Chelsea returned to the top four with victory at home to Wolves on Monday night. Enzo Maresca’s side have gone winless in five Premier League games so far, falling from outside title contenders to fighting for Champions League qualification.
There were a number of changes to the squad to face Vitor Pereira’s side at Stamford Bridge, with Keenan Dewsbury-Hall given a rare start in midfield. But the most surprising participant was Trevor Chalovar. The defender was previously part of Maresca’s ‘bomb squad’ but was removed from the pre-season tour after failing to meet the requirements.
But unbelievably, Chalobah was recalled from a promising loan spell at Crystal Palace this month and thrown straight into the starting XI. Fans have expressed mixed opinions following his first appearance in a blue shirt.
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Chelsea fans praise Chalobah after his return
The defender was well received in the stadium and online
Following recent poor defensive performances from the likes of Axel Disasi and Benoît Badiashile, Chelsea fans are hoping that Chalobah will be welcomed warmly by Stanford and that their player will be given another chance to prove his worth. I cried out with joy. Bridge faithful.
He responded to the support with an impressive performance that reminded fans, and perhaps his manager, exactly what they’ve been missing over the past few months. The 25-year-old was comfortable and calm in possession, completing 96% of his passes. From there he was even able to create two big chances, the second of which led to Noni Maduke’s goal that sealed the match.
Those came defensively, and he was astute as well. Chalova led the team in clearances, interceptions and blocked shots that night, with one particularly standout moment of heroic defense. As Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen looked to score, the defender made what appeared to be a goal-saving tackle on the edge of the box, causing the entire west London home section to stop in their tracks.
Trevor Chalobah’s performance against Wolves
Play time (minutes)
90
clearance
7
block
1
intercept
3
Ground duel (victory)
3(2)
Aerial duel (victory)
5(4)
Pass completion rate (%)
96
key pass
2
assist
1
The challenge represented a strong showing for Charova as she returned to her boyhood club, and fans were quick to share their thoughts online, welcoming the defender back with open arms.
“Charova has already made more tackles than DiSasi,” one fan wrote on social media. Similar sentiments were shared by those who claimed that “Charova is here to stay. She is back as if she had never left.”
A third added: “I ask again why Chelsea bought DiSasi when they have Chalova.” A fourth said: “I will never forgive those stupid Chelsea fans who stupidly named Disasi and Badiasile ahead of Chaloba. What the hell were they thinking?”
A fifth person also posted a tweet containing screenshots of past incidents showing how badly the defender was treated before being released on loan, writing: ‘How they treated Trevor Chalobah. Please never forget,” he added the caption.
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All statistics provided by Sofascore – accurate as of January 20, 2025
