Sunday, 13 August 2023

Match Report and Ratings: Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool


 


A point for Chelsea in their opening game. It could have been all three but equally, it could have been none.

Confusing? Well, that was the game.

At times, Chelsea looked really good and dominated a strong Liverpool side but other times they looked like what they were: a team that had never really played together.

Liverpool came out of the blocks stronger and took a deserved 18th minute lead when Mohamed Salah played a superb defence splitting pass to Luis Diaz to slide in.

It could have been either better for Liverpool when on the half hour mark, Salah put the ball in the net but VAR ruled he was just offside.

This seemed to galvanise the Chelsea team, who had been very much second best to that point. In the 37th minute they got their reward, when chaos from a corner eventually ended with the ball falling to debutante Axel Disasi on the edge of the six yard box. It wasn't the cleanest connection but Chelsea fans won't care about that.

Two minutes later, Chelsea thought they had taken the lead when Ben Chilwell went round Alisson to slot home but this time VAR came to Liverpool's rescue, ruling Chilwell was offside.

In the second half, Liverpool thought they could have had a penalty when the ball appeared to strike Nicolas Jackson's arm but nothing given.

From that point, Chelsea dominated the possession but apart from a couple of efforts from Chilwell and Jackson, probably didn't do enough to really work Alisson in the Liverpool goal.

Darwin Nunez nearly stole it for Liverpool at the end but his deflected effort went just wide.

Overall, a draw was a fair result. It was a nervy start for the Blues but they grew into the game.

Enzo Fernandez put in the display you would expect from a player with his price tag. Nicolas Jackson is already drawing the Didier Drogba comparisons. There is potential but we will see how he develops within this team.

Thiago Silva put in another of those performances that make it hard to believe he turns 39 in less than a month.

Most concerning for Chelsea was the withdrawal of Reece James seemingly with injury. Chelsea noticeably lost a lot of momentum when he came off the pitch. A fantastic player but injury prone.

Another tough game next up with a trip to West Ham United but plenty for Chelsea fans to be optimistic about.



Chelsea Line-Up: Sanchez 5, Disasi 6, Silva 8, Colwill 6, James 8 (Gusto 76'), Fernandez 9, Gallagher 5, Chukwuemeka 5 (Maatsen 81'), Chilwell 7 (Ugochukwu 90'), Sterling 4 (Mudryk 81'), Jackson 7

Unused Subs: Cucurella, Madueke, Santos, Bergstrom, Burstow

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