Premier League giants Chelsea picked up their first three points of the new league season after a drab 3-1 victory over Graham Potter’s Brighton and Hove Albion. The fixture promised to be an entertaining one as it featured debuts for two of the most exciting young players in Europe at the moments – Kai Havertz and Timo Werner. The home side too had clearly put a lot of work into their pre-season preparations and were raring to get off to the right start. Winning the first match of the season is important because it sets the players up perfectly for the rest of the campaign.
How Did The Fixture Between Chelsea and Brighton Play Out?
The sides faced off in the final fixture of gameweek one on Monday night, and many would’ve expected Chelsea to come out comfortable winners. Although the end result did look flattering to the Blues’ performance, it must be conceded that Lampard’s men are far from the finished article. The home side started the game looking much more threatening, as they made inroads into the Chelsea box during various instances in the first half. Despite scoring one themselves later on, some solid defensive work from the likes of Kurt Zouma and Andreas Christensen ensured that they were kept at arm’s length.
In terms of Chelsea attacking, there seemed to be a general lack of communication that riddled the side. They were unable to maintain possession for large chunks of the tie and were forced to play a majority of the ninety focused on breaking with pace. Timo Werner showed himself in excellent light with some great work in attack, but he wasn’t helped out too much by the likes of Marcos Alonso and Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Werner won a penalty in the first-half which was slotted home by Jorginho. Reece James scored the second with his first-ever Premier League goal before Kurt Zouma added a cushion from James’ corner.
Here Are Three Takeaways From Chelsea’s 3-1 Win Over Brighton:
Three Takeaways From Chelsea’s 3-1 Win Over Brighton
Kai Havertz Will Need Time To Settle
The German started the game in one of the wide positions on the night but was moved around by Lampard all through the ninety. Despite showing the odd glimpse of quality, it was apparent to see that he was not quite up to the pace of the game. Not only did the youngster give the ball away on a couple of occasions, but the characteristic fluidity that he brings to the table was missing too. The gung-ho approach taken up by the Brighton defenders didn’t help his cause, as he was forced to do a lot of defending as well. There is no need to doubt Havertz’s quality, but it must be conceded that he could need some time to settle in.
Timo Werner Is The Striker Chelsea Have Been Looking For
The German sensation is another one of the many exciting signings that Chelsea have made this summer, and it’s safe to say that he lived up to the billing. The former Leipzig man showcased his explosive pace on multiple occasions during the tie, and it was his run that led to the Blues’ penalty in the first-half as well. Capable of leaving any defender in the world behind with his blistering pace, Werner’s ability to keep his shots on target was on full display at times too. Given the time required to gel with the rest of the squad, Werner has the potential to develop into one of the best strikers in the entire division.
Kepa Arrizabalaga Needs To Be Replaced At The Earliest
The Spanish keeper made one smart save in the match which made for enjoyable viewing, but other than that he certainly failed to impress. Kepa found himself in no-man’ s-land in the middle of the box when dealing with multiple set-piece situations, while his ability to effectively collect aerial crosses must be questioned too. The Brighton goal, despite looking good on first-look, would actually have been a routine save for most of the other keepers in the Premier League. The Spaniard seemed to completely ignore the bounce of the ball, with it creeping into the net from underneath his flailing outstretched arms.
