Chelsea 1 Celtic 4: Awful Blues thumped by Brendan Rodgers’ Scottish Champions as Maresca’s horror start continues
ANY Premier League forwards who happen to catch some of Chelsea’s pre-season will be licking their lips.
It is very early days but under Enzo Maresca this looks a team who will offer up a host of chances.
Had Celtic been a touch sharper here in Indiana they would have bagged far more than four against the Blues, racing in behind Chelsea’s extremely high line time and again.
Conceding four against the Scots off the back of a 2-2 draw with Wrexham is hardly an ideal start for Maresca – but this is a huge change of approach at Chelsea.
It is not only going to take some getting used to for his squad, but supporters too as they offer up chance after chance.
The result will hardly concern Maresca at this stage – Celtic had played four games before this encounter compared to Chelsea’s one against Wrexham.
But mistakes and a lack of understanding have little to do with how much energy and intensity is in the legs.
Just as was the case against Wrexham in California, Chelsea conceded a cheap goal trying to play out from the back when Benoit Badiashile played a pass straight to the feet of Luis Palma.
But the high defensive line was offering up far more than some stray passes at the back.
With Reece James moving into midfield on the ball, the Blues back three were left exposed time and again.
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Those ahead of them were putting no pressure on the ball, meaning Celtic’s midfielders had the space and time to pick out passes over the top for the speedy forwards.
Keep playing like that in the Premier League and it will be carnage – especially considering their opening game is against Manchester City.
Maresca said: “The result is not for us, it is always important but we need to analyse the game in general.
“On the ball they were ten times better than the game against Wrexham.
“Off the ball, for sure we need to improve things. We are confused when we need to play short and long. It is part of the process.
“We are still confusing things on and off the ball at the moment.”
Asked whether his side will be ready for their opening game against City, the Italian added: “We are going to be for sure ready for that game.
“Or we are going to have improved but I am not thinking that for the first official game everything will be fine.”
There were positive signs for Maresca here, however.
After the two opening goals, from Furuhashi Kyogo and Matt O’Riley, Chelsea managed to settle again with Christopher Nkunku looking lively and sharp.
New signing Marc Guiu also impressed, battling well as he led the line ahead of Armando Broja.
After a trio of changes at the break, including Raheem Sterling being sent on, the Blues stepped the pace up immediately.
Sterling created plenty of openings down the left and won a late penalty which Nkunku converted – a second goal in as many pre-season games.
They had the control Maresca seeks throughout the most of the second half before a few more changes and things collapsed.
Badiashile’s mistake allowed Palma to get Celtic going again after the Scottish champions had been pinned back.
And within two minutes they had another, Mikey Johnston exploiting the high line once again, racing in behind and finishing comfortably.
No one will be too alarmed by results so early in pre-season – with four more friendlies to be played – but everyone will be keen for things to change quickly.
