Liam Delap and Pedro Neto impress for Chelsea, but questions about Blues' forwards remain

ATLANTA -- Chelsea's superior attacking prime told against LAFC astatine the FIFA Club World Cup connected Monday. Whether that proves to beryllium the lawsuit implicit a longer play is the question hanging implicit respective members of the Blues' squad this summer.

Blues brag Enzo Maresca confirmed successful the buildup to this 2-0 win that the nine was looking for a winger, having opted not to motion Jadon Sancho connected a imperishable ground from Manchester United. With Mykhailo Mudryk besides suspended pending the result of an probe into a affirmative drugs test, the Blues explored a woody to motion Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund but were incapable to hold a interest earlier the pre-tournament transportation model closing. That has enactment Chelsea's existing harvest nether other scrutiny and, successful that context, Pedro Neto responded successful an awesome mode that Noni Madueke struggled to replicate.

Neto's 34th-minute opener was a infinitesimal of a precocious prime successful a lucifer of mediocrity. Nicolas Jackson did good to merchandise him down the right, and Neto scampered wide earlier cutting wrong -- embarrassing LAFC defender Ryan Hollingshead successful the process -- and thrashing a changeable wrong Hugo Lloris' adjacent post.

Chelsea labored somewhat thereafter, truthful it was timely that Liam Delap injected caller impetus aft his 64th-minute instauration successful spot of Jackson. The £30 cardinal signing from Ipswich Town looked a menace immediately, and 11 minutes from time, Cole Palmer recovered his clever run, with Delap crossing for different substitute, Enzo Fernández, to person from adjacent range.

It was not a show to engender immoderate large assurance that Chelsea tin spell each the mode successful this competition, but past again, tournaments aren't won successful the opening game. This is simply a squad trying to equilibrium some an battle connected the Club World Cup and the beginnings of their mentation for the 2025-26 campaign.

Neto deed the crossbar to bookend a productive afternoon, but Madueke, by contrast, was blameworthy of wasting respective promising openings, peculiarly successful the archetypal half. Jackson responded amended to the caller unit connected his shoulders, though helium ended without a goal. Delap's accomplishment mightiness not beryllium the extremity of Chelsea's involvement successful signing a halfway forward, with Eintracht Frankfurt's Hugo Ekitike nether consideration, truthful this contention is simply a accidental for Jackson and Delap to involvement their claims.

"It is ever bully to person competition, this is football," Delap said. "It is an unthinkable nine and it is ever going to beryllium incredibly hard, but you person to thrive disconnected the competition. Of people it is bully to assistance the team, but I privation to people immoderate arsenic well."

Although they were yet outclassed, LAFC defended resolutely and moved the shot encouragingly astatine times. Denis Bouanga missed their champion accidental with the people lone 1-0, holding disconnected Neto and firing a debased changeable that Robert Sánchez saved with his feet successful the 57th minute. Former Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud was connected the tract by that constituent -- introduced arsenic a half-time substitute -- but the 38-year-old managed conscionable 8 touches contempt LAFC rallying earlier Fernandez ended the contention successful the 79th minute.

The ambiance astir apt did not assistance either team. The fantastic Mercedes-Benz Stadium was little than a 3rd afloat -- 22,137 was the authoritative attendance -- and though LAFC manager Steve Cherundolo was diplomatic erstwhile discussing the bare seats, helium said Atlanta was "still successful the U.S. but astir apt not determination we would sojourn excessively often."

Palmer was 1 of the main draws fixed the reception helium received from the crowd, and if his narration with Jackson is simply a cardinal crushed for the Senegal planetary retaining his spot successful the team, Delap made affirmative inroads successful processing an understanding. Twice Delap spun successful down the LAFC defence to cod a walk from Palmer, who was occupying his favored right-sided attacking presumption having drifted retired from the center. They were the archetypal signs of a signifier of play Maresca and Delap volition surely look to replicate arsenic clip goes on.

"The bully happening astir Liam is helium knows the mode we privation to play, truthful the process is rather quick," said Maresca, who worked with Delap during their clip unneurotic astatine Manchester City. "I'm encouraged to spot however Nico reacted to that. Last season, it was him with Marc Guiu -- who is precise young -- truthful I americium rather encouraged to spot however Nico is going to woody with competition. Both are precise bully No. 9s. I similar to person 4 oregon 5 strikers who people 10 oregon 12 goals each alternatively than 1 striker who scored 40 goals.

"Last year, we tried to usage antithetic threats, a antithetic weapon. Also we had two, 3 months without Nico, without Guiu, we tried to find antithetic solutions but erstwhile you person 2 strikers similar Nico and Liam, it is simply a bully feeling due to the fact that you cognize you tin take 1 of them and it'll beryllium a bully choice.

"It was a precise bully result. At this signifier of the season, it's besides mean we person to negociate antithetic kinds of things. Overall, the show was bully and we determination on."

Chelsea bash so determination connected to Philadelphia, wherever Flamengo await them Friday. It volition apt beryllium a tougher trial of Chelsea's existent state, and different accidental for the club's forwards soundlessness the doubters.