Kilmarnock, Pafos, St Patrick's Athletic, Lincoln Red Imps and Vikingur Reykjavik are the other teams that Chelsea joined in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday night.
The Blues looked set to spend another season in Europe until the Premier League finals in April and May saw them finish fifth and qualify for the UEFA club competition.
With Servette from Switzerland playing at Stamford Bridge and Chelsea, I mean this version, heavy favorites to win, the pressure was on Enzo Maresca and his team of players to get up and run.
With a place in the group stage at stake, a 2-0 win will make life a little more straightforward in the away leg next week, but a polished perfrmance…isn't.
The manager changed things up a lot in the team that lost to Manchester City in the Premier League last Sunday. Only Christopher Nkunku kept his place, with major changes made otherwise including the debut of Filip Jorgensen, Tosin Adarabioyo, and starts with Pedro Neto, Marc Guiu, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Renato Veiga.
Your Chelsea side tonight!
#CFC | #UECL pic.twitter.com/F3Xh8R37NO
– Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 22, 2024
Moises Caicedo was also the captain for the first time. It divided opinion.
Captain of Moises Caicedo
— Olivia Buzaglo (@OliviaBuzaglo) August 22, 2024
Caicedo is the captain today? Love the player but something is wrong at Chelsea. We had captains worthy of men. My staff fell off the face of the earth
— カラス ルゴ (@KrisRugo) August 22, 2024
Caicedo captain over Diasi. The writing is on the wall. Pack your bags Newcastle son.
— ًًً (@ibzsmo3k) August 22, 2024
Another was in the tunnel but not registered to play after Wednesday's arrival.
A warm welcome back to Stamford Bridge for João Félix
– Football on TNT Sports (@footballantnt) August 22, 2024
When football really started, it took a really long time to start.
The stats aren't everything etc but a good summary of the first part of the first part here. Chelsea move the ball well but there is no threat in the box from the second minute, Servette playing for sets. pic.twitter.com/GET1Ed3KeL
— Sean Walsh (@SeanDZWalsh) August 22, 2024
Chelsea didn't have a shot for 29 minutes. When it came, Mykhailo Mudryk shot it and it went around.
Finally a gun. Mudryk dragged it wide. Gui with the…miscontrol that Mudryk explodes into. The goalkeeper could not work.
— Chessy Hour® ☆☆ (@ChessyHour) August 22, 2024
In the meantime…
Chelsea fans at Matthew Harding's stand were seen chanting Conor Gallagher's name…
— Sean Walsh (@SeanDZWalsh) August 22, 2024
Mudryk, who may have so much talent but lacks confidence, was a matter of great frustration for Chelsea fans.
mudryk will pull out a crazy 1 on 1 move you'll see it then pass or shoot like what are you doing man
—
(@corpsecutterr) August 22, 2024
Mudryk has to be one of the most offensive players I have ever watched
— JPH (@jessyjph) August 22, 2024
Every time Mudryk steps on the ball I look forward to the garbage he will do every time. Uncontrollable touch, incomplete cross, shot off target. We are tired, man
—
(@ttondev) August 22, 2024
Mudryk needs 6 months without a psychiatrist. Totally serious. He's shot and 99% out of his mind. #CFC
– Jake Heasman (@jakeheasman) August 22, 2024
Mudryk is very frustrating to watch. I want him to do well, but a lot of times he makes bad decisions or his passing/shooting rate is too low.
— London Blue (@londonbluenews) August 22, 2024
But almost immediately after the break, a penalty was the boost Chelsea needed.
Christopher Nkunku won it…
Penalty Chelsea. Guiu presses hard to force a mistake, Dewsbury-Hall slides it to Nkunku and Frick takes him down. There is no doubt about it.
Nkunku stood up and hit it past the goalkeeper. 1-0. That's the first official goal of Maresca's season. #cfc
— Joe Krishnan (@joekrishnan) August 22, 2024
…and with Cole Palmer not on the field at the time, he scored himself.
Nkunku beats us to the front.
#CFC | #UECL pic.twitter.com/v9oc3mO3Yw
– Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 22, 2024
The first goal in Enzo Maresca's time was scored by Christopher Nkunku
pic.twitter.com/YooNA6h00Y
– Football on TNT Sports (@footballantnt) August 22, 2024
Chelsea should have doubled their lead early on but Guiu, an 18-year-old striker signed from Barcelona, somehow managed to save the keeper as he fired into an open goal.
Marc Guiu for a miss that should send him straight to the loan. pic.twitter.com/etwomqS0Rm
— ChelsTransfer (@ChelsTransfer) August 22, 2024
Using that is the depth of the team.
Good treatment of the men from Maresca as Guiu comes out…the real lie of reconciliation and the warm words of that miss. Guiu's face showed that he was upset.
— Simon Johnson (@SJohnsonSport) August 22, 2024
As the game progressed, frustration was the dominant emotion.
Thank god we got a penalty
– Chelsea FC Podcast (@chelsea_podcast) August 22, 2024
Thank God I don't watch this game.. because Chelsea have been absolute ass..
We should be leading by 3 or 4 goals right now..
Imagine leading this small team in penalties..They really deserve this conference league place.. Champions League is too big for them ATM…tbvh
– BIG 24 StratoVM (@SUCCESS_OG_) August 22, 2024
Finally came the second goal: Noni Madueke.
A great team goal.
@NoniMadueke_
#CFC | #UECL pic.twitter.com/sMKyRQDzrX
– Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 22, 2024
there is no way Madueke should be inferior to Mudryk in terms of scoring
— ً (@elsdawg) August 22, 2024
This is the Madueke Chelsea fans doubted, saying he wasn't good enough. A player who has been consistent since pre-season, despite limited minutes, and now has scored a goal to silence his critics.
– SHAYEE (@tier_first) August 22, 2024
A win is a win 
It's certainly not vintage but 2-0 puts us in a very commanding position on the draw.
There is a lot to improve on the training ground, but Nkunku, Madueke, Veiga and Caicedo played well.
90 minutes useful for legs adapting to Enzo Maresca's style of football.
— Tom Overend (@tovers98) August 22, 2024
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