Stepping out onto a chilly Stamford Bridge yesterday night, Chelsea FC had little to play for. They had top place in the UEFA Conference League sown up, guaranteeing them smooth passage into the next phase of the competition. Enzo Maresca’s charges didn’t even need to strive for a draw. For their opponents, on the other hand, this match had a lot riding on it. As the first Irish team to make it this far in any European competition since the 1960s, Shamrock Rovers had the hopes of their nation resting on their shoulders. A win would have sealed a spot among the top eight, seeing them through to the Round of 16.
The Good
Given how much more Rovers needed the win than the Blues, Chelsea’s resounding victory was evidence of a hunger that must have had Maresca beaming with pride. His boys, especially in the first half, were full of running and pressing, forcing their less illustrious opponents into defensive blunders. Marc Guiu profited the most from Lee Grace, Daniel Cleary and Roberto Lopes’ ill-advised efforts to build play from the back, bagging a first-half hattrick. But if there was a player who embodied Chelsea’s commitment to this dead-rubber tie, it was Marc Cucurella. As he did in the weekend game against Brentford, the Spaniard was as aggressive as ever, bombing forward, winning the ball at will high up the pitch, forcing the Hoops to give away corners. Deployed as a center-forward, Christopher Nkunku exhibited the same kind of drive, dropping deep to involve himself in the play, winning fouls and spraying deadly passes. He may have failed to add to his 12 goals in all competitions, but the Frenchman was a key component of Chelsea’s attacking threat.
Chelsea’s manager will also be happy with the way his young guns performed. Not only was their abundant talent on display, but their maturity in helping the team seal a professional win also caught the eye. When the captain for the day Axel Disasi departed on the hour mark, he was replaced by 18 year-old Harrison Murray-Campbell. He and 21 year-old Renato Veiga were able to keep Shamrock Rovers from adding to their first-half goal. Josh Acheampong put in yet another accomplished performance at right-back. Fellow teenager Tyrique George also kept Rovers’ full-backs on both flanks busy throughout the game. He could have had an assist to his name with Chelsea’s first meaningful attack but Madueke couldn’t finish his delightful far-post cross. Cesare Casadei gave a good account of himself in the middle of the park. The Italian was efficient in winning the ball and helping retain the close to 80 percent possession Chelsea enjoyed. He also drew a smart save from Leon Pöhls with a well-struck shot. When he came on for Noni Madueke, Harvey Vale worked hard and stretched the Hoops defense, making his first home game a memorable one.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall looked more like the dominant force in midfield that was crucial to Leicester City’s title-winning run last season. He was key to Chelsea’s efforts to win the ball high up the field and he suffered a kick to the ankle in one of those attempts. But he was rewarded later on with a goal, sweeping in a loose ball after Nkunku was tackled while trying to convert Cucurella’s through pass. If Enzo Fernandez and Moisés Caiceido hadn’t been in such rich form, KDH would have had more chances to show his mettle in the Premier League. The same could be said for Joao Felix if he didn’t have to contend with a red-hot, or should we say ice-cold, Cole Palmer.
The Bad
Not to nitpick, but the Blues could have scored a few more goals. If he’d looked up a little earlier and seen Felix in space, George could have surely bagged an assist. The teenager was a little over-exuberant in his dribbling at times and was caught in possession on a few occasions. One of those led to another shot on target for Rovers midfielder Markus Poom. Vale could have also done more on the opposite wing. His movement was great but there were moments he lacked that final pass or shot or shimmy to create space for either. Again, this is nitpicking, both lads put in laudable performances and will only learn from their shortcomings; time is on their side.
The Ugly
It seems Chelsea hasn’t yet figured out how to effectively plug the gap that opens up when Cucurella surges into attacking positions. If Shamrock Rovers striker Johnny Kenny was more alive to the opportunity, he would have opened the scoring in the 14th minute. A long ball from the Hoops defense found Darragh Burns in acres of space on the right. Veiga couldn’t close the wing-back down in time but luckily, Burns’ cross eluded everyone, including the prolific Kenny.
This inability to deal with balls into the box led to Poom being presented with an easy chance to level the game four minutes after Guiu’s opener. That these defensive frailties are not limited to the Conference League squad should worry Maresca as he prepares his players for Sunday’s date with Everton.