Chelsea wrapped up their pre-season tour in the United States with a disappointing 2-1 loss to Real Madrid in Charlotte.
The Blues faced a challenging schedule, playing five matches across different states in just 18 days. Their tour ended with a record of one win, one draw, and three losses, conceding 12 goals in total.
The match against Real Madrid highlighted several ongoing issues for Chelsea. Defensive errors were a major problem, with Lucas Vazquez and Brahim Diaz taking advantage of Chelsea's mistakes to score for Real Madrid.
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Although Chelsea had their moments in attack, with Christopher Nkunku and Marc Guiu showing promise, they struggled to finish their chances.
Chelsea's defensive vulnerabilities were on full display, and new head coach Enzo Maresca has a lot of work ahead to fix these issues. Despite some bright spots, Chelsea's performance left fans concerned about the team's readiness for the upcoming Premier League season.
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Chelsea 1-2 Real Madrid: Three key takeaways
The game was summed up with three first-half goals, including one from Noni Madueke, leaving Chelsea with the 3rd loss of their pre-season campaign. Let's have a look at the key takeaways from the game.
Defensive Issues Persist: Chelsea's defence has been a significant concern throughout the pre-season, and the match against Real Madrid was no different. The Blues conceded two first-half goals due to defensive lapses. The high defensive line, a holdover from previous seasons, continues to cause problems. Maresca has acknowledged this issue and is working to address it, but it remains a glaring weakness.
Missed Opportunities in Attack: While Chelsea created numerous chances against Real Madrid, their finishing left much to be desired. Nkunku and Guiu were lively and showed flashes of quality, but the final touch was often lacking. This inability to convert chances into goals has been a recurring theme during the pre-season and is an area that needs urgent improvement.
Adapting to Maresca's Style: Chelsea are transitioning to a new style of play under Maresca, focusing on possession and high-risk moves from the back. However, this approach has led to mistakes and has been exploited by opponents. The team is still adjusting to Maresca's tactics, and the adaptation process has been challenging. The defensive errors and missed chances are partly due to players struggling to adapt to this new style.
As Chelsea prepares for the new Premier League season, there is much work to be done. The team needs to tighten up defensively and improve their finishing to become a formidable force once again. Maresca's task is to ensure the players adapt to his tactics while minimizing mistakes that have plagued their pre-season.
