5 brief weeks after successful the Membership World Cup at MetLife Stadium, Chelsea returned to aggressive play at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, banners celebrating their newest championship adorned round their stadium. The Blues, although, swapped a formidable 3-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain final month for a sluggish 0-0 draw towards Crystal Palace, the scoreline an ideal reflection of the efficiency.
Exterior elements probably performed a large position in Chelsea’s underwhelming displaying on Sunday, the Membership World Cup creating wonky preseason schedules for the European groups that made deep runs. Enzo Maresca’s aspect, for instance, performed an 11-month season, took three weeks off, and had simply 13 days of preseason preparation earlier than going through Palace on Sunday, whereas the opponent had a way more conventional build-up. Maresca didn’t really feel his aspect have been underprepared consequently, nevertheless it was arduous to disregard the circumstances.
“I do not assume [the team was unprepared] as a result of, till the top, we competed,” Maresca mentioned. “We tried to win the sport. I believe we had some probabilities on the finish with Estevao, with Andrey Santos. In order that confirmed that most likely we compete general fairly good. For certain, [Palace] have already performed seven, eight video games. And for us, final week we performed two video games, however we tried to share minutes. So the true recreation for us was immediately. However for certain, slowly, slowly we’ll be higher.”
The best way to watch West Ham vs. Chelsea, odds
- Date: Friday, Aug. 22 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: London Stadium — London, England
- TV: USA Community | Stream: Fubo (Begin watching, save $20!)
- Odds: West Ham +390; Draw +300; Chelsea -145
Even then, Chelsea have room for enchancment as they put together to face West Ham United on Friday, a visit to the London Stadium providing an ideal alternative to place Sunday’s efficiency previously. Whereas Palace have been organized defensively and offered actual hurdles for the Blues’ attackers, the Hammers are unlikely to pose the identical problem. West Ham are coming off a 3-0 loss to newly-promoted Sunderland, which may very well be the primary signal of a troubling season forward for a staff that has not refreshed a lot this summer season and poses a restricted attacking menace.
Chelsea have been clearly the extra dominant attacking staff on Sunday, after they outshot Palace 19 to 11 and generated nearly a full anticipated purpose greater than the Eagles. It was a efficiency that was extra about amount than high quality, although – the Blues took simply three photographs on purpose, unideal regardless of the preseason disruptions. It supplied a stark reminder that regardless of the Membership World Cup triumph and the UEFA Europa Convention League win earlier than that, Maresca’s Chelsea could have loads of potential however are nonetheless an ideal unknown.
Maresca boasts a bloated squad jam-packed with attackers, however has but to determine what his most well-liked mixture is but. Contemplating the circumstances – particularly, an possession group that’s unusually desperate to signal new gamers – it’s comprehensible that the supervisor has not cracked the code simply but. Cole Palmer has earned the appropriate to be an everyday starter however the remainder of the spots simply is perhaps up for grabs.
The journey to determine Chelsea’s first-choice attacking unit has been a relentless characteristic of Maresca’s tenure on the membership however the Membership World Cup run presents vital context due to the introduction of a batch of latest gamers. Liam Delap, who selected Chelsea regardless of curiosity from a number of golf equipment round Europe, was a starter firstly of the summer season match however by the point the trophy was within the Blues’ sights, Joao Pedro was within the combine. He joined the staff halfway via the match and notched three objectives in three video games, together with one within the last, and translated that right into a begin on Sunday towards Palace.
Joao Pedro was on the prime of a 4-2-3-1 that included Palmer, in addition to Pedro Neto and Jamie Gittens on the wings, however the returns weren’t spectacular. Joao Pedro took simply two photographs in 73 minutes, a throwback to his common returns throughout his two years with Brighton and Hove Albion. The less-than-exciting outing for Chelsea, although, maybe opens the door for Delap to earn a beginning position whereas 18-year-old Estevao Willian could play a large position himself this season after making a 36-minute cameo on Sunday.
Friday’s match at West Ham, then, feels just like the unofficial begin of auditions to be considered one of Chelsea’s first-choice attackers, all of whom will likely be tasked with serving to the Blues reside as much as the hype they created final season.
