The Conference League was never going to be of the utmost importance for Enzo Maresca in his debut year at Chelsea.
That said, it’s been a fine learning curve for a number of young players and has allowed enough rotation to try and keep those on the fringes of the squad happy.
Players like Christopher Nkunku and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall haven’t been preferred much in the Premier League but have made their mark in Europe.
Nkunku is the competition’s second top scorer with five and has taken to proceedings nicely. Still, as Chelsea were finally handed a tougher opposition, they didn’t exactly set the world alight.
Following their trip to Copenhagen last week where they won 2-1, the second leg was hardly a thriller. It was far from it, in fact, as despite Cole Palmer’s introduction at the break, the Blues could only win 1-0.
They’re in the hat for the next round, however, and that’s all that truly matters.
The biggest positives from Chelsea’s win over Copenhagen
This was not an amazing night for many in blue but there were a trio of players who shone.
Unsurprisingly, the first of which was club-record man Moises Caicedo.
While Palmer’s barren run of form continues, Caicedo only continues to get better, putting in a particularly physical display on Thursday evening, notably winning eight of his nine duels.
Rather more surprisingly, though, was the impact of the aforementioned Dewsbury-Hall. Since signing from Leicester last summer he’s barely kicked a ball but played a pivotal part this week, scoring the game’s only goal.
A mention too for young Tyrique George who started on the right wing and outshone the more senior Jadon Sancho on the opposite wing.
Jadon Sancho’s performance in numbers
George has been one of the beneficiaries of Chelsea’s venture in the Conference League this campaign, and he did well on Thursday night.
The teenager didn’t leave the field with a goal or assist but he certainly didn’t let anyone down in the final third, registering two key passes and completing four of his dribble attempts.
It was certainly a more encouraging performance than Sancho whose inconsistent loan spell at Chelsea only continues to rumble on.
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The winger now hasn’t scored for the club since the 8th December and hasn’t posted an assist since the 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on January 4th.
So underwhelming have his displays been that Sancho’s only shot on target against Copenhagen was his first goalbound effort since 26th December. A damning stat, indeed.
Remember how incredible this player was at Dortmund and it beggars belief that he’s now so often struggling to make things happen.
Beyond that one shot, it was another tricky night at the office for the Manchester United loanee who was handed a 4/10 rating by GOAL. Their correspondent, Peter McVitie, admitted that he had ‘a really quiet game”.
Minutes played
65
Touches
33
Accurate passes
16/18 (89%)
Key passes
0
Shots
1
Successful dribbles
4/7
Ground duels won
4/9
Possession lost
8x
Crosses
0
Expected goals (xG)
0.03
Expected assists (xA)
0.04
The stats certainly support that. Sancho had just one shot, didn’t produce a single key pass or cross and had fewer touches than goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen (38). Given the standard of opposition, you’d expect so much more from a player who was dazzling in the Champions League with Dortmund last term.
During their run to the final, he produced as many as 12 dribbles in their semi-final win over PSG. That was the most by any player in a single game in that season’s edition. It was also the most by any player in a Champions League semi-final since Lionel Messi in April 2008 against Man United.
A little over a year on, he’s back in English football again, and sadly, struggling once more.
Chelsea might not have too many options right now in the final third but regardless of that, Maresca must drop Sancho when they face Arsenal on Sunday.
It’s not just his short-term future he should be sweating over, however, with Brazilian teenage superstar Estevao set to arrive formally in the summer and the news that 17-year-old Sporting winger Geovany Quenda is due to sign too.
Quenda is a right winger by trade but has also played minutes on Sancho’s favoured left side. On this evidence, the Englishman does not look a match for either of these wonderful teenage talents.
Perhaps that obligation to buy wasn’t the smartest of decisions from Todd Boehly and Co.
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