After underperforming in the Premier League the last 2 seasons, Chelsea find themself in relatively new European Conference League. With one of the most expensive sides in world football and incredible form, they are the clear favorites to win the whole thing. They absolutely thrashed Armenian side, FC Noah, yesterday securing all 3 points in an astounding 8-0 victory. Scoring goals for fun they arguably should have had double digits and could have netted 15 but lacked quality at times in the box.
Joao Félix 6th Minute
5 minutes in, 18-year-old Tyrique George gets in behind and puts in a beautiful cross for Joao Félix to put into an empty. However, that wasn’t case as he took the ball directly down and away from the goal at a defender.
Marc Guiu 28th Minute
Less than half an hour in, Chelsea already up 4-0, Marc Guiu finds himself alone, 8 yards out, with a free header that ultimately got hit down right at a defender and kicked off the line.
Credit to the goalkeeper, but with as much time as he had, you would expect a more powerful and direct header back across goal.
Joao Félix 52nd Minute
After an awful mistake by the goalkeeper, the ball comes directly to Félix’s feet at the center of the box. He could not find footing and mis hits the ball toward the corner but it was easily kept out of the net.
Christopher Nkunku 53rd Minute
Immediately after, Chelsea’s leading scoring is played through on goal but indecisiveness gets the better of him. In a game where finding the back of the net seems easier than not, the striker does not manage to really trouble the keeper. He has the opportunity to take it on his right but turns back and tries to hit it with his left as he turned with his back to goal.
Christopher Nkunku 58th Minute
Once again, the leading man is through on goal but cannot convert. With the entire goal to shoot at, he smashes it over and it skimmed off the bar into the stands.
Another Free Header 83rd Minute
Corner kicks have caused issue all day for the visitors. Chelsea managed to convert 2 in the first half with defenders finding open space and winning uncontested headers. However, late on they find themself in a similar situation but it comes off softly directly into the keeper’s hands.
Chukwuemeka and Rak-Sakyi 91st Minute
In extra time, Carney Chukwuemeka had come on as a substitute, and found himself through on goal in a 1v1 situation. Lacking poise, he fired a shot directly at the keeper.
Immediately off that, Chelsea youth product, Sam Rak-Sakyi, has the opportunity to open his account for the senior team into an essentially empty net but he puts it over the gaping net.
What Does This All Mean?
In short, nothing. They got the job done more than convincingly and secured the win 8-0. However, this is a team that could likely compete with some of the best in Europe and yet the majority of these players fail to see minutes in the English top flight and this might be why. Of course certain players are not strong enough to be there yet, but many people wonder why the likes of Joao Félix and Christopher Nkunku are not seeing the first team minutes in Premier League matches. Their lack of clinical finishing may be the reason. In such a star-studded squad overall, it is hard to break into the side with the likes of Nico Jackson and Cole Palmer who have been linking up so well for the blues. Despite being some of Chelsea’s biggest goal contributors, Félix and Nkunku have failed to make large impacts when they feature in Premier League matches. Enzo Maresca has some of the most talent and most difficult decisions to make in terms of line-up but their is no reason to believe that these players would do more than the current starting Premier League lineup.
