Chelsea escaped ‘humiliation’ in their second leg clash against Servette in the UEFA Conference League. The Blues were beaten 2-1 but managed to progress to the next round on an aggregate of 3-2. Enzo Maresca’s men were overconfident heading into the second leg with a 2-0 lead. The Billion dollar team was humbled by the Swiss team, who showed real character in the game.
Chelsea took an early lead when Mykhalo Mudryk earned a penalty, which was converted by Christopher Nkunku. The Swiss hosts were level soon when Eremy Guillemenot, drilled the ball into the bottom corner.
With 20 minutes to go, Servette added a second and hoped for a sensational comeback. Enzo Crivelli got on the end of Miroslav Stevanovic’s cross and scrambled it in. Nicolas Jackson had a goal ruled out for offside and Cole Palmer hit the woodwork late in the game.
It was a sensational effort from the hosts but an embarrassing performance from Chelsea. The Blues are still not convincing enough. Problems in the defense still persist. If it were a stronger team, the London side would have suffered a crushing defeat.
New signing Marc Guiu’s performance left the fans disappointed. The 18-year old struggled to control the ball and lost possession cheaply. He must improve his linkup play to succeed. However, he is very young and will learn gradually from his mistakes.
Chelsea Player Ratings: Goalkeeper and Defenders:
Filip Jorgensen (6/10)
Chelsea’s new goalkeeper had a decent game but could have done better on the second goal. He was efficient in buildup and also denied a chance late in the game.
Axel Disasi (7/10)
This was his first start under Enzo Maresca and he was solid. He completed 88% of his passes and won all of his aerial duels. He is a defensive rock for Chelsea
Tosin Adarabioyo (5/10)
He put in a decent shift, comfortable on the ball and efficient passing. He can cement his starting spot if he keeps playing well.
Benoit Badiashile (4/10)
Poor defending from the Frenchman. He lost his marker as Servette scored the equalizer. This performance will not help him at all.
Renato Veiga (5.5/10)
Enzo Maresca is currently using him as an experiment player. He is trying him out centrally and in the wide areas to provide competition for Cucurella. Decent shift from the Portuguese.
Chelsea Midfielders and Forwards
Enzo Fernandez (6.5/10)
Comfortable in possession and was able to dictate the midfield. However, he has to improve defensively and track runners in behind. Solid performance otherwise from the Argentinian.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (6/10)
Struggled to make such an impact playing as a no.10. However he linked up will with Nkunku and was comfortable in possession.
Noni Madueke (6/10)
The Frenchman was heavily marked by Servette defenders, therefore had a quiet game. He could not repeat his heroics against Wolves at Servette.
Christopher Nkunku (6.5/10)
Much better display from the French winger, he was a threat throughout the game. Converted the penalty from 12 yards which sealed the Blues’ qualification to the next round.
Mykhaylo Mudryk (6/10)
The Ukrainian improved after his disastrous performance last match against Wolves. He looked sharper and made runs in behind the Swiss team’s defense.
Marc Guiu (4.5/10)
Poor performance from the youngster, could not control the ball when he received. Lost possession very often which led to the second goal. He has to improve a lot to become a regular starter under Maresca.
Substitutes
Tyrique George (6.5/10)
The 18-year old was handed his debut and he was impressive. He was brave and did not hesitate before taking on players, electrifying performance.
Moises Caicedo (5/10)
Another average game from the Ecuadorian. He was under pressure by the Servette players often but managed to navigate them luckily. He could not dictate the tempo of the midfield.
Nicolas Jackson (5/10)
Looked lively inside the box but failed to make a significant impact. Had a goal ruled out for offside.
Cole Palmer (6.5/10)
Came on in the 72nd minute, he took the responsibility of chance creations. He hit the woodwork late in the game. He showed his class.
The Manager
Enzo Maresca (6/10)
Rotated his team expecting an easy win against the Swiss underdogs. His decision however nearly proved to be costly as they were inches away from being eliminated. The manager’s substitutes were on point and helped them gain control in the later half of the game. He has to fix the team’s defensive issues immediately otherwise it will hurt them in the future.
Chelsea also shared points with Crystal Palace yesterday, in what was a subpar performance from the Blues. They were held to a 1-1 draw, courtesy of Eberechi Eze’s equalizer. This means that Chelsea have now won only one out of their three Premier League games so far. The fans were left disappointed as their team could not build up on the momentum they gained last weekend, after a smashing 6-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
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