Antonio Conte and Chelsea Football Club got off to a winning start as they were able to apply a successful preseason to beat an understrength West Ham side 2-1 in their season opener. Change was clearly evident and there were lots of takeaways to be found from the team’s first official 90 minutes.
Hazard looks sharp
After a disappointing campaign last season, Hazard shone through at the European Cup with Belgium. The positives from that tournament, as well as a strong preseason campaign, had Chelsea fans excited for a potential return to form and sure enough, fans were treated to a clinical display in his first game of the new season. Aside from scoring the first goal of the Conte era, Hazard was dominant in his supporting role, beating defenders with his pace regularly, accumulating nine dribbles over the course of the game. Hazard completed nine take-ons, more than any other player in the Premier League on the opening weekend, while also completing 81.8% of his passes. The penalty Hazard, 25, converted was his fifth goal in his last six Premier League games and if his form stays, Chelsea could look like a completely different team than the one we saw last season.
Midfield has potential to be potent
Adding N’Golo Kante to the midfield this summer, many expected the strength of Chelsea’s core to be determined largely by form. Much like Hazard’s change of form, the midfield looked to be the reason behind Chelsea’s win. Lining up with Kante, Nemanja Matic, Willian, Oscar and the aforementioned Hazard behind Costa, Chelsea were dominant, largely building their game through their midfield. In his debut, Kante proved to be the box-to-box threat many dubbed him as, making tackles in the midfield and setting up attacks, while also completing 94.7% of his passes.
Matic seemed to settle in his physical role because of this, being able to go forward and physique his way into central positions, due to the insurance that Kante provided. Matic won two ariel duels, completed 86.4% of his passes and also contributed, much like Kante, on the tackling side of things. Ahead of those two, Willian, Oscar and Hazard thrived.
Playing 80 minutes prior to Pedro replacing him, Willian was able to test Adrian with free kicks while also completing 93.3% of his passes. Willian made three key passes during the game, while only being dispossessed of the ball once during the time he was on the field. Oscar was the biggest surprise, largely because of the lackadaisical form he’s had in seasons past. The 24-year-old Brazilian put on one of the best performances since joining the club, accumulating six tackles, one interception, and completing 82.1% of his passes over 85 minutes.
Costa looks fitter, more motivated, more lethal
After a successful first season at the club which saw Diego Costa score 20 goals and dole out three assists, the Spanish striker struggled last season, totaling 12 goals and eight assists in 27 appearances. Many speculated that the striker could be on the move with his previous employers, Atletico Madrid, hot on the heels of the polarizing forward. A change in system looked to be exactly what the striker needed as Costa strived after settling down some initial nerves. As the first half concluded at 0-0, Costa had completed five passes, one of which was from kickoff. He attempted to do it all rather than look for his teammates and it ended with Chelsea not being able to capitalize on attempts. In the second half, Costa became the striker Chelsea bought, as he completed 16 passes for a 76.2% completion rate over the course of the game. Aside from scoring the winning goal in the 89th minute, Costa also had three shots on goal while making various runs into the box.
Another positive of his performance was the fact that when new signing Michy Batshuayi came on. In the short time the two had to play together, Batshuayi was able to deliver the assist for Costa’s winning goal, while the two’s playing styles complimented each other. Batshuayi, a more skillful, quicker player helped spread the forward line while Costa’s physical elements allowed him to strive and create space for him to score his first goal out of the box since joining Chelsea.
Defense was able to cope
For all the worries going into the game, Chelsea live another week in terms of defensive proficiency. Between a mediocre season from Branislav Ivanovic last season, an aging John Terry and an average center-back in Gary Cahill, fans rightfully had doubts surrounding the backline, but they prevailed. Ivanovic was able to make a tackle and interception while also clearing four balls, also getting forward, totaling two shots on goal, one dribble and completing 78.3% of his passes. Cahill and Terry were able to hold strong in the middle of the defense, totaling one tackle, two interceptions and five clearances between the two. Terry made 70 passes, completing 92.9% of them while Cahill completed 86.4% of his 59 passes. Azpilicueta, arguably Chelsea’s best defender on the current team, made a tackle, an interception and a block while also contributing one dribble and completing 93.1% of his passes.
While Chelsea’s defense held up, defensive reinforcements are needed. The team is looking sharp and capitalizing on options such as Kalidou Koulibaly, Shkodran Mustafi or Nikola Maksimovic could help take the team to another level.
Conte looking to add to team
Speaking after the game, Conte gave hints as to Chelsea potentially being active in the transfer market in the ensuing days. The Italian manager was quoted saying “It’s important to have contact every day with the club. They know my ideas and it’s important to find the right solution.” Conte does not want to buy for the “sake of it,” but instead look for the right fits. “We’re waiting for the right solution but I’m very happy to have these players.” As of late, Chelsea have been linked to a heap of defensive names, namely in the form of Jonas Hector, Koulibaly, Mustafi and Maksimovic. While rumors of strike force additions are still there, Batshuayi’s short spell and Costa’s strong second half should put an end to those rumors.
