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Chelsea 2-1 Watford: Ross Barkley's late header earns Blues final-day victory

By Matthew HowarthBBC Sport

Last updated on .From the section Premier Leaguecomments221

Ross Barkley, Chelsea, Watford
Ross Barkley scored his first goal of the season in second-half added time to earn Chelsea a last-gasp victory

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel says the Blues' "disadvantage" in the transfer market "grows every day" that their prospective takeover remains unresolved.

Todd Boehly's £4.25bn acquisition of the club is expected to be completed later this month, but Tuchel is unable to add to his squad until the purchase is finalised.

The German is expecting to have to replace a number of first-team regulars this summer, with Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen leaving Stamford Bridge and Spain internationals Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso linked with Barcelona.

"Our hands are tied," Tuchel said after Sunday's win against relegated Watford.

"The disadvantage in terms of timing for the rebuild is big. We have to be fast and smart. There is no need to make excuses now, it's just the situation we're in and we cannot act as we want."

Ross Barkley's late header ensured Chelsea finished the 2021-22 campaign with a narrow victory over the Hornets.

Barkley, making his 100th appearance for the club in all competitions, nodded Reece James' cross past goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann to earn the Blues all three points - four minutes after Dan Gosling had grabbed a late equaliser for the visitors.

Kai Havertz converted a low cross from Kenedy - who was making his first Premier League start for the club since May 2017 - to give the hosts the lead early in the first half.

Gosling's header from Adam Masina's delivery appeared to have earned Watford a share of the spoils, but Barkley scored with virtually the last moment of action to deny Roy Hodgson's team.

Chelsea 2-1 Watford: Late Ross Barkley winner 'changed' Thomas Tuchel's mood

Big summer ahead for Chelsea

Having secured third place courtesy of Thursday's 1-1 draw at home to Leicester, Tuchel made five changes to his starting line-up against the Hornets, handing Kenedy a long-awaited Premier League return for the club and Saul Niguez his first top-flight start since March.

Ben Chilwell was also on the Chelsea bench for the first time since rupturing his cruciate knee ligament in November.

Kenedy, who played just 15 minutes for the Hornets during a loan spell in 2016-17, was particularly lively early on and set up Havertz's opener with a marvellous low cross into the Germany forward's path.

Mason Mount, Chelsea's top Premier League scorer this season with 11, forced a fine save out of Watford keeper Bachmann as Tuchel's side pushed for a second, before Havertz rattled the crossbar from another Kenedy pass.

Chelsea had Edouard Mendy to thank for preserving their slender lead when he denied Joao Pedro from point-blank range early in the second half, but there was nothing the Senegal keeper could do to prevent Gosling from nodding Watford level in the final minute of normal time.

There was still time for one final twist however, as Barkley headed in his first goal of the 2021-22 campaign to lift the mood inside Stamford Bridge.

US billionaire Boehly was in attendance to see the club record only their ninth home league win of the season.

Chelsea 2-1 Watford: Roy Hodgson expects to retire after 'very credible defeat'

Farewell... but not goodbye?

Former England manager Hodgson will have enjoyed his team's second-half showing at Stamford Bridge but it was not enough to earn the Hornets a hard-earned point in front of his successor Rob Edwards.

Edwards will assume the Vicarage Road hot-seat this summer after leading Forest Green Rovers to the League Two title.

Hodgson, 74, said earlier this month he was planning to retire after leaving Watford - and although he stopped short of ruling out ever returning, he suggested after this game that he would be calling it a day.

When he departed Crystal Palace at the end of last season, Hodgson said the "time was right" to step away from the rigours of top-flight football - only to be appointed as Claudio Ranieri's replacement at Vicarage Road in January.

He was unable to lead the Hertfordshire club to safety, collecting just nine points from his 18 league games in charge as the Hornets were relegated.

One man whose Premier League career is definitely at an end is referee Mike Dean, who took charge of his 560th and final top-flight game on Sunday.

