Chelsea ran out 8-1 winners in their third pre-season game against the Indonesia XI on Thursday, with 7 different goal scorers contributing to that total.
As expected, it was a dominating performance from the Blues, and for the first time in Chelsea’s pre-season, Mourinho opted for the 4-3-3 that served him so well during his first stint with the club. The starting lineup consisted of: Blackman, Bertrand, Terry, Cahill, Wallace, Chalobah (in holding midfield) Ramires, Van Ginkel, Hazard, Moses and Ba.
It was a quiet opening ten minutes. The first meaningful attempt of the game came in the ninth minute as Eden Hazard cut in from the left hand side and skipped past a couple of defenders before blazing the ball over the bar from outside of the area.
Soon after, Van Ginkel nicked the ball off an opposing player in midfield and played the ball to Hazard as Chelsea approached on the break. Hazard then played a neat ball into the feet of Ba who turned and hit a deflected shot that bounced harmlessly into the keepers hand.
The “it-should-have-been-1-0” moment came for Ramires in the 14th minute as Bertand put in a superb cross for the Brazilian who headed wide from just a meter out. Chelsea were in again in the 18th minute after Moses got away a powerful strike on the left after a give-and-go with Hazard.
After 20 minutes, the referee pointed to the penalty spot after Terry was wrestled and kicked to the ground in the area. Hazard duly stepped up and put away the spot kick coolly into the bottom right hand corner to make it 1-0.
After the quiet start of the first 10 minutes, Chelsea were attacking dangerously and often, with only the surprising threat of the Indonesia XI holding them back. Van Ginkel slipped a nice through ball to Ba who shot low but at the keeper. Minutes later the young Nathaniel Chalobah hit the post with a curling shot from the edge of the area.
One of the chances of the match soon followed. After a free kick to Indonesia on the edge of the Chelsea area the ball was played to Hazard who skipped past a sliding challenge in his standard fashion before running the length of the field and putting in Wallace one on one with the keeper, but the young Brazilian could only hit the post.
When the second goal finally came, it was superb. Agai,n Hazard was central to the attack as a he ran into the area from the left-hand side and scooped the ball over three defenders to Bertrand. The left-back nodded it on to Ramires, who swiveled and put in a high and powerful shot into the roof of the net that left the goalkeeper with no chance.
Chelsea were now on the ultra offensive, and in the 31st minute it was three. After a slick attacking move in which Bertrand and Hazard were once again important, Ramires hit a low shot from the middle of the area that was saved by the keeper, but only to be finished simply into the bottom corner by Demba Ba.
Hazard had been lively throughout the half, playing from the left and regularly cutting in, and it was in this way that he pulled the ball back for Van Ginkel who hit a low placed shot to the bottom left of the goal that was saved by the keeper. Hazard was in again in the next minute as Terry played a great pass to the Belgian who was through one on one. Hazard tried to take it around the keeper but did too much making a mess of the situation and allowing the goalkeeper to eventually nick the ball from his feet. In a more competitive, match it would have been unacceptable.
After many more attacks it was 4-0 just before half time. Bertrand played in a curling free kick from the right that was nodded on by Cahill to Terry, who powered his header into the back of the net.
It had been a challenging half despite the 4-0 score line. The Indonesia XI kept hold of the ball and attacked well, but ironically this was perhaps why Chelsea scored 4, because in their previous two games their opponents had sat back a lot more sacrificing any attacking intent. It was a satisfying half in which Chelsea could have easily scored more.
The 4-3-3 persisted into the second half. The team sheet: Schwarzer, Cole, Cahill, Kalas, Ivanovic, Essien, Van Ginkel, Ramires, Traore, Hazard, Lukaku.
Chelsea started the second half brighter than they did the first, and quickly had something to show for it. Bertrand Traore, who had already been extremely impressive on tour, received the ball on the edge of the area and placed a high curled shot into the top left-hand corner of the goal, out of reach of even the world’s best keepers. It was a confident strike for such a young player.
Almost immediately after the restart it was 6. Hazard in his typical style went past two defenders on the left before dinking a left-footed cross onto the head of Lukaku, Belgian to Belgian, who finished the move confidently.
