Chelsea opened a new chapter under manager Alvaro Arbeloa with an entertaining 3-2 victory over Fulham, but the result also exposed some of the defensive weaknesses that have troubled the club in recent seasons.
It took just 31 seconds for João Pedro to announce Chelsea’s attacking intentions. Jorge Cuenca’s pass out of defense was headed back by Levi Colwill and fell into the path of Cole Palmer, whose clipped ball released João Pedro. The Brazilian calmly finished past Bernd Leno to give Chelsea a dream start.
Chelsea continued to threaten in attack, with João Pedro going close again and Reece James forcing Leno into action. Romeo Lavia also saw a close range effort deflected behind as the hosts created a series of chances.
However, Chelsea’s defensive problems quickly resurfaced. Fulham forward Josh King equalized after Robert Sánchez failed to deal convincingly with his effort. The Chelsea goalkeeper left too much space at his near post and was unable to keep the shot out, providing a worrying reminder that Chelsea’s significant summer spending has not completely solved their problems at the back.
Chelsea reportedly spent around £350 million ($477 million) during the summer, including a club-record £117 million investment in Morgan Rogers. The England international showed why Chelsea were willing to spend so heavily on him.
Rogers restored Chelsea’s lead before halftime. Palmer once again provided the inspiration, playing a clever ball down the right for Maxence Lacroix, who advanced from defense before drawing Leno out and finding Rogers. The forward calmly slotted the ball into the net to make it 2-1.
Palmer then produced a moment of individual quality early in the second half to extend Chelsea’s advantage.
João Pedro held the ball inside the Fulham penalty area and waited for Palmer to arrive. When the England international received the pass, he made no mistake, poking his finish through Leno’s legs to put Chelsea 3-1 ahead.
The game, however, remained far from over. Fulham continued to attack and pulled another goal back when Timothy Castagne beat Colwill and forced Sánchez into a save. The goalkeeper could only push the ball into the path of Gonzalo García, who headed home to make it 3-2.
Fulham then came close to completing the comeback. Antonee Robinson found himself with an excellent opportunity after Sánchez was caught away from his goal, but his attempted lob drifted wide.
Sánchez partially redeemed himself late in the match, making an important save to deny Ryan Sessegnon’s powerful effort as Chelsea desperately tried to protect their lead.
The final whistle eventually confirmed a 3-2 Chelsea victory. For Arbeloa, there was plenty to like about his team’s attacking performance. João Pedro made an immediate impact, Rogers scored on his debut and Palmer once again demonstrated why he remains one of Chelsea’s most influential players.
But the defensive issues will be impossible to ignore. Chelsea repeatedly gave Fulham opportunities to get back into the contest, and Sánchez endured another difficult night between the posts. Against a more clinical opponent, those mistakes could prove much more costly.
Still, the opening-day victory provides Arbeloa with an encouraging foundation. Chelsea showed creativity, attacking pace and individual quality in abundance. Now the new manager must find a way to pair that attacking firepower with greater defensive reliability if Chelsea are to challenge at the top end of the Premier League.
