Chelsea Needs to Show More Ruthlessness - Marc Cucurella

Cucurella calls for Chelsea to show killer instinct after loss

Marc Cucurella urges Chelsea to show more ruthlessness after their latest loss to Sunderland. Chelsea's inability to finish chances costs them as they lose 2-1 to Sunderland.

“We know that a lot of teams are trying to use long throws more and we need to manage them better...”

Marc Cucurella is calling on Chelsea to tap into their killer instinct following a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Sunderland. The Blues had a promising start, taking the lead through Alejandro Garnacho's fourth-minute strike, but ultimately fell short.

Chelsea's inability to seal the win despite dominating possession has become a concerning trend. Enzo Maresca's team has now squandered eight points from winning positions this season, highlighting the need for a more clinical approach.

“We need to learn to manage the game better,” Cucurella said. “We scored early, dominated at that stage, but then we let the opponents back into it. We need to learn to kill games off when we're on top.” This latest setback serves as a wake-up call for Chelsea to work on their finishing and decision-making in crucial moments.

The defeat leaves Chelsea in mid-table, and Cucurella acknowledges that his team needs to improve against teams with a clear game plan. “We need to learn to be better against teams that come with a game plan like Sunderland, where they stay very narrow and compact.” With several upcoming matches, Chelsea has the opportunity to regroup and come back stronger.

Chelsea took the lead early through Alejandro Garnacho's fourth-minute strike, his first goal since joining from Manchester United. However, their advantage was short-lived as the Black Cats equalized in the 22nd minute with Wilson Isidor's well-taken goal. Despite dominating possession, Chelsea failed to regain the lead, adding to their growing list of unimpressive performances.

Defeat.#CFC | #CHESUN pic.twitter.com/27Dpco874K

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) October 25, 2025

Chelsea's recent four-game winning streak in all competitions has come to an end, leaving them in a mid-table position in the Premier League. After a strong season last year, which saw them qualify for the Champions League, win the UEFA Conference League, and lift the Club World Cup, the west Londoners had high hopes of building on that momentum. Unfortunately, their current performance hasn't matched those expectations.

Chelsea's Marc Cucurella acknowledged that his team has plenty to work on after their loss to Sunderland. “It's a really tough one to take,” Cucurella said. “We need to improve with these matches. I think we need to learn to manage the game better.” He emphasized the need for the team to find a more ruthless edge and improve their performance in critical situations.

“We scored early, dominated at that stage but then we let the opponents back into it. We need to learn to kill games off when we are on top.

“We need to learn to be better against teams that come with a game-plan such as Sunderland where they stay very narrow and compact.”

Cucurella: We must learn from this 💭#CFC | #CHESUN

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) October 26, 2025

Chelsea's woes continued as they fell victim to a long throw-in for the second time this season. Nordi Mukiele's throw into the six-yard box caused chaos, and Wilson Isidor capitalized on the opportunity to poke home the equalizer.

“We know that a lot of teams are trying to use long throws more and we need to manage them better,” Cucurella said.

“We worked on them yesterday because we knew Sunderland will look to use long throws and be direct from set-pieces.

“I think maybe we relaxed a little bit and they punished us. It's no excuse. We need to learn from this and make sure this doesn't happen again.”