New Delhi: Celtic look like a team with some real intent as they win their second pre season friendly, defeating Chelsea 4-1. It was a match where the Hoops never looked like the second best team, meanwhile Chelsea were poor going forward and were out classed in every department. It was Matthew O’Riley who scored the first goal and there was no looking back for the Celtic players as they kept the intensity up and didn’t let the Chelsea backline breathe. However, considering this pre season performance from both the sides, there were certain key points that might be crucial for their campaing in a few week’s time.
Celtic on a mission after consecutive wins
INDIANA, USA – JULY 27: Celtic’s Matt O’Riley celebrates after scoring to make it 1-0 during a Pre-Season Friendly between Chelsea and Celtic at Notre Dame Stadium, on July 27, 2024, in Indiana, USA. (Photo by Ross MacDonald/SNS Group via Getty Images)
The Hoops have been on fire ever since the pre-season matches have started. They managed to win against Manchester City in their first friendly match, a couple of days back and now, they have yet again slayed an English heavyweight. However, they are certainly making a statement as they absolutely thrashed a Chelsea side that consisted of nine regular starting players in their lineup for this pre season contest. They showed real intent on the pitch and Brendan Rodgers was spot on with his tactics throughout the game to sink Enzo Maresca’s side.
Celtic are on a 17 games unbeaten streak as the last time they lost a game was back in March when they faced Hearts. They headed into the match win tremenous amount of confidence and it was not long before Matthew O’Riley gave them the lead in the 19th minute of the game. Celtic went on to score their second thanks to an easy finish for Kyogo Furuhashi in the 33rd minute of the game. The constant threat was there all along before Luis Palma made it 3-0 to the Hoops, coming off the bench, in the 76th minute of the game. Furthermore, Michael Johnston scored the fourth to add to Chelsea fan’s miseries.
Celtic have certainly looked good so far as they look to lift their astonishing 55th premiership title to level with Rangers, who are the current record holders for most number of Scottish Premiership titles(55).
Chelsea’s defensive disasterclass
INDIANA, USA – JULY 27: Celtic’s Kyogo Furuhashi and Chelsea’s Tosin Adarabioyo in action during a Pre-Season Friendly between Chelsea and Celtic at Notre Dame Stadium, on July 27, 2024, in Indiana, USA. (Photo by Ross MacDonald/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Chelsea’s defensive performance was one to forget, specifically for the Frenchman, Benoit Badiashile who looked nowhere close to his best on the pitch. Chelsea lacked the authority from the very beginning as they went on to make silly defensive errors, giving the Celtic attackers to cause problems. Celtic took their chances well but it has to be said that the Blues were digging their own graves by being extremely sloppy, leaving acres of space for the Celts to run into. The Chelsea defence looked lazy when it came down to closing the spaces to protect their goal.
The second goal by Furuhashi was the perfect example of how the Chelsea backline was playing with no defensive awareness as it was Badiashile who played Furhashi onside, only for the Japanese to score a tap in with no pressure whatsoever. It was another panic situation at the back where Badiashile passed the ball straight to the opponent inside his own penalty box to gift Palma the third goal as he kept his composure to beat Adarabioyo with a little shimmy to slot it past Robert Sanchez.
Chelsea were further exposed at the back as the two defenders, Badiashile and Adarabioyo gave Michael Johnston acres of space to run into. Once a lofted pass was played in behind the two defenders to find Johnston, it was just too easy for him to carry the ball forward and put the ball past Sanchez to make it 4-0. Yet another disaster class from the chelsea backline as they just couldn’t find a way to cut the Celtic threat.
Concerns rising for Maresca
INDIANA, USA – JULY 27: Chelsea Manager Enzo Maresca at Full Time during a Pre-Season Friendly between Chelsea and Celtic at Notre Dame Stadium, on July 27, 2024, in Indiana, USA. (Photo by Ross MacDonald/SNS Group via Getty Images)
It is always easy to say that these friendly matches do not matter, but they also tell you go gear up and be ready for further challenges. Besides, one of the main concerns for Enzo Maresca would be the defensive backline that consisted of potential regular starters. Their attack looked wasteful as they had plenty of chances to score goals but they just couldn’t make the most out of those opportunities. Their only goal came in the final minute of the game; a penalty converted by Christopher Nkunku, probably the only player that actually deserved a goal for Chelsea.
However, Chelsea will be facing Mexican side CF America in their next pre season fixture. Chelsea need to perform better than this in order to send a message and Maresca will be looking to get a response from the team.
It was a defensive disaster class from Chelsea as Celtic managed to shock the blues, defeating them 4-1 in the pre-season friendy clash. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
