By Gary Watton
September 15 2018
Whilst all the hype focuses on Liverfools' cosmic start to the league campaign, Chelsea continue to defy the media luvvies by matching the Kopites stride for stride. In fact Sarri's troops have only gone and marched to the top of the charts. Cardiff City were expected to leave empty-handed, but it was they who led in the opening half hour. Arrizabalaga has probably conceded more goals than made saves so far in the early weeks of his Chelsea career. Let's hope that he starts keeping the ball out of the net more often, because after all that's what he has been handsomely paid to do.
Eventually the hosts took the match by the scruff of the neck. Kovacic should have scored, but there was to be no denying the unstoppable Eden Hazard. This guy is trying almost single-handedly to bring success back to Chelsea. It's such a pity that his striking colleagues are less accurate. Giroud and Morata have one goal between them from five starts, and ominously it's near impossible to win silverware with misfiring front men. Admittedly Giroud did assist in the Hazard goals feast. Late in the proceedings, Willian added to the goals bonanza with an exquisite strike, minutes after winning his team a penalty. Sarri really needs to find room for Willian in the starting eleven, or the talented Brazilian will take flight, if forced to spend another season warming the bench.
The team must now brace themselves for a saturated fixture list of two matches per week for much of the foreseeable future. Hopefully they can continue to defy the assorted wisdom of the media pundits. With Hazard, anything is possible!
CHELSEA 4 Cardiff City 1; half time: 2-1
CHELSEA goal scorers: Hazard (three, including a penalty); Willian
CHELSEA: Arrizabalaga; Luiz; Rudiger; Azpilicueta; Kante; Alonso; Hazard; Jorginho; Pedro; Giroud; Kovacic. Used substitutes: Barkley; Willian; Zappacosta
LEADING SCORERS:
Hazard five
Pedro three
Alonso one
Jorginho one
Kante one
Morata one
Willian one
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