CHELSEA ARE A work in progress and Erling Haaland is lethal in the box.
There’s a line that was prepared earlier.
Even the opening goal was ready-made.
After 18 minutes of Manchester City’s Premier League title defence it became evident once again when Haaland scooped a delicious effort around goalkeeper Robert Sanchez after showing anticipation, awareness of space, power and calmness under pressure.
They were traits that Nicolas Jackson simply does not possess at the other end for Chelsea.
If he did, the home side could easily have been level before half-time.
He strayed a yard offside when following in a Cole Palmer shot on 44 minutes. Even if there were a couple of nice pieces of link up play, with one particularly deft flick to set up an attack, Jackson seemed to be hurried and panicked whenever he ventured into the 18-yard box.
City boss Pep Guardiola will be thrilled with another opening day win, especially at Stamford Bridge where you would expect the home side to become more of a force as the season goes on.
There was no grandstand finish, though, and City’s second goal summed up how the life seemed to be sucked out of them by the away side.
Wesley Fofana clipped a ball into the centre hoping to play his side out of trouble while under pressure.
Instead they invited more.
Mateo Kovacic, impressive and with more responsibility without the injured Rodri by his side, chested the ball and took control. He strode by Moises Caicedo and zipped beyond Enzo Fernandez – just a couple of hundred-million-euro worth of signings there.
Opening day or not, they looked laboured.
Perhaps if the excellent Romeo Lavia – who missed all of last season with a knee injury – hadn’t been replaced more of a fight would have been put up to stop Kovacic’s surge.
Centre back Levi Colwill approached and then stopped in his tracks. Bafflingly.
The Croatian international opened up his body and curled a shot from 25-yards out towards Sanchez’ top right corner. It was a tame enough effort but somehow had enough to beat Sanchez, who got a hand to it but could not keep it out.
Colwill then threw his arms in the air in disgust – with enough force to probaly save the shot – and looked to complain to his goalkeeper.
City players celebrated with their fans in that corner of the ground and then came chants hailing the champions.
The outcome of the hearing into the alleged 115 breaches of Premier League’s financial rules is expected in early 2025 and could have a considerable impact on this season’s title defence.
They are going for a fifth crown in a row and Haaland as some history of his own in sight for the campaign ahead.
Only two players in the last 30 years of top flight football in England have managed three successive seasons as top scorer.
Alan Shearer from 1995 to 1997 and Thierry Henry from 2004 to 2006 are the names who have come before.
As Opta confirmed after Haaland’s goal, he “has been directly involved in 106 goals in 100 appearances, with today’s opener being his 91st goal for the club (along with 15 assists).”
He is up and running now, thanks in no small part to Bernardo Silva’s clever outstretched flick to catch Chelsea’s defence flat-footed. Haaland was alert and his first touch with his right foot took him inside the area, away from Colwill and towards the penalty spot.
The covering Marc Cucurella was brushed aside with ease and Colwill’s attempt at dispossessing Haaland was denied by the striker’s quick feet to shift the ball to the left.
Sanchez eventually advanced but the finish was both instinctive and premeditated. He has been in scenarios like that countless times in training and in games so knew what was required.
Haaland had to execute and did so with previous experiences influencing his decision-making, explaining to Sky Sports how he was happy to take more touches than usual in the area before taking his shot because he knew Sanchez preferred to stay on his line for as long as possible.
“I think it was a really good goal.”
There will be more to come.
