Chelsea end preseason in defeat: Three takeaways from loss to Inter Milan

Chelsea won only one of three pre-season games in their tour of Asia. The Blues had a few encouraging signs against Inter Milan, but plenty of training and transfer work remains for the next two weeks.

Only two weeks and a fitness check stand between Chelsea and their Premier League title defence. Arsenal will go full bore in the Community Shield because that is some heavy silverware around the Emirates. Chelsea, though, will need to show that they have learned the lessons from their pre-season tour where Bayern Munich and Inter Milan exposed many of their vulnerabilities.

Chelsea could have left Singapore with at least a draw against Inter Milan if not for some low-quality officiating. That excuse will not satisfy Antonio Conte, though, who must decide how he will assemble his offence, compensate for Eden Hazard’s absence and restore the defence.

Match officials need practice, too

Referees and players alike showed the signs of still not being match-ready. Sukhbir Singh called a penalty on Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta for next to nothing. The Spaniard delivered his usual quality of defending, and received one of the worst penalties in recent memory for his trouble.

Even Stefan Jovetic – the player who drew the penalty – got up with a wry smile. He was probably surprised Singh called the foul. Thibaut Courtois blocked the resulting penalty kick, but Inter Milan netted the rebound for the opening goal.

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This was the most egregious mistake Singh made, but was far from his only one. He called a foul just outside the Inter box on Michy Batshuayi within the first 15 minutes. Batshuayi held up the ball and… yep, that’s all he was doing.

Multiple times Chelsea’s attack or position on the pitch came to nothing because of a poorly called foul. The linesman repeatedly missed offsides calls, as well. It can be forgiven since these matches mean nothing, but it sure is frustrating to watch a match between two top teams subjected to horrendous referring all around.

No Diego Costa? No problem

Michy Batshuayi has been extremely impressive this preseason, going above and beyond to impress. He was no different in this match against Inter. From the opening whistle Batshuayi was up for the challenged, showing his usual enthusiasm with his play and effort.

Batshuayi demonstrated great strength in hold-up play and on a few marauding runs from midfield, shrugging off defenders. He had no hesitation to shoot when the ball was at his feet, reflecting confidence in his game at the moment. He may be a little over-zealous at times in a effort to prove his worth. At moments he needed to show more composure, but overall he was very productive.

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Batshuayi’s chances became less frequent as the match went on but he maintained his effort and determination. Batshuayi far out-performed Alvaro Morata, which should be expected since the Belgian has had far more time at Chelsea and under Antonio Conte.

But Morata looked very plain, rusty, ordinary – possibly a product of being out wide instead of central. To be fair, Inter Milan kicked Alvaro Morata a few times early in the match, which may have put him off while drawing numerous fouls. Morata still has plenty of time to improve, and he will need to do so.

No Eden Hazard? Big problems

Chelsea desperately need Eden Hazard back. Without him, the Blues clearly lack creative flair, the bit extra, that touch of magic. Cesc Fabregas has been hitting some world-class passes all over the pitch for the entire preseason (less impressive vs. Inter). But when Hazard is on the pitch he attracts two or three opposition players. This creates space for his teammates to run into, latch onto those Fabregas passes and attack through the space.

With nobody to make a run at Inter’s back-line and cause panic, Chelsea simply passed the ball around the box. Early in the first half, Willian and Batshuayi were running at the Inter back line. But to put things in perspective, Inter Milan goalkeeper Daniele Padelli did not make his first save until nearly the 70th minute.

Chelsea’s lack of creativity is worrisome and will undoubtedly persist while Eden Hazard is missing. It is a shame Charly Musonda is only 20 years old and likely not ready for first team football. He looked outstanding in what little time he spent on the pitch. He was dangerous with his feet and effectively caused chaos in the opposing back line.

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Musonda shares this trait with his fellow Belgian Eden Hazard, and the team needs it back as soon as possible.