Kilmarnock, Pafos, St Patrick’s Athletic, Lincoln Red Imps and Vikingur Reykjavik were some of the teams Chelsea shared the UEFA Conference League stage with on Thursday night.
The Blues looked set to spend another season outside Europe until a late rise in the Premier League standings in April and May resulted in a fifth-place finish and entry into the play-off round of the UEFA’s tertiary club competition.
With the Swiss Servette as a rival at Stamford Bridge and Chelseaeven this version, heavy favorites to win, the pressure was on Enzo Maresca and his squad of players to hit the ground running.
With a place in the group stage at stake, the Victory 2-0 it will make life simpler for the first leg next week, but a polished performance… this was not.
The manager changed things up quite considerably from the team that lost to Manchester City in the Premier League last Sunday. Only Christopher Nkunku kept his place, with wholesale changes including competitive debuts for Filip Jorgensen, Tosin Adarabioyo and first starts for Pedro Neto, Marc Guiu, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Renato Veiga.
Your Chelsea side tonight! 👊#CFC | #UECL pic.twitter.com/F3Xh8R37NO
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 22, 2024
Moises Caicedo was also captain for the first time. It divided opinion.
Moises Caicedo captain 😍😍😍
— Olivia Buzaglo (@OliviaBuzaglo) August 22, 2024
Is Caicedo the captain today? I love the player but there is something fundamentally wrong with Chelsea. We used to have proper captains. My club fell off the face of the earth
— Class Lugo (@KrisRugo) August 22, 2024
Caicedo captain over Disasi. The writing is on the wall. Pack your bags in Newcastle son.
– (@ibzsmo3k) August 22, 2024
Someone else was in the tunnel, but not yet signed up to play after Wednesday’s arrival.
A warm return to Stamford Bridge for João Félix 💙
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 22, 2024
When football really started, it took a long time to really take off.
Stats aren’t everything, etc., but here’s a good summary of the first half of the first half. Chelsea move the ball well but without a threat in the area from the second minute, Servette playing a set piece. pic.twitter.com/GET1Ed3KeL
— Sean Walsh (@SeanDZWalsh) August 22, 2024
Chelsea haven’t had a shot for 29 minutes. When she arrived, Mykhailo Mudryk shot her outside.
Finally a shot. Mudryk dragged her away. He guides with a … sloppy control that Mudryk bursts into. The goalkeeper has not been able to work.
— Chessy Hour® ☆☆ (@ChessyHour) August 22, 2024
Meanwhile…
Chelsea fans in the Matthew Harding Stand appear to chant Conor Gallagher’s name…
— Sean Walsh (@SeanDZWalsh) August 22, 2024
Mudryk, potentially so talented but utterly lacking in confidence, was the subject of much frustration for Chelsea fans.
mudryk will do the craziest 1v1 move you will see and then the pass or the shot after that it’s like what are you doing man 😭
— 🧟 (@corpsecutterr) August 22, 2024
Mudryk has to be one of the most infuriating players I have ever seen
— JPH (@jessyjph) August 22, 2024
Every time Mudryk gets on the ball, I can’t wait for the garbage he’s going to do every time. Poorly controlled touch, incomplete cross, shot wide of goal. We are tired man
— 🕸🕸 (@ttondev) August 22, 2024
Mudryk needs 6 months away with a psychologist. Completely serious. He has shot and 99% takes it into account. #CFC
— Jake Heasman (@jakeheasman) August 22, 2024
Mudryk is very frustrating to watch. I want him to do well, but too many times he makes bad decisions or the quality of his pass or shot is so poor.
— London Blue (@londonbluenews) August 22, 2024
But almost immediately after the break, a penalty was the boost Chelsea needed.
Christopher Nkunku won it.
Penalty Chelsea. Guiu presses superbly to force a mistake, Dewsbury-Hall slides to Nkunku and Frick brings him down. Without any doubt.
Nkunku steps up and smashes it past the keeper. 1-0. This is the first official goal of the Maresca era. #cfc
— Joe Krishnan (@joekrishnan) August 22, 2024
…and with Cole Palmer not on the pitch at the time, he scored it himself.
Nkunku puts us in front. 🇫🇷#CFC | #UECL pic.twitter.com/v9oc3mO3Yw
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 22, 2024
The first goal of the Enzo Maresca era was scored by Christopher Nkunku 🎈 pic.twitter.com/YooNA6h00Y
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 22, 2024
Chelsea should have quickly doubled their lead but Guiu, the 18-year-old forward signed from Barcelona, somehow got the keeper to save as he fired into an open goal.
Marc Guiu with a foul that should send him directly on loan. pic.twitter.com/etwomqS0Rm
— ChelsTransfer (@ChelsTransfer) August 22, 2024
Using this team depth.
The good Maresca management when Guiu came out… gave him a real conciliatory hug and some warm words for that lady. Guiu’s face showed how shameless he was.
— Simon Johnson (@SJohnsonSport) August 22, 2024
As the match went on, frustration was the main emotion.
Thank God we got a penalty 😂😂
— Chelsea FC Podcast (@chelsea_podcast) August 22, 2024
Thank God I’m not watching this game… because Chelsea have been absolute douchebags…
We are supposed to be 3 or 4 goals ahead by now…
Imagine leading this small team by penalty…😡They really deserve that spot in the conference league..Champions League is too big for them ATM..tbvh
— BIG 24 StratoVM (@SUCCESS_OG_) August 22, 2024
Finally, the second goal arrived: Noni Madueke.
A good team goal. 🔥@NoniMadueke_ ✨#CFC | #UECL pic.twitter.com/sMKyRQDzrX
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 22, 2024
there is no way Madueke is below Mudryk in the pecking order
—ً (@elsdawg) August 22, 2024
This is the Madueke Chelsea fans doubted, claiming he wasn’t good enough. A player who has performed consistently since the preseason, despite limited minutes, and has now scored to silence his critics.
— SHAYEE 𒀭 (@tier_first) August 22, 2024
A win is a win 🤷♂️
It’s certainly not vintage but 2-0 puts us in a very dominant position with the draw.
Much to improve on in training camp, but Nkunku, Madueke, Veiga and Caicedo put in positive performances.
90 useful minutes on the legs adapting to Enzo Maresca’s style of football.
— Tom Overend (@tovers98) August 22, 2024
