Pre Season: Celtic thrash Chelsea
Chelsea 1 - 4 Celtic
The second match of Chelsea's USA Tour saw them face a Celtic team playing their fifth game of pre-season and entered the contest on the back of beating Premier League champions Manchester City in their last match.
Chelsea created several chances in both halves but goals from Matt O'Reily, Kyogo Furuhashi, Luis Palma and Mikey Johnston helped Brendan Rodgers' side to victory, with Christopher Nkunku adding a late consolation from the penalty spot.
How did the teams line up?
There were two alterations to Maresca's starting line-up for Chelsea. Wesley Fofana made his first start in more than a year in place of Tosin Adarabioyo and Mykhailo Mudryk replaced academy graduate Tyrique George.
The Hoops went into this game at Notre Dame’s iconic stadium in South Bend, Indiana full of confidence. In this match, their 4-3-3 formation featured several players that won them the double last season. Kyogo Furuhashi, Callum McGregor and Daizen Maeda all started and impressed for the Bhoys in green.
Celtic shine again
Sean, a Celtic fan, is delighted with their pre-season but says they still need to strengthen the squad. He said: "This pre-season has surpassed all our expectations. The board didn't do anything meaningful to help us prepare. I can't imagine that even a series of disasters would have forced them to act. They would have shrugged it off and tried to placate us with the signing of Bernardo and a couple of last-minute loan deals.
"However, the outstanding football we've witnessed, including victories over two strong Premier League sides, particularly last night's emphatic win, has changed the situation entirely. The dynamics have shifted, and Rodgers’ position has been significantly strengthened, adding to the authority he already holds."
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What wrong for Chelsea?
Lewis, a Chelsea fan from Greater Manchester, believes they need to focus one key area going forward. He said: "The goalkeeper position is one of the main positions on the pitch that we have to get right. Get that sorted and we can have a good season."
Lauren, a Chelsea fan, believes fans shouldn't be alarmed despite the defeat. She said: "In the past, we have witnessed pre-seasons where everything went well. The team was playing great, everyone got along, and new players joined the team smoothly. However, the season started and we end up losing three or four of the first five games. If that happens, then it's time to start worrying."
Premier League: Summer 2024 news and stories (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com)