Player of the match

MountMason Mount

with an average of 8.34

Chelsea

  1. Squad number19Player nameMount
    Average rating

    8.34

  2. Squad number29Player nameHavertz
    Average rating

    8.32

  3. Squad number21Player nameChilwell
    Average rating

    8.17

  4. Squad number7Player nameKanté
    Average rating

    8.11

  5. Squad number24Player nameJames
    Average rating

    8.10

  6. Squad number6Player nameThiago Silva
    Average rating

    8.09

  7. Squad number18Player nameBarkley
    Average rating

    8.08

  8. Squad number22Player nameZiyech
    Average rating

    7.74

  9. Squad number2Player nameRüdiger
    Average rating

    7.67

  10. Squad number16Player nameMendy
    Average rating

    7.54

  11. Squad number23Player nameKenedy
    Average rating

    7.44

  12. Squad number28Player nameAzpilicueta
    Average rating

    7.37

  13. Squad number17Player nameSaúl
    Average rating

    7.28

  14. Squad number31Player nameSarr
    Average rating

    6.88

Watford

  1. Squad number16Player nameGosling
    Average rating

    5.52

  2. Squad number29Player nameCucho Hernández
    Average rating

    4.76

  3. Squad number10Player nameJoão Pedro
    Average rating

    4.73

  4. Squad number11Player nameMasina
    Average rating

    4.71

  5. Squad number19Player nameSissoko
    Average rating

    4.32

  6. Squad number14Player nameKamara
    Average rating

    4.31

  7. Squad number26Player nameBachmann
    Average rating

    4.30

  8. Squad number7Player nameKing
    Average rating

    4.17

  9. Squad number27Player nameKabasele
    Average rating

    4.14

  10. Squad number12Player nameSema
    Average rating

    4.13

  11. Squad number22Player nameSamir
    Average rating

    4.09

  12. Squad number8Player nameCleverley
    Average rating

    4.07

  13. Squad number39Player nameKayembe
    Average rating

    3.95

  14. Squad number21Player nameKiko Femenía
    Average rating

    3.91

Line-ups

Chelsea

Formation 3-4-2-1

  • 16Mendy
  • 28Azpilicueta
  • 6Thiago Silva
  • 2RüdigerSubstituted forBarkleyat 65'minutes
  • 24James
  • 7Kanté
  • 17Saúl
  • 23KenedySubstituted forSarrat 59'minutes
  • 22Ziyech
  • 19MountSubstituted forChilwellat 89'minutes
  • 29Havertz

Substitutes

  • 1Arrizabalaga
  • 5Jorginho
  • 9Lukaku
  • 10Pulisic
  • 12Loftus-Cheek
  • 14Chalobah
  • 18Barkley
  • 21Chilwell
  • 31Sarr

Watford

Formation 4-3-3

  • 26Bachmann
  • 21Femenía
  • 27Kabasele
  • 22Samir
  • 14KamaraSubstituted forMasinaat 78'minutes
  • 19Sissoko
  • 39KayembeSubstituted forGoslingat 82'minutes
  • 8Cleverley
  • 7KingSubstituted forHernándezat 72'minutes
  • 10João Pedro
  • 12Sema

Substitutes

  • 2Ngakia
  • 5Troost-Ekong
  • 11Masina
  • 15Cathcart
  • 16Gosling
  • 29Hernández
  • 31Sierralta
  • 34Baah
  • 35Elliot
Referee:
Mike Dean
Attendance:
32,089

Match Stats

Home TeamChelseaAway TeamWatford
Possession
Home72%
Away28%
Shots
Home19
Away8
Shots on Target
Home8
Away3
Corners
Home3
Away3
Fouls
Home9
Away9

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Chelsea 2, Watford 1.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Chelsea 2, Watford 1.

  3. Post update

    Attempt saved. Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Malang Sarr with a cross.

  4. Post update

    Foul by Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea).

  5. Post update

    Tom Cleverley (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  6. Goal!

