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At some point, it felt like Chelsea transfer plans were in shambles, but the team took shape after some last minute moves from the club.
Chelsea legend Pat Nevin has admitted that he’s happy with the way with the team’s transfer panned out.
He wrote out in the official Chelsea website: “It all began to feel a bit last-minute as the squad finally took shape just before the transfer window closed. Would the extra midfielder arrive in time? Would we get the goalkeeping dilemma sorted? Is there really a need for another centre-back? In the midst of all this, one man seemed quite relaxed, laid back to the point of disinterested, and fortunately for us it was Maurizio Sarri.
“The other midfielder duly arrived from Real Madrid in the shape of Mateo Kovacic, we got in a younger model for the sadly departed Thibaut Courtois in goal and anyone who watched our game against Lyon will be aware that Ethan Ampadu is very likely to push David Luiz, Toni Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Gary Cahill as much as just about any other centre-back we could have thrown £50million or £60million at.
“Against Huddersfield, which was a much trickier match than most suggest, you could see the freedom of the style being promoted by the new manager slowly but surely coursing through the side. There were some superb moments to whet the appetite; Eden Hazard came on and ghosted by a couple of hulking defenders before slipping Pedro through with a nutmeg pass, and Pedro had the good grace to finish it with aplomb.
“Even with the penalty by Jorginho, although it will be remembered for the impudence of the strike, we shouldn’t forget the classy back-heel by Ross Barkley in the build-up. The former Evertonian has learned a thing or two about back-heels obviously from the best in the business at that particular skill, most of whom train at Cobham every day.”