cdadmin

AFTERTHOUGHTS: Chelsea 4-1 Malaysian XI - De Bruyne and Essien the stars!

Pre season is always a slow process as the players begin to gain their levels of match fitness ahead of the new season. For two weeks n...


Pre season is always a slow process as the players begin to gain their levels of match fitness ahead of the new season. For two weeks now the players have been working with Jose Mourinho and his staff and it's going well.

Now, I still haven't seen our first game against the Singha All-Stars, it's on my Sky+ to watch at some stage, but I watched the game in full yesterday. One thing is clear, these games are a good run out for the players as they begin to get the feel of the football and match practice once again.

For the younger players in the squad, it's an ideal opportunity to impress Jose Mourinho and to make some sort of impact if possible. The same can be said of our returning players from loan last season, it's all about working hard and staking a claim.

I have to say I was impressed with some performances in the first half in particular. Bertrand Traore did well at times and took his goal well (see the video below). His movement and first touch were good and he always looked busy.

Marco Van Ginkel also caught my eye. Always making himself available for someone to pass to, always looking for the ball and calm and composed with the ball at his feet, he played well.

Kevin De Bruyne (before his injury) was really, really good.  He started in the Juan Mata, Number 10 position with Eden Hazard and Traore either side of him but to be fair, he was everywhere. He worked hard without the ball, closed people down, made tackles and looked a threat with the ball at his feet.

It was De Bruyne's run off the ball out wide left that created our first goal for Traore but his movement and finish for his and Chelsea's second goal was something that must have caught Mourinho's eye!


A long ball up to Lukaku, De Bruyne was off, taking a gamble that the big man would win the header and knock it into his path, between two defenders. Lukaku did exactly that perfectly into his stride. Without hesitation, De Bruyne hit the ball like a rocket on the volley and beat the keeper all ends up into the roof of the net!

It's just a shame that when he landed he turned his ankle over and had to be substituted. Hopefully the news will be good and he will only miss a couple of days training.


The star man for me yesterday was Michael Essien and I am so pleased to be saying that!

We all remember Essien in his prime for us. The "Bison" was an immovable force in midfield and he looked that way again yesterday. Like De Bruyne, he was everywhere in the middle and bossed the game from the deeper position.

There will always be doubts about his knee's knowing the problems he has had in the past. I may be wrong but I am sure I read last week a quote from him saying he has had 8-9 operations in total.

It looks as though he was managed well by Jose Mourinho in Madrid and didn't have any issues last season. I just hope he is managed the same here and we have him for a whole season.

Overall, it was another step to match fitness and I am sure we are looking forward to moving to the US part of our pre season as the strength of our opposition will provide bigger tests for us.

Here are the goals and the highlights! - What did you think of the game?



Carefree & KTBFFH!

Twitter

Check out the best online casinos in india at CasinosIN.in

The Football Blog Network

Discover the best online casinos Canada has to offer at Casinos Online In. Choose a casino bonus and begin playing your favourite games and online slots!
Check out the UK's latest betting offers for upcoming Premier League matches at justbettingoffers.co.uk.
Get the best from your new online sportsbook ! It's recommended for soccer fans from the United States to explore the list of top US sports betting sites. Compare their bonuses before signing up with them and placing wagers on Chelsea matches.
For Chelsea odds this season check out Online Bookies for all the latest prices & leading offers.
To compare free bets for betting on Chelsea visit bestfreebets.org
Looking for the best offers on Football? Head to bookiesignupoffers.com
Looking for the best odds on Chelsea? Check out footballbettingsites.org.uk
Many canadian online casinos are best known for offering first time depositors with free spins and massive bonuses. Read reviews before signing up with any Canadian casino.
Are you looking for French casino games? goldenriviera casino en ligne is best known for providing the best casino games in France
Online casinos have become increasingly popular in New Zealand. With the rise of internet casinos, there's also a rise of bogus (fake) websites. Make sure you read casino reviews at crazyvegas online casino before you sign up with any casino.
Before you place any bets on Chelsea we suggest get these bookmakers free bets
Look! The latest Chelsea odds here at bestonlinebettingsites.co.uk make sure you check it out!
For the best Chelsea offers on the 20/21 season check out bestfreebetoffers now!
Chelsea latest news All Football News - Chelsea HERE
If you're looking to place your football bets on a new sportsbook, then look no further as Betiton is your new home for football betting!
With so many operators in the Irish market, betinireland.ie reviewed the best football betting sites in their guide.
Wanna bet on the best FIFA World Cup Betting Sites? Check out mybettingsite.uk
item