So reading across L’pool SM coming home from work earlier, you’d be forgiven for swerving watching this dinners friendly to conclude a very positive German camp.
’Adrian needs to go!/ Gomez needs to go!/ We can’t defend for S!/ Can’t beat a 2.Bundesliga side’ side et al …..
Well, that was another very enjoyable workout with a lot of positives among things we still naturally need to work on at this stage of pre-season.
With the usual caveat that this is just another extended training session to the end goal of Chelsea-
I loved the non-league style ground with Jurgen and co sat on plastic garden chairs. Thats old school pre-season right there haha.
Another good 45 match mins in the majority of the players legs against a side much further on in their prep. Playing their 6th friendly. Who’s league season starts on Sunday.
Very controlled, dominant first half where again, the attacking play really stood out. Diaz a lot more direct with a real tidy goal. Jota continuing from last Wednesday with another all action outing. Doak yet again showing he belongs at this level. Proper old school winger and then some. And Gakpo showing his great football intelligence dominating in a deeper midfield role. Options a plenty.
The second half was naturally more chaotic with all the kids. But still a lot of positives-
The Salah/ Nunez understanding continues to grow. And super composure from Darwin his goals. If he can continue that, given the amount of times he’s clean through, he could be set for a mammoth season. The development from year 1 to year 2 is glaring already.
Harvey was boss going forward with most everything going through him.
Quansah is looking more and more like he’ll have that 5th CH slot they like to keep a youngster in nailed down.
I like Bradley a lot but he’s, naturally, a ways behind Gomez who had his second very good half this camp. He’s the de-facto right full back-up to Trent/ starter if Trent ever starts inside. Loving the extra responsibility of the armband both games too. A confident Joe Gomez believing in himself again eases a heck of a lot of defensive fears.
Not sure what all the Adrian angst was about I was reading?
After the initial oggie, he was sound. Great one-on-one save. Stood up big in another forcing a hurried shot wide. And lest we forget, this is just a third choice goalie who is invaluable as a vet. training goalie day in, day out. Who’s also highly valued in the changies for keeping everyones spirits up on the daily. Mad what ridiculous things folk nark about. A 3rd choice vet. goalie who won’t see the field this year is the the very
LAST of anyones worries.
Talking of the oggie, McConnell recovered great for a kid to have a very composed 45. He’s benefited massively from the shock Fabinho move this camp to gain invaluable game experience he never would have. Like all the other kids who have done themselves no harm.
Mad how folk are panicking over the 6 goals conceded the 2 games. All in the second half. All from XI’s that won’t see the light of day in a competitive game. In an extended training exercise.
The real negatives from both games for me are Tsimikas and Matip. I just don’t see where Tsimikas fits in this new system we appear to be sticking with. He looks totally lost either in the AndyRobbo role. Or further forward. And Joel, like he did for large parts of last season, looks as gone as Fabinho. We probably will keep him this last year of his deal. But it looks a season too far. By far and away the poorest one of the four CH’s now. Sadly. As he’s been a superb player in Red.
All in all a very good, beneficial camp that has us right where we should be at this stage of pre-season. With two very enjoyable, very beneficial work-outs under our belts.
Now to hopefully add some bodies before we jet off for the next leg in Singapore Friday.