Andrey Santos is impressed with playing in the USA as the Pochettino era begins on the pitch. Photo: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC. Ettino's team defeated Wrexham 5-0. The Frenchman, signed from RB Leipzig for £52m, joined Jan Maatsen, Conor Gallagher and Ben Chilwell on the scoresheet in front of 50,000 supporters.
It was the first match of the Pochettino era, and a lot was expected from the Argentine manager. Here are five things we took away from the Chapel Hill victory.
Maatsen made his mark
Maatsen has been with Chelsea since 2018, but at the age of 21 he has yet to play in the Premier League. However, that doesn't mean he's not ready for the top flight, because he's definitely ready: last season he played so much on loan at Burnley that he was named in the Championship Team of the Season.
The question is not whether Maatsen will be good enough to play in the top flight, but where he will do it. Burnley are reportedly keen to bring him back to the club on a permanent basis, but Pochettino may decide the Dutchman is capable of shining at Stamford Bridge.
Ettino hesitated. Photo: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC
For now, a departure seems more likely, not least because of the number of left-backs Pochettino already have. Ben Chilwell and Mark Cucurella are ahead of Maatsen in the pecking order and are not easily removed.
In this friendly against Wrexham, Maatsen moved up the field as a left winger and he was an outstanding player in the first half. His first goal was a simple finish to a great performance by Nicholas Jackson, who made his first appearance in blue, while his second was an accurate shot from the edge of the penalty area.
It may have been difficult for Maatsen to see his way into the first team with the older players in front of him at left back and left wing, but it was the best start he could have hoped for in Chelsea's pre-season tour. Food for thought for Pochettino.
Santos is likely to fill the midfield void
The following central midfielders have left Stamford Bridge since the start of the year: Jorginho, Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, N'Golo Kante and Ruben Loftus-Cheek. It was a major rebuild, leaving Pochettino with few options in midfield.
Pochettino has midfield options on this trip to the US: Enzo Fernandez (22), Conor Gallagher (23), Carney Chukwuemeka (19), Andrej Santos (19), Cesare Casadei (20) and Lewis Hall (18).
He doesn't have much depth or experience and it's no wonder Chelsea are pushing so hard to sign Moises Caicedo from Brighton. In the meantime, Pochettino will need at least one of these young midfielders to be ready to compete in the Premier League.
Of these four youngsters, perhaps it is Santos who is most likely to make a breakthrough. The Brazilian is a highly regarded talent and was one of the most impressive players on the pitch against Wrexham when his smart placement and accurate passing allowed Chelsea to dominate the ball. He sat at the base of the midfield, controlling the match.
Santos joined Chelsea for £18m from Vasco da Gama in January but then returned to the Brazilian side on loan after failing to secure a work permit. Chelsea have high hopes for the midfielder and in the sweltering Chapel Hill it was easy to see why.
It's hard to see why. Credit: Getty Images/Grant Halverson New strikers look good in blue
Chelsea's striker in the first half was Jackson, their newcomer from Villarreal, and their striker in the second half was Nkunku. These two new strikers are worth over £80m and with Romelu Lukaku and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang set to leave the club in the coming days, they are currently Pochettino's only options as a centre-forward.
Both players made an impression, with Jackson showing his speed in the first half and landing some spectacular shots from deep. It was his drive through the Wrexham midfield that led to Chelsea's first goal, scored by Maatsen.
Christopher Nkunku has been given the chance to show the new Chelsea manager what he can do in attack. Photo: Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images
Nkunku was a bit calmer in the second half but created a quality moment with a late goal that was the result of a well-timed run and a smart finish after flanking keeper Wrexham. Hopeful signs for both players.
Pochettino pre-season tensions
The pre-season tours could set the tone for the upcoming campaign, and Pochettino was obviously keen to make this encounter with Wrexham competitive.
Intensity has always been a fundamental part of his tactical approach to the game and he didn't hold back: when the referee signaled for a break as Chelsea launched a counter-attack, the 51-year-old came onto the pitch to angrily confront the referee. A message not only to the officials, but also to the players.
Pre-season friendly or not, Mauricio Pochettino doesn't mind telling the referee what he thinks. Photo: Matthew Ashton/AMA/Getty No Cucurella image, Cucurella on the pitch
Mark Cucurella could be forgiven for thinking his night job was over when he was replaced at half-time by Ben Chilwell. However, in the 85th minute, the left-back was called back to the field. Trevo Chalobah was hit lightly and Chelsea decided to send Cucurella back into the fray instead of playing the final minutes with 10 players. Pochettino later confirmed that it had been agreed with Wrexham and officials that such a move would be allowed. DeBleyker/AP
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