As chants of Jose Mourinho rang loud among the Indonesian fans, Chelsea continued to attack. Leaving themselves open, however, they were caught on the break as Tomas Kalas gave away a free-kick on the edge of the Chelsea area. Schwarzer had to do what Blackman didn’t in the first half, and that was to make a save as he tipped the ball over the bar from the free-kick.
It was 7-0 straight after the resulting corner though and the goals were getting better and better. Lukaku broke down the left hand side and pulled the ball back for Ramires who was still very far out with a lot to do. However, he took a touch, picked his spot and launched the ball into left-hand side of the goal from 27 yards.
Piazon, McEachran and Feruz all came on for Hazard, Ramires and Van Ginkel on the hour mark, each of whom had performed impressively, especially Hazard who had been a little disappointing in the two games prior to this.
It the 65th minute Chelsea got their 8th through Lukaku. Another flowing move was eventually ended as Piazon pulled the ball for Lukaku who took a touch and dispatched the ball with a nice finish into the bottom corner.
Indonesia eventually scored a goal of their own, and one that they arguably deserved given their admirable attacking intent. The Indonesia number 10 beat Kalas and Cole far too easily before blazing in a low cross that hit Kalas and bounced into the goal.
Lukaku was denied a hat-trick soon after following a header that was tipped over the bar. Ivanovic then headed over from the following corner. These proved to be the last significant chances of the game as the final 15 minutes were played out quietly.
Chelsea will have to stay humble regardless of the result though, as they were against a team that had already lost to Arsenal and Liverpool 7-0 and 2-0 respectively. Although, if they come up against teams that can’t pass, tackle or shoot every game this season then they will probably be okay.
Marco Van Ginkel
The Dutch midfielder put in a solid performance that was far more impressive than either of the first two. He retained and distributed the ball very well, something that he had not done brilliantly in his first two appearances. He grew into the game as it went along though, and all that he really lacked was an obvious attacking threat. While Ramires was throwing himself into every attack he could, Van Ginkel, the more technical of the two, was sitting back a little. As his performances and confidence grow though, Chelsea fans will be hopeful that this will come in America.
Nathaniel Chalobah
Chalobah’s preferred position has not been certain for a while, that is whether he is a centre back or a defensive midfielder. Having been used as a centre back by Mourinho so far in pre-season, today he was played as a defensive midfielder, and he did well. Against a more dangerous team he would have had more to do of course, but he dealt with what he had to comfortably. He also demonstrated glimpses of his attacking ability that he showed coming through the Chelsea youth system and with Watford last season. It has been confirmed that he will go out on loan, and will be up to him to try and Achieve what Lukaku did last season.
Romelu Lukaku
For the third game in a row, Lukaku was impressive and a man of the match contender. He now has 4 goals in three games. Fans and pundits often seem to focus on the size and power to his game, but once again today he proved how explosively fast he is too. On more than one occasion he beat his man with nothing more than speed, and was overall too much for the opposition to handle. With Torres set to be joining up with the squad for the final leg of the tour in America, it will be interesting to see who out-performs who in this early stage of proceedings.
Bertrand Traore
Where did this guy come from? Although he has been with Chelsea for some time, he is still only a trialist. He will be signed by Chelsea soon, however. Reports of his quality have come out of the club before but this will be the first time that most Chelsea fans will have seen him play properly. Mourinho has said that he wants to keep him at Chelsea this season, but unfortunately he will have to go out on loan due to the fact that he is be unable to obtain a work permit. Once again he was outstanding, and his goal looked like one of a seasoned professional. He is likely to leave the first team squad in England, along with many of the other youngsters in the squad, to accommodate for the new arrivals who took part in the Confederations Cup and who will be joining the team’s tour of America.
This result will build confidence going into the American leg of the tour. Chelsea already have 13 goals scored and 2 conceded in three games, and they are yet to be joined by Mata, Azpilicueta, Torres, Luiz, Oscar, Mikel and Omeru. Inter Milan await in America at the weekend but until then Chelsea will head back to London and train at home for a few days.
