Chelsea transfer solution emerges as Crystal Palace earn deserved draw | OneFootball

Josh Acheampong was an unexpected starter in a problem position for Enzo Maresca

Your matchday briefing on Chelsea, featuring team news and expert analysis from Malik Ouzia

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Chelsea were unable to find the X-factor needed to turn an opening-day 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace into victory.

But the performance from Chelsea still showed promise, and this remains a youthful squad full of new signings and so, naturally, a work in progress.

Here’s Dom Smith’s take on the action...

Josh Acheampong

AFP via Getty Images

Acheampong takes his chance

This was a huge opportunity to impress for Josh Acheampong, who went from substitute unlikely to feature to 90-minute starter on Saturday when Tosin Adarabioyo was unable to finish a training session, meaning it was Acheampong to start alongside Trevoh Chalobah, with Levi Colwill out for the majority of the season.

Maresca made it clear in his press conference on Friday that he wants the club to sign another centre-back after Colwill’s injury, but the hierarchy are unlikely to oblige, and Acheampong did well, showing there are solutions to be found within the squad Maresca already has at his disposal.

Coached through the game by Reece James, who helped him with positioning as the centre of the three centre-backs (in possession), Acheampong fared well.

At one point, he put in a super slide challenge on Daniel Munoz and got immediately up, running in on a 50-50 with Jean-Philippe Mateta and coming out on top by winning a free-kick. Encouraging.

Defence lacks sharpness

Chelsea thought they were behind after 14 minutes when Eberechi Eze thumped a free-kick through the wall and past Robert Sanchez.

Fortunately for the Blues, their former player did them a favour — Marc Guehi’s push on Moises Caicedo which saw the Palace defender move to within a metre of the Chelsea wall. VAR noted this fact and duly disallowed the goal.

But it was poor defending from Chelsea to lose the ball and commit the foul that saw that free-kick awarded. And the wall and goalkeeper were unable to prevent it going in.

In the second half, Mateta was allowed to swivel and volley at Sanchez in a way he should never have been able to. Chelsea claimed a deserved clean sheet but were warned at moments to sharpen up.

Estevao fits right in

On came Estevao after 54 minutes, making his competitive debut for Chelsea at just 18 years of age. What a talent he has been hyped up to be. And what a talent he looked at Stamford Bridge here.

True, Chelsea were unable to win, unable even to score, but Estevao was their most positive attacking player on a sweltering afternoon in west London.

His first contribution was to take on the experienced Marc Guehi and Tyrick Mitchell down the right, beat them hands down, and put in a cross that Pedro Neto so nearly but couldn’t quite connect with. Immediately, he raised his arms and called for louder noise from Stamford Bridge, as though he had called it home for a decade, not five minutes.

Soon, he was tracking back tirelessly to tackle Eberechi Eze. His moment of rashness came when he fired over the bar on the turn when leaving the ball for Neto was probably the smarter move. But he fancied a debut goal, and he cannot be blamed for that.

The youngster played with purpose, intent and flair, and even picked up a smart yellow card for a professional foul late on when Munoz was cantering down the turf and threatening to counterattack at pace.