LUK OUT Even without Rom the Blues cruise to victory
IF THIS is Chelsea under-cooked, without their biggest summer signing and three or four who would normally be starters, then woe betide those who meet them when they are firing on all cylinders.
The champions of Europe did a proper number on Patrick Vieira’s Crystal Palace to put the seal on a successful first week of the season after their Super Cup victory on Wednesday.
Goals from Marcos Alonso and Christian Pulisic put them ahead – and the game to bed – before half-time.
It was the third, however, that provided the moment of the match, Trevoh Chalobah drilling home a fine finish on his Premier League debut – 14 years after joining the club.
It took a second or two for the penny to drop with the defender about what he’d done. But when it did he clutched his face in disbelief and dropped to his knees before being mobbed by each and every one of his team-mates.
Chalobah said: “It is a dream for a boy like me being here and to play for my home club is unreal. As I was getting closer to the goal, I thought I might as well shoot and just went for it.
“I didn’t know the ball went in until the crowd cheered. It was a surreal moment.
“I did not know what to do, I just dropped to my knees – I was over the moon.
“But I have been training with the team in pre-season and the manager said I was playing and I was ready.
“I was surprised by the Super Cup game, too, and I have taken the opportunity with both hands.”
He really has and Thomas Tuchel was delighted for him.
The Chelsea boss said: “The goal was well deserved.
“He’s a humble guy, a calm guy. This is not a gift that we let him play, it is well deserved.”
Chelsea took the lead shortly before the half-hour mark after Tyrick Mitchell brought down Mason Mount five or six yards outside the Palace penalty area.
Alonso stepped up and wrapped his left boot round a delicious free-kick that left Palace keeper Vicente Guaita rooted to the spot.
Mount was heavily involved again when the home side doubled their advantage before half-time.
This time he played a quick give-and-go before whipping in a dangerous cross that Guaita parried at Timo Werner’s feet, with Pulisic on hand to turn the loose ball home.
As for Palace, well, the only positive they can take is that they conceded a goal less than the four they let in both times they played Chelsea last season.
Vieira clearly has much work to do with four Under-23s players on the bench.
And he and chairman Steve Parish will need to continue what has already been a busy summer over these next couple of weeks.
Vieira said: “If you look at the way we defended before the free-kick I was really pleased, we were compact, but the free-kick changed the game.”
Chelsea, meanwhile, are set to welcome £97.5million new old-boy Romelu Lukaku to training on Tuesday and it’s shaping up to be another lively season at Stamford Bridge.
Asked if he saw his side as one of the title favourites, Tuchel added: “I see us as No.4 and the challenge for No.4 is to close the gap to No.3, No.2 and No.1.
“We are in the role of hunters and we have to get to the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United and we have to do this week in, week out.
“It was a first step and it was well deserved. We are not shy to say this out loud but we try to be the best in any competition we play.
“The reality, though, is that we come from fourth place and we have three teams that we have got to close the gap on.”
CHELSEA: Mendy 7; Chalobah 8, Christensen 7, Rudiger
7; Azpilicueta 7 (James (66th) 6), Jorginho 8, Kovacic
7, Alonso 8 (Emerson 85th); Mount 8, Pulisic 8 (Havertz
81st); Werner 7
CRYSTAL PALACE: Guaita 4; Ward 5, Kouyate 5, Guehi
5, Mitchell 5; Riedewald 6 (Rak-Sakyi 75th), McArthur 5; Ayew 6, Zaha 5, Schlupp 5 (Andersen (56th) 5), Mateta 5 (Benteke (56th) 5)
STAR MAN: Trevoh Chalobah
REF: J Moss
Chelsea’s next game: Arsenal, Sun (a)
Crystal Palace’s next game: Brentford, Sat (h)