Chelsea's 3-1 loss to Nottingham Forest means the Blues have now lost six consecutive Premier League games and haven't won in exactly two months in the competition, with Joao Pedro's consolation goal putting an end to their six scoreless league games.

After booking their place in the final of the Emirates FA Cup last weekend in a 1-0 win over Leeds United, fans headed to Stamford Bridge on Monday afternoon, optimistic of their chances under interim coach Calum McFarlane.

The result also gave the former Liam Rosenior assistant the boldness to hand youngster Jesse Derry his first Premier League start, despite their Champions League qualification being at stake, and that move, before kick-off, was warmly welcomed by fans.

After all, securing a place in a final is the highest point of their season so far; even though it was only Leeds United, it was still the same team that beat them under Enzo Maresca and drew against Liam Rosenior in their two league meetings this season.

There was no reason not to trust Calum McFarlane, but as the result showed on Monday afternoon, the situation is much deeper than being solved by sacking the manager, as it is still the same players with the same mentality.

How a Perfect Afternoon Went Wrong for Chelsea

Chelsea welcomed a lot of important guests to Stamford Bridge, including former defender Thiago Silva and his family, as well as former mixed martial artist Khabib Nurmagomedov, and a host of other influencers, including two well-known Nigerians.

Fans were also eager to see Levi Colwill back in action following his recent recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament tear that has sidelined him all season.

However, the excitement of the build-up faded almost right after kickoff as Forest, who named a much-altered XI with almost nine regular players missing or rested due to their upcoming Europa League semi-final second-leg clash with Aston Villa, took the lead inside the opening two minutes.

Making his first start since the middle of October, Taiwo Awoniyi headed into the top corner following a cross from Bakwa down the left for only his third goal of the season and his third in games against the hosts.

Chelsea fell two behind in the 15th minute as Brazilian striker Igor Jesus converted from the spot, after a VAR review of Malo Gusto's foul on Taiwo Awoniyi, which earned the French fullback a yellow card for his troubles.

The day went from bad to worse for Chelsea as a clash of heads between Jesse Derry and Zack Abbott left the two teenagers unconscious, and both had to be taken off. Furthermore, Cole Palmer failed to convert the resulting penalty as Matz Sels saved deep into added time of the first half.

On his 100th Forest appearance, Taiwo Awoniyi completed his brace seven minutes after the restart to put the game beyond Chelsea, rendering Joao Pedro's sensational overhead kick goal a mere consolation in the third minute of added time.

The impact of Derry's head injury landed him in the hospital, as revealed by the club moments after the game, and he is unlikely to play any part in the remaining games of the season.

What Does the Defeat Mean for Chelsea?

Chelsea have now lost six consecutive Premier League games for the first time since 1993, a reality that leaves them in ninth position on the Premier League standings thanks to the failure of many of their closest rivals to win in the gameweek.

However, it confirmed their failure to qualify for next season's Champions League, while they trail a place in Europa League qualification by three points, although winning the FA Cup will secure them an automatic slot for the competition.

Failure to do so will mean missing the chance of playing in Europe next season if they are unable to climb up the table in the final three gameweeks, with the visit of Tottenham Hotspur coming between trips to Anfield and the Stadium of Light.

What the Lack of UCL Football Means

A lack of Champions League football means a loss of money, especially for a club like Chelsea which has multi-million-pound endorsement deals and always looks forward to the UCL money.

There are significant differences in money earned by teams playing in the Champions League and other European competitions, and for a club with a budget of an elite team, the revenue for next season is sure to lead to increased losses.

The club reported a record-breaking pre-tax loss of £262.4 million for last season, the highest ever in English football, according to the financial accounts of Chelsea FC Holdings Limited, which oversees the men’s team.

Yet, they need to keep losses below £52.2m under UEFA rules or face fines, and risk a European ban if losses exceed £69.7m. Missing out on the UEFA Champions League payouts sure would not help their cause.

It's the new reality for the club that has spent over £1.3 billion since the Todd Boehly and Clearlake consortium took over from Roman Abramovich's ownership in May 2022.

Aside from the financial aspect, not competing at the highest level could also see them lose some of their best players, while they could also be forced to sell others at cheaper fees due to a lack of playtime as a result of limited games.

It is the worst reality for Chelsea's project, which focuses more on buying young prospects to groom them into stars and selling those who do not fit in at the club.