Chelsea’s £250m attack misfires – but should they be worried?

Chelsea used six attackers signed for a mixed £250m of their Premier League opener, however couldn’t discover a strategy to rating towards Crystal Palace.

Joao Pedro, signed from Brighton this summer season for £55m, began up entrance. Winger Jamie Gittens, who joined from Borussia Dortmund for £52m final month, made his debut on one flank, with £45m man Pedro Neto on the opposite.

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Cole Palmer, the £40m attacking midfielder, performed in behind as a quantity 10 – however regardless of Chelsea’s attacking riches it was Palace who dominated the early phases and virtually opened the scoring.

Midfielder Eberechi Eze rifled dwelling a Thirteenth-minute free-kick, however the purpose was subsequently dominated out by VAR as a result of Palace captain Marc Guehi was lower than one metre away from the hosts’ defensive wall.

Chelsea responded within the second half by bringing on two extra new attacking signings – £29m winger Estevao Willian, who joined from Palmeiras, and £30m former Ipswich striker Liam Delap.

They each missed huge possibilities, as did fellow substitute Andrey Santos, because the Blues have been held to a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge in a disappointing begin to the brand new season.

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Whereas this was just one match, and no titles are selected the opening weekend, there shall be ongoing scrutiny round Chelsea in the event that they fail to construct on their Membership World Cup victory in the summertime.

Some have tipped the Blues to mount a title problem, however they might want to enhance each creativity and goal-scoring to problem champions Liverpool and the likes of Arsenal and Manchester Metropolis over a 38-game season.

That stated, Chelsea’s inner goal stays to qualify for subsequent season’s Champions League by a top-four end.

What does the information say?

After they dig into the information after the match, Chelsea will see one worrying statistic: they’d simply three photographs heading in the right direction – one fewer than Palace managed over 90 minutes.

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Nonetheless, they are going to be extra inspired by the determine of 1.81 anticipated objectives (xG), which was superior to Palace’s 1.07, and was the Blues’ highest xG determine with out scoring in a league match in 2025.

It was the 2-0 defeat away at Ipswich in December final 12 months when Chelsea final amassed such possibilities with out scoring.

Figures present that 88% of groups with an xG of between 1.7 and 1.9 have scored at the very least as soon as because the begin of the 2022-23 Premier League season.

It serves to focus on each some unhealthy luck and poor ending, with Chelsea’s finest probability, in keeping with Opta, being hit effectively over by midfielder Santos on his weaker left foot within the dying moments.

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Ought to Chelsea be apprehensive?

Chelsea are unlikely to be apprehensive at this early stage.

However they are going to know that victory within the Membership World Cup is not going to simply translate into the Premier League, significantly after a truncated 13-day pre-season having turning into world champions in July.

Supervisor Enzo Maresca was reluctant responsible an absence of pre-season for Sunday’s show, saying: “I do not suppose so, as a result of till the top we competed. We attempt to win the sport. I feel we had some possibilities on the finish with Estevao and Andrey Santos.

“In order that confirmed that most likely we competed fairly good total. For certain, they already performed, I feel, seven, eight video games (in pre-season). And for us, final week we performed two video games, however we tried to share minutes.

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“So the actual recreation for us was at present. However for certain, slowly, slowly we will be higher.”

Joao Pedro, Gittens, Estevao and Delap are all new signings which will want time to mattress into their new environment and construct an understanding with their team-mates.

Former Brighton striker Joao Pedro appears probably the most able to hit the bottom working, with three objectives in his three aggressive begins for Chelsea having reduce his vacation in Brazil quick to participate within the Membership World Cup.

That contrasts starkly with Palace, who chosen 10 of the identical 11 gamers who began the FA Cup closing and Group Defend wins towards Manchester and Liverpool, with solely injured midfielder Daichi Kamada unavailable to play.

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Maresca’s largest ongoing concern is the intense damage to defender Levi Colwill, which he feels disrupts their potential to play out from the again.

The Italian coach has requested the membership to signal a brand new centre-back however they’ve informed him to work with what he has received – and academy graduate Josh Acheampong earned reward from his supervisor after getting into Colwill’s place.

Maresca added: “As we speak he did very effectively, he handled [Jean-Philippe] Mateta very effectively. So total, he did an excellent recreation.”

Striker Nicolas Jackson was suspended after a purple card towards Newcastle late final season, however wouldn’t have been chosen had he been obtainable.

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Chelsea stay open to promoting Jackson and fellow attacker Christopher Nkunku and are additionally out there to signal a ahead, with each Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho and RB Leipzig’s versatile attacker Xavi Simons focused earlier than the switch window shuts on 1 September.