Chelsea made the perfect start to their Europa Conference League campaign last night, beating Gent 4-2 at Stamford Bridge.
Goals from Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Renato Veiga secured the win for the Blues in what was a much-changed starting lineup.
The victory made it five successive wins for Enzo Maresca’s side, as the Italian looks to have settled perfectly into life as the Blues boss.
Whilst many expected it to be an easy night’s work for Maresca’s outfit, his side demonstrated a professional display, controlling possession and taking their chances in the final third – restricting the Belgian opposition to very few opportunities.
The display allowed two Chelsea players to shine once again, showing why they deserve a regular starting spot under the Italian in the Premier League.
Neto & Nkunku’s stats against Gent
Neto and Nkunku once again found themselves on the scoresheet for Chelsea, highlighting the excellent recruitment conducted by those behind the scenes in recent months.
The Portuguese winger registered his second goal in as many starts, whilst also creating five chances – the most of any player on the pitch during the victory.
The 24-year-old also managed to complete 97% of the passes he attempted, with two successful dribbles, as he provided a constant threat to the opposition backline throughout the encounter.
As for Nkunku, he continues his excellent start to the 2024/25 campaign, with his strike last night taking him to seven goals already this season despite featuring as an impact player in the league.
The Frenchman endured a quiet evening, only completing six passes, but popped up when Maresca’s side needed him the most – helping them on the way to a successful first Conference League outing of the season.
However, not all the players who started the game enjoyed a good outing, with one player failing to take his rare start with both hands.
The Chelsea player who disappointed against Gent
Benoit Badiashile was handed a rare start for the Conference League clash and was part of a back four that conceded twice despite the opposition only managing three shots on target all night.
The 23-year-old may have managed 159 successful passes and registered 175 touches, but it was his poor defensive display that could see him lose his place ahead of the weekend.
Badiashile gave possession away 12 times, the third most of any Blues player, whilst only winning one of the three duels he entered, and failing to complete a single tackle.
He also missed a big chance in front of goal, which could’ve made the game even more comfortable for Maresca’s side, with the Frenchman unable to make a positive impact at either end of the pitch, having been awarded a measly 5/10 match rating by the Evening Standard’s Dom Smith.
Minutes played
90
Touches
175
Passes completed
159 (94%)
Tackles made
0
Times dribbled past
1
Possession lost
12x
Big chances missed
1
Duels won
1/3
Whilst it was a routine win for Chelsea, Maresca will be wanting to extend his side’s current excellent winning run when they face Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
Neto and Nkunku have certainly staked their claim for a starting spot, whilst Badiashile must surely expect to lose his place after his dismal display once again last night.
Chelsea eye £22m Brazilian with centre-back signing expected "very soon"
The South American is currently playing in Saudi Arabia.
ByEmilio GalantiniOct 2, 2024