Tonight, the Blues have defeated Servette in a somewhat stale match. The game ended up with Chelsea scoring two goals in Servette’s net. Christopher Nkunku and Noni Madueke scored both goals in the second half. So far, Chelsea is struggling to shine in the first leg of their Europa Conference League.
Chelsea Struggles to ‘Serve’ Servette FC A Slice of Humble Pie
Chelsea’s game against Servette is the second time that Enzo Maresca has had the chance to prove that the club signing him as the new head coach was not a mistake. However, some fans think otherwise, as Chelsea supporters booed the club’s players at the end of the first half due to their poor performance.
The team was, however, able to appease fans when Christopher Nkunku scored a penalty in the 50th minute. The French footballer’s goal was then accompanied by one from Noni Madueke in the 76th minute, which Enzo Fernandez assisted. The team’s victory gives the Blues a headstart ahead of the second leg coming up in Switzerland’s Geneva on Thursday.
Enzo Maresca certainly felt the pressure to succeed after last week’s results, causing him to send his team of substitutes to warm up before the end of halftime. The head coach paid extra attention to Mykhailo Mudryk, guiding him throughout the game. The first half of the match ended with Chelsea having 59% ball possession. Chelsea had 293 accurate passes – 58.4% more than Servette FC. Goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen had to save two goals from the opponents, ensuring that Servette did not score a single goal.
At the end of the entire match, Chelsea maintained its ball possession and almost doubled their number of accurate passes (576). Jorgensen had to save four more potential goals from the opposing team in the second half. Servette put up a good fight with a total of 368 accurate passes and five goalkeeper saves.
Disturbingly, Cole Palmer was seen clutching his right hamstring at the end of the match. He did not hesitate to make his way down the tunnel as soon as the referee signaled the game’s end. Enzo Maresca was quick to announce the state of Palmer’s hamstring. The Italian manager noted that Cole felt some discomfort but stated that the player was fine. Hopefully, it will not be a problem, and Palmer will be available for the game against Wolves on Sunday.
Enzo Maresca’s Thoughts On The Game
In a press conference after the Servette game, Maresca commented on the negative feedback from the club’s supporters.
“The message is quite clear: We are in a moment where we are learning how to manage the game. For me, the intention to keep the ball is good. Probably where is not good, in terms of we tried to manage the ball in the last 10 or 15 minutes in our side, where we should try to manage the ball on their side.” – Enzo Maresca, head coach of Chelsea.
The head coach for the Blues commented on the physical condition of some of his players and how difficult it was for them to keep up with the game. Despite Madueke scoring a goal tonight, Maresca thinks the English footballer needs to be more consistent with training. Maresca also took his time to talk about the team’s youngest player, Marc Guiu, who missed quite several opportunities to score a goal.
In Other News
There is still time for some shocking transfers to be made. The Blues are still relentless in their pursuit of selling Romelu Lukaku for over $33 million. Fans at Stamford Bridge warmly welcomed Joao Felix. The latest addition to the team took to social media to acknowledge how tonight reminded him that he was “back home.”
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