in the Premier League this season.