Charlotte 1 (5) vs. (4) 1 Chelsea Pre-season review
It's only pre-season but some things to learn.
Chelsea travelled from their base in Orlando, Florida to play Charlotte FC in Charlotte, North Carolina on Wednesday night. Charlotte is one of the younger teams in the MLS and they are looking to make strides in the league. The game was delayed due to a thunderstorm but once that had subsided everyone was ready to go. Timo Werner, and Ross Barkley were not available due to injury. While others like Kalidou Koulibaly and Cesar Azpilicueta did not feature.
Once again Thomas Tuchel fielded two different starting XI’s in each half. The first half’s lineup was
Mendy; James, Silva, Emerson; Hudson-Odoi, Jorginho, Kovacic, Alonso; Ziyech, Batshuayi, and Pulisic
The formation started as a 3-4-3 but in moments it would switch to a back four and Pulisic would play as the no.10 behind Batshuayi with Ziyech and Hudson-Odoi as the wingers. Most of the first half was deja vu of last season. The build up play was great and Chelsea dominated for most of the half but the decision making was lacking. There was threat from the likes of Pulisic, and Ziyech but there was there was little end product. Some good moments, and Chelsea scored in the 30th minute after Batshuayi took a shot and the deflection fell to Pulisic who finished. Pulisic came close once again from a Ziyech cross but missed by inches. The first half ended with Chelsea in the lead and a decent performance.
The second half saw Tuchel make 10 changes with Mendy the only remaining player from the first half.
Mendy; Chalobah, Colwill, Sarr; Kenedy, Gallagher, Ampadu, Chilwell; Mount, Havertz, Sterling
The second half was disjointed because there relatively younger or less experienced players in key positions. The back three fielded by Tuchel will rarely be used in the coming season while Gallagher and Ampadu as a pivot I doubt will be seen again. The front three was the only part of the formation that we are likely to see in the coming season. There were some nervy performances some moments of brilliance but a Chalobah hand ball in the final moments saw Chelsea concede a penalty. Charlotte converted it and then won on penalties. Not the best half.
Chelsea Team Review
Goalkeeper
Mendy had a good game during the 90 minutes and pulled off some good saves. He does need to improve his penalty technique because his attempts to save were quiet poor. A good first outing for the goalkeeper.
Defenders
Reece James, Silva, and Emerson were good in the first half and did well. Emerson is another person who has impressed in the last two games and he could stay for next season. Alonso was decent but his lack of pace was on show once again and again I doubt he will be at the club next season.
Chalobah, Colwill, and Sarr as a back three was disjointed and lacked leadership. All three defenders are likely to be fielded alongside more experienced players so I would not read too much into it. I will say that their collective 45 minutes showed why Tuchel wants to bring Kounde and maybe one more defender. Kenedy was decent but I doubt he stays beyond pre-season. Chilwell looked better than he did in the previous game and showed more pace and stamina during his time on the pitch.
Colwill looked nervous at the start of the half but he calmed down as the game progressed. There were some rash fouls but nothing out of ordinary for a 19-year-old. There were also some good moments at the back but I think Colwill needs to stay and learn in the coming season and work with the chances he gets. He also played out well from the back on occasion.
Midfielders
Jorginho and Kovacic did well in the midfield during the first half and they provided the fluidity and calmness that they always provide when they are on the pitch. Their absence was felt in the second half and when it matters one if not both is guaranteed to start in midfield. Ampadu had another good game and he played some brilliant forward passes. Ampadu played centre back in the last game and now as a midfielder so he’s showing his versatility. Gallagher wasn’t as threatening as he was in the last game but he was decent. Again with Gallagher it will be his first season as a Chelsea first team player so it’s more about adapting and being an understudy.
Forwards
Hudson-Odoi played as a wing-back in the first half and he did better than the last game but it was not good enough. The decision making was lacking and he often dribbled into dead ends. Only pre-season but he needs to start making an impact on a regular basis. Pulisic had a good game playing more centrally behind Batshuayi. He got a goal and did try and be direct with his dribbling which was missing over the last few months. Ziyech was also good but there are doubts over his future so for now I don’t know what to make of his performances. Batshuayi is likely to leave and didn’t really do much.
Sterling took some time to get the feel of the game but he made some explosive dribbles and showed why he has been brought in. In situations where other players would just pass it sideways, Sterling dribbled through the defence and tried to take a pass or shot. There was some glimpses of a connection with Mount and Havertz as well. A solid first 45 minutes. Havertz was decent and Mount did have a similar impact as he does in a central role but he connected with Gallagher on the right hand side. It would be brilliant if we could get someone in like Fabregas or Eriksen who would be able to pick out our attackers runs.
Manager
Tuchel liked how the team played in certain sections but was not happy with the second half and he wants more end product. Tuchel seems like he has had enough of being good cop and he is expecting the existing players to step up. There is no more time to be patient for some of the players.
Again pre-season is all about fitness and the young player or returning loanees that are trying to impress. Certain parts of the lineup we saw today are feasible but other aspects are not going got be fielded. The attack continues to be the main thing that needs to be sorted and let’s see what Tuchel does to resolve the situation. Good to see the likes of Colwill, Sterling and more Ampadu. Next up is Arsenal! COME ON CHELSEA!!!