Ex-Premier League player Ben Foster has detailed how Chelsea were “so sharp” when he played against them in pre-season, as their dominant performance has them on the right track.
The Blues will want to forget all about last season. That they finished 12th in the league meant the campaign was one of the worst in their history; they’d finished outside the top four once in the six seasons prior.
Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter were both sacked as manager last season, before Frank Lampard took over as caretaker while a suitable boss was found to take them forwards.
That man was Mauricio Pochettino, and he’ll be eager to ensure the next campaign is much more successful than the last one. He’s been busy in the transfer market – signing four players and letting 11 go so far.
He’s building a new-look side that he’ll hope can have the type of success he has joined the club in order to achieve. On first viewing, he might have done that.
Indeed, Chelsea won their first pre-season game 5-0, against Wrexham, and their goalkeeper, Foster, was wowed by the speed of the Blues’ side
“When they get the ball in the final third, wow,” he said, quoted by Metro.
“Runners down the wing, players coming inside going outside, and they’re always taking the ball on the run.
“They’re either already running or they’re picking it and running with it so it just gets you on the back foot straight away and it’s good to see. There’s so much pace, they’re so sharp.”
Chelsea won’t be getting ahead of themselves. While it was a good, dominant performance, they beat a side who have just been promoted to the Football League.
As such, it would be tough to make a judgement on how they’ll do in the Premier League off the back of it. However, the style of play will be something that they’ll be excited about, and a former Premier League player thinking they look good will be a bonus.
Pochettino will be eager to further implement the style he wants his side to play ahead of the season, but the suggestion that they’re already a very quick team is one that could certainly strike fear into any outfit they might come up against.
They’ll hope that when they begin to play better sides, they can keep up the same style, and take that confidence into the season with them.
READ MORE: Summer transfer window 2023: Chelsea clear as the biggest-earning European club