    Goal! Chelsea 2, Watford 1. Ross Barkley (Chelsea) header from very close range to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Reece James.

  7. Substitution

    Substitution, Chelsea. Ben Chilwell replaces Mason Mount.

  8. Post update

    Reece James (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  9. Post update

    Foul by Moussa Sissoko (Watford).

  10. Goal!

    Goal! Chelsea 1, Watford 1. Dan Gosling (Watford) header from the right side of the six yard box to the top left corner. Assisted by Adam Masina with a cross.

  11. Post update

    Offside, Watford. Kiko Femenía tries a through ball, but Cucho Hernández is caught offside.

  12. Post update

    Foul by Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea).

  13. Post update

    Samir (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  14. Post update

    Ross Barkley (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  15. Post update

    Foul by Tom Cleverley (Watford).

  16. Post update

    Attempt missed. Kai Havertz (Chelsea) left footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Ross Barkley.

  17. Post update

    Foul by Mason Mount (Chelsea).

  18. Post update

    Moussa Sissoko (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  19. Substitution

    Substitution, Watford. Dan Gosling replaces Edo Kayembe.

  20. Post update

    Attempt saved. Ross Barkley (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by N'Golo Kanté.

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Comments

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221 comments

  • Comment posted by KR, at 18:30 22 May

    Well done Chelsea. How they coped with the off field stuff is admirable. 2 trophies, 2 runners up cup finalists, 3rd in the Prem and Champs League next season. Most teams would settle for that. They just need Tuchel to be backed fully and allowed to sell and purchase the players he wants to sell and buy without any interference from others. Happy retirement for Roy Hodgeson.

    • Reply posted by madmicky, at 18:40 22 May

      madmicky replied:
      Spot on KR a very sensible assessment

  • Comment posted by HarryJsAllstar, at 18:12 22 May

    A difficult season, Chelsea FC can be proud of how they have coped.
    Still London’s top club.
    Congratulations on all the trophies - mens and womens.

    • Reply posted by BlackbirdLeysSpurs, at 18:37 22 May

      BlackbirdLeysSpurs replied:
      Thanks for all the , mostly, friendly banter folks, see ya in 22/23
      COYS

  • Comment posted by Sky beats C4, at 18:07 22 May

    So glad Chillwell got a run out. Never like when a player is out for that long.

    • Reply posted by luke ned , at 18:35 22 May

      luke ned replied:
      Huge miss

  • Comment posted by Dave DLC, at 18:19 22 May

    Thanks Chels for a great season. World club cup winners..... I mean, we'd won all the other cups already!!👍👍

    • Reply posted by SuperDuper, at 23:47 22 May

      SuperDuper replied:
      Yet now the downward spiral comes. After years of spending on daddies money, the milk has dried up and every penny now matters. Welcome to the level playing field…. Welcome to 80’s Chelsea again.

      Couldn’t happen to a more toxic club… except maybe city and now Newcastle

  • Comment posted by NSM, at 18:07 22 May

    Farewell disloyal ones, clear out the deadwood and give the kids a chance.

    • Reply posted by SuperDuper, at 23:48 22 May

      SuperDuper replied:
      Farewell daddies money, now those books have to balance… kids is the only option now the well has run dry

  • Comment posted by BlueGuy, at 19:07 22 May

    Decent season in the end for us. Just 2 penalty shootouts short of 4 trophies. With all the long term injuries this season, third was fine.

    • Reply posted by kevirl, at 20:38 22 May

      kevirl replied:
      4?

  • Comment posted by kakapopo, at 18:36 22 May

    Sarr is a very poor defender. Most goals been scored from his side whenever he plays. Please show him the door out of Chelsea.

    • Reply posted by Blues Clues, at 18:40 22 May

      Blues Clues replied:
      I agree

  • Comment posted by David Watts, at 18:15 22 May

    Well done Chelsea, Well Done to all of the Chelsea faithful that never shirked from the negatives.
    It's without doubt the most trying season since the relegations..

