After their Club World Cup triumph, Chelsea returned to competitive play at Stamford Bridge, but their first Premier League outing resulted in a disappointing 0-0 draw against Crystal Palace. This performance sharply contrasted with their earlier 3-0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain.
Head coach Enzo Maresca suggested external factors contributed to the team`s sluggish start. Unlike their opponents, Chelsea had a significantly shortened preseason due to their extended 11-month season and Club World Cup participation, leaving them with just 13 days of preparation.
Despite the circumstances, Maresca believed his team competed well, citing late chances from Estevao and Andrey Santos. He acknowledged that other teams had played more games, but expressed confidence that Chelsea would improve with time.
Upcoming Match Details: West Ham vs. Chelsea
- Date and Time: Friday, August 22, at 3 p.m. ET
- Location: London Stadium, London, England
- Match Odds: West Ham +390; Draw +300; Chelsea -145
Chelsea now looks to move past their draw as they visit West Ham United. Unlike Palace`s strong defense, West Ham, fresh off a 3-0 loss to newly-promoted Sunderland, might offer a less formidable challenge, potentially signaling a difficult season for them due to limited squad refreshment and attacking threat.
Against Palace, Chelsea demonstrated superior attacking volume with 19 shots to 11, generating significantly more expected goals. However, the quality was lacking, with only three shots on target, highlighting the team`s potential but also their current unknowns despite recent trophy successes.
Squad Dynamics and Attacker Auditions
Maresca faces the challenge of identifying his preferred attacking combination from a large squad. Given the club`s active recruitment policy, it`s understandable that he`s still exploring options. Cole Palmer seems to have secured a regular starting spot, but other attacking positions remain open for competition.
The Club World Cup offered valuable insights into the attacking lineup, introducing new talents. Liam Delap, initially a starter, saw his role challenged by Joao Pedro, who joined mid-tournament and scored three goals in three games, including one in the final, earning a starting spot against Palace.
Joao Pedro led the attack in a 4-2-3-1 formation alongside Palmer, Pedro Neto, and Jamie Gittens. However, his performance (two shots in 73 minutes) was modest, reminiscent of his time at Brighton. This opens the door for Delap to potentially reclaim a starting role, while 18-year-old Estevao Willian, after a 36-minute appearance, could also play a significant part this season.
The upcoming match against West Ham is therefore seen as a crucial «audition» for Chelsea`s attackers, as they strive to meet the high expectations set by the club last season.
Chelseaning Mavsum Boshidagi Shakli: West Ham Sinovi va Hujumchilar uchun Tanlov
Klublar o`rtasidagi Jahon Chempionatida g`alaba qozonganidan so`ng, Chelsea Stamford Bridge stadioniga qaytdi, ammo Premer-ligadagi ilk o`yinda Crystal Palace bilan 0:0 hisobida durang o`ynab, kutilgan natijaga erisha olmadi. Bu o`yin ularning oldingi Paris Saint-Germanga qarshi 3:0 hisobidagi ajoyib g`alabasiga keskin qarama-qarshi edi.
Bosh murabbiy Enzo Maresca jamoaning sust boshlanishiga tashqi omillar sabab bo`lganini ta`kidladi. Raqiblaridan farqli o`laroq, Chelsea uzoq davom etgan 11 oylik mavsumi va Klublar o`rtasidagi Jahon Chempionatidagi ishtiroki tufayli mavsumoldi tayyorgarlik muddatini qisqartirishga majbur bo`lgan edi, bu esa ularga atigi 13 kunlik tayyorgarlik vaqtini qoldirdi.
Vaziyatga qaramay, Maresca jamoasi yaxshi kurashganiga ishonch bildirdi, Estevao va Andrey Santosning kechagi imkoniyatlarini misol keltirdi. U boshqa jamoalar ko`proq o`yin o`tkazganini tan oldi, ammo Chelsea vaqt o`tishi bilan yaxshilanishiga ishonch bildirdi.
Bo`lajak O`yin Tafsilotlari: West Ham va Chelsea
- Sana va Vaqt: Juma, 22-avgust, soat 15:00 ET (Toshkent vaqti bilan taxminan 22:00)
- Joylashuv: London Stadium, London, Angliya
- O`yin Koeffitsientlari: West Ham +390; Durang +300; Chelsea -145
Chelsea endi West Ham Unitedga tashrif buyurish orqali Palacega qarshi durangdan keyingi holatni yaxshilashga intiladi. Palacening kuchli himoyasidan farqli o`laroq, yaqinda yangi ko`tarilgan Sunderlandga 3:0 hisobida mag`lub bo`lgan West Ham unchalik kuchli raqib bo`lmasligi mumkin, bu esa ularning tarkibida kam o`zgarishlar va cheklangan hujum quvvati tufayli jamoa uchun qiyin mavsum boshlanishidan dalolat berishi mumkin.
Palacega qarshi o`yinda Chelsea hujumda ustunlik qildi, 19 ta zarba berib, 11 ta zarba qabul qildi va kutilgan gollardan sezilarli darajada ko`proq imkoniyat yaratdi. Biroq, sifat yetishmadi, maqsadga boruvchi atigi uchta zarba berildi, bu esa jamoaning salohiyatini, shuningdek, so`nggi sovrinlarga qaramay, hozirgi noaniqliklarini ta`kidladi.
Tarkib Dinamikasi va Hujumchilar uchun Tanlov
Maresca katta tarkibdagi o`zining afzal ko`rgan hujumchi birikmasini aniqlash vazifasini bajarishi kerak. Klubning faol transfer siyosatini hisobga olsak, uning hali ham variantlarni o`rganayotgani tushunarli. Cole Palmer doimiy asosiy tarkibda joy olganga o`xshaydi, ammo boshqa hujum pozitsiyalari uchun raqobat ochiq qolmoqda.
Klublar o`rtasidagi Jahon Chempionati hujumchi tarkibiga qimmatli ma`lumotlar berdi, yangi iqtidorlarni tanishtirdi. Liam Delap dastlab asosiy tarkibda o`ynagan bo`lsa-da, uning o`rniga turnir o`rtalarida jamoaga qo`shilgan Joao Pedro da`vogar bo`ldi va uchta o`yinda uchta gol urdi, shu jumladan finalda ham, Palacega qarshi o`yinda asosiy tarkibda maydonga tushdi.
Joao Pedro Palmer, Pedro Neto va Jamie Gittens bilan birga 4-2-3-1 sxemasida hujumga boshchilik qildi. Biroq, uning o`yini (73 daqiqada ikkita zarba) oddiygina bo`ldi, bu uning Brightondagi vaqtini eslatdi. Bu Delap uchun asosiy tarkibdagi o`rnini qaytarib olish imkoniyatini ochadi, shuningdek, 36 daqiqalik maydonga tushishidan so`ng 18 yoshli Estevao Willian ham bu mavsumda muhim rol o`ynashi mumkin.
West Hamga qarshi bo`lajak o`yin, shuning uchun Chelseaning hujumchilari uchun muhim «tinglov» sifatida ko`riladi, chunki ular o`tgan mavsumda klub tomonidan qo`yilgan yuqori umidlarni oqlashga intilmoqdalar.
