By Gary Watton
August 26 2018
The media luvvies and assorted experts have decreed that this is merely a "transition year" for Chelsea. Transition year is frequently a euphemism for under-achievement. Well, three wins from three league outings represents a darn good transition year to me. In this peculiar encounter, Benitez instructed his troops to defend deep and defend in numbers, play for a goalless draw or maybe mug Chelsea with a breakaway goal. Their anti-football approach finally got its comeuppance when Chelsea's constant but fruitless probing finally resulted in the awarding of a contentious penalty. Alonso was partially impeded, but it was a soft penalty. However when you attack often, you may end up with a soft penalty or free kick, and moreover if you defend too much, then you're liable to incur yellow cards, red cards, and soft penalties. Therefore Newcastle brought on their own misfortunes courtesy of their blatant negativity. In the event the great Hazard fired home an accurate spot kick.
Then, the Magpies reinvented themselves as an attacking unit, and scored a peach of a goal, thanks to a brilliant cross and a powerful near-post header from the substitute Joselu. It could be argued that Giroud was elbowed in the face immediately before the cross. It might also be argued that the most expensive goalkeeper signing in football history needs to do more to keep the ball out of the net, and justify his price tag.
Just when it seemed that the hosts might snatch a scarcely deserved draw, along popped that man Alonso yet again to contribute to a goal. Big Marcos's shot triggered an own goal, and the team that is making do apparently with a transition year had won again. This is my kind of a transition year!
Newcastle United 1 CHELSEA 2; half time: 0-0
CHELSEA goal scorers: Hazard (penalty); Yedlin (own goal)
CHELSEA: Arrizabalaga; Luiz; Rudiger; Azpilicueta; Kante; Alonso; Hazard; Jorginho; Morata; Pedro; Kovacevic. Used substitutes: Giroud; Willian; Barkley
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