BEVERLY HILLS, October 03, (THEWILL) – Frank Lampard’s Premier League side Chelsea Football Club turned up the burners on Saturday to beat Crystal Palace four goals to nil. Ben Chilwell, their English defender, marked his debut game with a star performance. It was his 100th appearance in the top flight and his fifth premiership goal in total. It was his goal that broke the deadlock in a game that had remained goalless until early in the second half. Chilwell also added an assist to his game by providing the cross for his fellow defender Kurt Zouma to double their lead in the 66th minute of the game.
Crystal Palace, playing their fourth game of what has been an impressive start to the 2020/2021 season with victories over Southampton and Manchester United, could have fancied their chances of ending a run of five consecutive defeats to the men from Stamford Bridge. However, with just two wins in 11 attempts at the Bridge, the odds were not very encouraging going into the game.
However, their attempts at goal did not do much to change the outcome. Edouard Mendy, Chelsea’s debutant goalkeeper, was not tested enough to worry. Chelsea easily cruised to take the game 4-0 with Jorginho’s penalty double in the second half.
THEWILL found the first half to be a frustrating affair for the Blues. Chelsea’s new frontman Timo Werner, cleared for goal, shot straight at Palace keeper, Vicente Guaita, in one of the few opportunities the hosts had to get on the front foot in the first half. Kai Havertz and Callum Hudson-Odoi were lively in the Chelsea midfield and caused problems for Palace in their own half but the efforts did not create much to benefit the team’s central striker on the day, Tammy Abraham.
The breakthrough had to come from an unlikely source and that was what Chilwell provided on his debut. He acted the fastest to pounce on the mess of an attempted clearance made by Palace man Mamadou Sakho and smashed the ball past Guaita from six yards out. Then, he turned provider for the second goal crossing into space for Zouma, who rose the highest to loop a goal-bound header over Guaita. This added to the confidence and composure with which Chilwell had handled his duties down the left side of the pitch justifying every pound of the £45 million Chelsea forked out to acquire his services.
Then, sloppy defending from Palace gifted Chelsea two penalties. First, Tyrick Mitchell tripped Abraham and left the referee no choice but to point to the spot and Sakho was at fault again when he felled Havertz. Both times, Jorginho dispatched identical spot-kicks bringing the game’s score line to 4-0.
It was, in all, a more accomplished all-round performance than Chelsea had been able to muster in previous games in all competitions. The other matches they have played have been marked by inconsistencies that have caused them results in games that they could have won. They can continue to improve from the confidence that a win like this will give them as they jell together as a composite unit.