    Bit of a nothing game today,more like a pre-season friendly, so wasn't really expecting an all guns blazing performance..

    The Next few weeks will be crucial for the future of Chelsea FC... To Be Continued..

    • Reply posted by David Watts, at 18:42 22 May

      David Watts replied:
      A new era will start and the days of Chelsea being the all conquering,all buying of every 5 minute wonder big time Charlie won't be as prolific.
      Thanks to Roman who turned Chelsea into something special, he will forever be the most vital chapter in the history of CFC, the moments,the glory will never be written out of English football history, the ride was brilliant, so THANK YOU ROMAN ..

  • Comment posted by Pretty Parsons Green, at 19:22 22 May

    TT has won 3 trophies in 1 and a half seasons with a squad of players basically built for 3 different managers
    Assuming he is given money to spend it will be interesting to see what he can do with a squad recruited at his request

  • Comment posted by jake1234, at 18:00 22 May

    Bye Toni thanks for the memories, say hello to Mbappe for us.....oh sorry, well say hi to Haaland.....oops

    • Reply posted by SuperDuper, at 23:49 22 May

      SuperDuper replied:
      Noble is now free, maybe all you could afford now daddy has gone

  • Comment posted by Hindsight if only, at 19:11 22 May

    Glad to see the ban on programme and ticket sales has impacted Putin, he doesn't look well at all, just hope he doesn't last as long as the clowns running this country who continue to part away whilst the rest have behaved under stronger jurisdiction.

  • Comment posted by TheTroll, at 18:03 22 May

    Chelsea going to be a force reckoned with next season.

    • Reply posted by Nomorekneelingetc, at 18:08 22 May

      Nomorekneelingetc replied:
      Surely you gest

  • Comment posted by barringtonblue, at 18:43 22 May

    SEE WHAT NEXT SEASON BRINGS LET THE PLAYERS WHO WANT TO GO . GO! AND BRING IN SOME EXPERIENCE ALONGWITH OUR YOUNG LADS GILMOUR BORJA, GALLAGHER BLUE IS THE COLOUR WELL DONE GREAT SEASON ALL THINGS CONSIDERED

    • Reply posted by OSGOODWASGOOD , at 19:44 22 May

      OSGOODWASGOOD replied:
      It’s Broja

  • Comment posted by David Watts, at 18:28 22 May

    Guess who didn't win the league? I guess those 2 draws with Chelsea, the draw with Brentford,proved costly..what was it that we being sung?" We shall not,we shall not moved" they'll look at the table with a grimace at the 1 point with some choice vocabulary..

    Well done MC&LFC on providing some brilliant football throughout the season,the level has been sublime,the entertainment was the winner..

    • Reply posted by MattSW, at 05:38 23 May

      MattSW replied:
      You didn't pass English, did you?

  • Comment posted by Matt1982, at 18:16 22 May

    Come on Chelsea.

  • Comment posted by RW, at 18:07 22 May

    Sad to lose in the final minutes but sums us up. We deserve to go down. Now please let the owners give Rob Edwards time to rebuild and if he takes us back up, leave him there for the season no matter what. But you know they won't....

  • Comment posted by Humble Chelsea Fan, at 18:05 22 May

    great game with a great atmoshphere between two great wonderful teams. watford we will all miss u in the premier league. the future is bright for us all

  • Comment posted by Joseph 90, at 20:03 22 May

    Stop moaning. Two finals lost to the penalty shoot out lottery. 3rd place even after the upheaval. Give it a rest, there are 17 other clubs who would swap.

  • Comment posted by RMC 1964, at 18:03 22 May

    So pleased for Barkley. An under rated player.

    • Reply posted by Clive, at 07:38 23 May

      Clive replied:
      He’d be overrated playing in the national league north. The blokes an out and out donkey!

  • Comment posted by insideright, at 19:31 22 May

    Bye, Mike Dean, I shall not miss some of the odd decisions. Bye, Roy, I shall not miss some of the odd decisions.