Chelsea took to the field for their first pre-season game of the season, and while Jose Mourinho and the fans won’t be putting too much stock in the result, to see that the club were not only defeated, but managed to ship four goals as well is not something that will go down easily.
The Blues were sloppy, there is no getting away from that, and their manager said as much after the match, with the second half being particularly bad, and with Barcelona yet to come, things are not going to get any easier for the English champions.
That being said, there were some positive points to take away for Mourinho and his coaching staff, and here are four things for the fans to note after the game.
Sexy football is very nearly there
Chelsea may have lost the game, but they could have scored six or seven goals, but their forwards weren’t sharp enough – and by that, we mean Diego Costa, who sent a couple of chances blazing over the bar and missed another one he should have scored.
Midway through the season, that would have been a hat-trick for the forward, and Chelsea fans will know that. Oscar was another player who looked nearly, but not quite on the ball, and after a summer of rest given he missed the Copa America with Brazil, Mourinho will be expecting big things from the playmaker this season.
Eden Hazard meanwhile looked like he had picked up exactly where he left off last season, scoring a goal and drawing foul after foul with his trickery in and around the box.
Bertrand Traore is a big prospect
Jose Mourinho has never made a secret of how much he rates the player who found it so hard to get a work permit, and now he has finally managed to secure one and thus is able to step out for the first team, all eyes are on Traore.
His first half performance did not disappoint, with the starlet involved in nearly all the good things Chelsea did creatively, and while at times he looked like he needed to compose himself a little bit and take another touch, the raw talent is there, and that is something that should excite Blues fans a great deal.
Chelsea have been quiet this summer, but that could well be because Mourinho really is willing to make good on his promise to give real chances to the likes of Traore and Loftus-Cheek.
Welcome to the shop window
Does anyone really think Mourinho is giving Victor Moses playing time so he can assess him ahead of next season? That would be a no. Some players are in the shop window during pre-season and are not going to be lining up for their clubs come the start of the Premier League season in August.
Be it on loan or a permanent deal, players like Moses are on their way out of the club, and after seeing that performance, Chelsea fans will not be sorry to see him go in the slightest. Quite if there is anyone willing to take him however is another matter.
Filipe Luis is another player who is on his way, with Jose Mourinho confirming he will be sold imminently, meaning there will be some changes this summer for the Blues, and although it might not impact their set starting eleven, it is worth keeping an eye on.
Chance for the kids
Jose has taken some of the kids on tour with the senior side much like this time last year, and will be looking to see if any of them impress him enough for a place in the first team squad to be considered.
The likes of Ruben Loftus-Cheek have already been told they will be given a chance to break through into the first team next term, but for the rest of Chelsea’s starlets, this is one of their big chances and they need to grab it with both hands.
After incurring Mourinho’s wrath during the post-season tour of Sydney, Loftus-Cheek will be out to impress this time round and show his manager that his faith has not been misplaced.
The best is yet to come
Well, you would hope so judging by that performance, especially in the second half. Chelsea were woeful, and even the ever reliable Cesar Azpilicueta gave the ball away and contributed to one of the goals being conceded. John Terry made a brilliant block and then followed that shortly after with a shocking back pass that left Begovic exposed, and all in all, it wasn’t good enough.
Jose Mourinho made that very clear, and you wouldn’t blame the Chelsea boss for reading his stars the riot act after that. After all, the transfer window is still open and tired legs might be an excuse for one game, but performances like that against PSG and Barcelona, and some very big names indeed might be facing the axe.
