Chronicle Editor
THE Premier League champions might be heading into the final week of the transfer window with a great deal still in flux, but Antonio Conte’s team’s instinct for winning games remains intact from the last season when they cut through the field with the ruthlessness of old.
Chelsea now have two straight victories after that opening day aberration against Burnley and this one against Everton, with top six ambitions of their own, was achieved without the visitors mustering a single attempt on target. Conte’s team played all the football, and Ronald Koeman’s team tried to stop it when they could – which they managed for some of the afternoon but by no means all.
A Cesc Fabregas goal in the first half after 27 minutes of fairly unrelenting pressure set the tone and then Alvaro Morata, who had helped created the first headed, in the second after a judicious advantage played by referee Jon Moss. They looked comfortable and it takes some of the pressure out of the final week’s transfer dealings when new faces are expected, possibly Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Danny Drinkwater.
As for Everton, they scarcely asked a question of Chelsea until briefly in the latter stages when Idrissa Gueye struck a shot that Thibaut Courtois judged serious enough to push away for a corner – although that one was not on target either. Perhaps the Europa League exertions in Croatia during the week had taken too much from the squad, although that will be a concern for Koeman given the programme that faces him.
The midfielder Muhamed Besic was a half-time replacement for Tom Davies in spite of the reports that the Bosnian’s father has been wounded in a gun attack in his home country. The club were aware of the reports before the match but the player was prepared to take part.
The first goal came when Fabregas took his shot first time with the outside of his right boot from Morata’s knockdown, the persistence of the striker getting him to the ball at the second time of asking. It was Morata who got up the highest to head in the second five minutes before half-time when Cesar Azpilicueta’s cross from the right found him unmarked.
Moments before then, a foul on Victor Moses and Chelsea’s subsequent command of possession had convinced referee Moss to play the advantage, much to Conte’s disgust. He took ten strides down the touchline to confront fourth official Andre Marriner who had to point out mid-rant that behind him the club’s record signing had just doubled the lead.
Wayne Rooney dragged a volley wide with 20 minutes left and by the end Conte was able to give a rest to key men Morata, Pedro and Moses as the game wound down. It was already won by then.
Online Reporter