Superb Raheem Sterling at the double as Chelsea get off the mark
ON THE DOUBLE: Chelsea's Raheem Sterling celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game. Pic: John Walton/PA Wire
Chelsea have been struggling with a conundrum which you might feel sounds like a first world problem, but which has nevertheless baffled some big football brains: how to turn €1.2bn of newly-bought talent into something which feels like a real team.
Now, following two well-taken goals from Raheem Sterling, and a crucial first strike for new €41m striker Nicolas Jackson in a 3-0 victory over Luton, there will be hope at Stamford Bridge that the solution is starting to take shape.
The result, hot on the heels of a frustrating 3-1 defeat against 10-man West Ham last weekend, has given them what every new team needs; a first victory and a breather from all the negative scrutiny that comes on the back of high-cost recruits who haven’t yet been clicking.
For some passages of this match, despite Sterling’s stunning individual opener, there were still rumbles and fears in the crowd that all those big-money arrivals didn’t really feel like a team. But goals, wins and points make a big difference when it comes to bringing 11 players together; and you suspect this will be a big moment for Mauricio Pochettino’s side as he attempts to revive a giant that somehow finished 12th in the Premier League last season.
That kind of position simply isn’t acceptable for a club used to winning Champions League, let alone Premier League titles, but rebuilding a reputation is even harder than gaining it in the first place.
Pochettino has been handed a war chest of global jewels that includes some of the most expensive young players in the world, not least home debutant Moises Caicedo who could eventually cost them a record €130m from Brighton, but who struggled to show his quality against Luton despite the result.
You suspect that will come, he looked excellent at Brighton, and this result will give him a little space to find his feet as Chelsea move up to eighth in the table despite a long list of injuries which has made building a team more difficult.
Sterling began the revival with a quite outstanding individual goal after 18 minutes.
It took a number of swift forward and lateral passes for the ball to reach the England international on the right hand side of the area. But the way he then cut in – twisting, turning and slaloming his way into the box – was a thing of beauty. As was the measured left foot shot which he slid just inside the far post.
That goal should have calmed Chelsea down but Luton, whose entire ethos is based on teamwork and hard work, made life difficult for the Blues, well into the second half.
They created a number of half-chances, not least when Ryan Giles’ fiercely struck effort following a neat move forced new Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez into what looked a rather clumsy save.
Luton’s former Man United midfielder Tahith Chong had a decent game, as did wing-back Issa Kabore, who was always willing to get forward. But it was Sterling who shone brightest, flashing a shot home for 2-0 after 68 minutes, set up by Gusto, to secure the result.
It was 3-0 after 75 minutes when Sterling’s low ball across the box was finished off by Jackson, a goal he thoroughly deserved having shown promise in all three of his matches this season but, until now, without the credit he deserved.
The Stamford Bridge crowd knew it was important for him, and for the team, and gave their celebrations a little extra edge to mark the moment.
It moves Chelsea into the top 10 in the Premier League and prevents an unwanted record of making their worst start to a Premier League season since 1998-99 (which would have been the case had they failed to win).
No manager needs that kind of record, especially one new in post, and so it will be interesting to see where Chelsea go from here.
Can they use this as a stepping stone to becoming a real team at last? One which fights and works for each other and which scores the goals their talent deserves?
There are opportunities ahead to do just that. Next up for Chelsea is a home game against Wimbledon in the EFL Cup, followed by a September schedule which looks friendly enough. Home to Forest and Villa, away to Bournemouth.
There is, of course, no Champions League or Europa League to look forward to after last season's 12th placed finish, but perhaps that’s a good thing. Time on the training field together could help this team of big-money signings find a way to be a cohesive unit that wins matches.
Having seen the impressive Jackson earn his first goal and Pochettino his first win, perhaps the air of gloom in west London is lifting at last.
Sanchez 6; Disasi 6, Thiago Silva 7, Colwill 6, Gusto 7, Caicedo 6, Fernandez 7, Chilwell 7(Maatsen 86 6), Sterling 9 (Burston 90), Gallagher 6; Jackson 8 (Ugochukqu 83; 6).
Kaminski 6; Burke 6 (Anderson 77; 6), Lockyer 7, Bell t; Kabore 7 (Doughty 62;6 ), Barkley 6 (Mpanzu 76; 6), Nakamba 6, Chong 7 (Ogbene 77; 6), Giles 7; Morris 6, Adebayo 6 (Brown 70; 6).
Robert Jones 7.
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