ATLANTA — Chelsea‘s superior attacking quality told against LAFC at the FIFA Club World Cup on Monday. Whether that proves to be the case over a longer period is the question hanging over several members of the Blues’ squad this summer.
Blues boss Enzo Maresca confirmed in the buildup to this 2-0 win that the club was looking for a winger, having opted not to sign Jadon Sancho on a permanent basis from Manchester United. With Mykhailo Mudryk also suspended pending the outcome of an investigation into a positive drugs test, the Blues explored a deal to sign Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund but were unable to agree a fee before the pre-tournament transfer window closing. That has put Chelsea’s existing crop under extra scrutiny and, in that context, Pedro Neto responded in an impressive way that Noni Madueke struggled to replicate.
Neto’s 34th-minute opener was a moment of a high quality in a match of mediocrity. Nicolas Jackson did well to release him down the right, and Neto scampered clear before cutting inside — embarrassing LAFC defender Ryan Hollingshead in the process — and thrashing a shot inside Hugo Lloris‘ near post.
Chelsea labored somewhat thereafter, so it was timely that Liam Delap injected fresh impetus after his 64th-minute introduction in place of Jackson. The £30 million signing from Ipswich Town looked a threat immediately, and 11 minutes from time, Cole Palmer found his clever run, with Delap crossing for another substitute, Enzo Fernández, to convert from close range.
It was not a display to engender any great confidence that Chelsea can go all the way in this competition, but then again, tournaments aren’t won in the opening game. This is a squad trying to balance both an assault on the Club World Cup and the beginnings of their preparation for the 2025-26 campaign.
Neto hit the crossbar to bookend a productive afternoon, but Madueke, by contrast, was guilty of wasting several promising openings, particularly in the first half. Jackson responded better to the new pressure on his shoulders, although he ended without a goal. Delap’s arrival might not be the end of Chelsea’s interest in signing a center forward, with Eintracht Frankfurt‘s Hugo Ekitike under consideration, so this competition is a chance for Jackson and Delap to stake their claims.
“It is always good to have competition, this is football,” Delap said. “It is an incredible club and it is always going to be incredibly hard, but you have to thrive off the competition. Of course it is good to help the team, but I want to score some as well.”
Although they were ultimately outclassed, LAFC defended resolutely and moved the ball encouragingly at times. Denis Bouanga missed their best opportunity with the score only 1-0, holding off Neto and firing a low shot that Robert Sánchez saved with his feet in the 57th minute. Former Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud was on the field by that point — introduced as a half-time substitute — but the 38-year-old managed just eight touches despite LAFC rallying before Fernandez ended the contest in the 79th minute.
The atmosphere probably did not help either team. The wonderful Mercedes-Benz Stadium was less than a third full — 22,137 was the official attendance — and although LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo was diplomatic when discussing the empty seats, he said Atlanta was “still in the U.S. but probably not somewhere we would visit too often.”
Palmer was one of the main draws given the reception he received from the crowd, and if his relationship with Jackson is a key reason for the Senegal international retaining his place in the team, Delap made positive inroads in developing an understanding. Twice Delap spun in behind the LAFC defense to collect a pass from Palmer, who was occupying his favored right-sided attacking position having drifted out from the center. They were the first signs of a pattern of play Maresca and Delap will surely look to replicate as time goes on.
“The good thing about Liam is he knows the way we want to play, so the process is quite quick,” said Maresca, who worked with Delap during their time together at Manchester City. “I’m encouraged to see how Nico reacted to that. Last season, it was him with Marc Guiu — who is very young — so I am quite encouraged to see how Nico is going to deal with competition. Both are very good No. 9s. I prefer to have four or five strikers who score 10 or 12 goals each rather than one striker who scored 40 goals.
“Last year, we tried to use different threats, a different weapon. Also we had two, three months without Nico, without Guiu, we tried to find different solutions but when you have two strikers like Nico and Liam, it is a good feeling because you know you can choose one of them and it’ll be a good choice.
“It was a very good result. At this stage of the season, it’s also normal we have to manage different kinds of things. Overall, the performance was good and we move on.”
Chelsea do indeed move on to Philadelphia, where Flamengo await them Friday. It will likely be a tougher test of Chelsea’s current state, and another opportunity for the club’s forwards silence the doubters.
