It’s a risky business trying to draw conclusions from pre-season friendlies. But as Chelsea strolled to victory today in Perth thanks to Pedro’s early goal, there was a certainly a lot to be excited by.
The intensity of pre-season matches and the level of the opposition mean there is rarely a direct correlation between pre-season results and success in the following season. However, they still do still offer a potential glimpse into the future. The conclusions may not be concrete, but we can maybe imagine how a new system will function – and how certain players will fit into it.
Chelsea’s team-sheet against Perth had two particularly eye-catching names. Callum Hudson-Odoi, one of Chelsea’s most coveted youth prospects, and new £52 million signing Jorginho both were in the starting XI. Right from the off they did not disappoint.
In Jorginho Chelsea have signed a fantastic footballer. He is a gifted technician and he displayed his full range of capabilities in the first half. His passing range is exceptional, but what stood out the most was his ability to do everything at such speed.
The Brazilian-born midfielder does almost everything in two touches, making him impossible to close down and always ensuring the side maintain a high tempo. Perhaps most impressively, he already appears to be a leader on the pitch. He was often telling his teammates where he wanted them, showing an impressive character to go with his ability.
The first half’s standout performer, though, was a man who hasn’t cost the club a penny and could end up saving them a fortune. Callum Hudson-Odoi made many positive impressions last seasons, and looked like he could integrated into the first team. Only time will tell if he can match the expectations, but on a muggy night in Perth the 17-year old delivered a strong case.
After providing the assist for Pedro in the fifth minute, Hudson-Odoi showed a relentless willingness to run at his full-back. He was always positive, but also tended to make the right decision at the right times. Despite being young he already possesses a high level of maturity. If Chelsea lose one of Eden Hazard or Willian, the replacement may already be in Chelsea blue.
The final big positive for Chelsea was Ross Barkley. He became the forgotten man for Chelsea at the end of last season as he struggled to get fully fit, but he impressed here. He possesses tremendous physical power but also brilliant technical ability on both feet. Barkley was a constant menace on the night, and he almost scored the goal his performance deserved as he struck the post in the second half.
With a full pre-season under his belt, and under the guidance of Maurizio Sarri, Ross Barkley could be an important player for Chelsea this season.
There was only one worry for Chelsea, and that was the unfortunate performance of Alvaro Morata. He cut the same frustrated figure as last season, often going down too easily. When he was played in by Ross Barkley he let the chance slip with an unconvincing couple of touches.
Next: Five lessons learned in preseason match at Perth
There is a good player somewhere in the Spaniard. But if he is Chelsea’s first-choice striker going into the season fans could rightly be concerned he will not contribute enough to push Chelsea to the next level. Gonzalo Higuain could perhaps be the answer to these problems.