Five things we learned from Chelsea’s 2-0 Conference League qualifier win | OneFootball

Chelsea have one foot in the group stage of the UEFA Conference League after running out victors in unconvincing fashion against Servette.

The first half was a typical tale of recent Chelsea. The Blues played down to the level of their opponents, the reigning Swiss Cup champions, with chance after chance going begging before Servette grew into the game.

Christopher Nkunku put the hosts ahead with a well taken penalty just after halftime, before Noni Madueke blasted Enzo Fernandez’s over-the-top through ball home to double the advantage. While the performance was far from perfect, Chelsea got the job done, and will carry the advantage into the second leg, taking place next Thursday in Geneva despite a flurry of late chances for the visitors.

The difference in satisfaction was best summed up by the crowd: the home fans booed Chelsea off at half-time, while the travelling Servette support sang in full voice from before kickoff until well after full time.

Here’s five things we learned from Chelsea 2-0 Servette…

Chelsea’s changeability bites back

In a side as often changed as Chelsea, it is no surprise that minor chemistry issues will crop up, but the disconnect between some of the Blues’ players was a problem. Throughout the first half, players failed to notice one another’s runs and became frustrated with one another.

The animosity was particularly noticeable between Benoit Badiashille and Renato Veiga, who were constantly remonstrating with one another throughout the first half, with neither player seeming to be where the other expected them to be. This picture was indicative Chelsea’s wider frustration at failing to break down what is frankly a much worse team.

Maresca still has plenty of work to do to get this Chelsea side on song.

Can Mudryk hack it in the first team?

Mykhailo Mudryk is in grave danger of being a forgotten man at Chelsea. The time has long passed for conversations around potential: now 23 and plenty settled at Chelsea, it is time for results, but they are nowhere to be seen.

Throughout the first half of this evening, he saw chance after chance go by, firing wide from close range and repeatedly missing passes. The dichotomy of Murdryk was best seen just before halftime, as he sharply nutmegged Servette right back Keigo Tsunemoto before knocking his through ball straight out the back. A rash of similar chances in the second period seemed to indicate that pace might be Mudryk’s only notable attribute.

Maresca has already shown that he will rule his Chelsea squad with an iron first, and Mudryk is in grave danger of falling down the pecking order.

Defensive rotation

Maresca named a starting back four of Axel Disasi, Tosin Adarabioyo, Benoit Badiashile, and Renato Veiga. Veiga impressed, with his uncompromising tackles and no nonsense approach keeping Servette at bay during their more positive stints.

But a new look back four gave up far too many chances to a less superior opponent. The Blues will of course rotate heavily in their various competitions this season, but one must wonder whether the B-list back line of today is one worthy of a European title? Chelea’s bloated squad design must have depth in mind as a justification, but it may yet fail to live up to that billing.

If Chelsea are to succeed, Maresca has to play talent in their natural positions

It almost obvious, but Maresca needs to put his players in their natural positions if he wants to win games. Now two matches into the season, he has played Nkunku in an unfavoured wing spot and tonight saw Palmer come on as a striker, at best his third choice. It showed, too, as the newly crowned PFA Young Player of the Year struggled to influence the match.

With so much talent at his disposal, Maresca admittedly has a task on his hands to make the most of the players he has in front of him, but to make a habit of shoehorning names into the team sheet wherever there happens to be space is not a strategy that will take him far.

Is Dereck Kutesa the star of tomorrow?

While Servette enjoyed several good spells, Dereck Kutesa was the man pulling the strings. Donning number 17 and lining up on the left wing, he caused Axel Disasi plenty of problems, driving at the Frenchman with pace and tight control to keep the big man on his heels. Servette’s top scorer this season with five goals, it was no surprise to see him the most likely scoring threat. Still just 26-years-old and arguably with his best years ahead of him, he might go home wondeirng whether he has caught the eye of a Premier League scout this evening.

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