(Video): Chelsea’s new midfielder slides in unique finish to put Blues ahead | OneFootball

Chelsea lead at Parken, with their first shot on target!

After a truly dreadful first 45 minutes, Enzo Maresca had to act. He made 3 changes, and it paid off right away. Marc Cucurella and the newly arrived Christopher Nkunku worked the ball down the left and delivered a nice cutback to Reece James.

He hit a low, crisp side foot effort which travelled slowly but with such accuracy that it was able to beat the Copenhagen goalkeeper at his near post. It was a show or pure technique from the captain, who is playing out of position in midfield tonight to help out his team.

A lovely moment for James, who is celebrating his longest spell of fitness in a couple of years. With Malo Gusto going off injured in the first half, we will need James on the right of defence this weekend.

You can see the goal in the clips embedded here:

[Footage from TNT Sport]

[Footage from NBC Sport]

[Footage from Canal Plus]

Chelsea must step forward, not backwards

Reece James fires one in from range. (Photo by Patrik Lundin/Getty Images)

It’s a cracking strike from Reece and a crucial moment for the team, who were really struggling in that first period. They’re in something of a makeshift formation, but it was still just not good enough.

This quietens the crowd, it forces Copenhagen onto the front foot, and hopefully sets the game up for a more entertaining second half.

Frankly, it’s already been a more entertaining second half. That goal within a minute was more action than we saw in the first 45. Now the question is how the team progress – do they sit back and let the opposition in as we’ve seen so many times? Or they actually get onto the front foot and stick the boot into opposition they should be beating?