Chelsea Lose Control in 1-1 First Half as London Heat Exposes Returning Stars
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Aug 15
Chelsea Lose Control in 1-1 First Half as London Heat Exposes Returning Stars
2 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Aug 15
Summary
Level at the break, Chelsea faded after a bright start against Real Sociedad and increasingly lost control of the match.
Returning World Cup players appeared short of conditioning in the London heat, with Maxence Lacroix and Reece James notably slowing after long layoffs.
Chelsea's wing-back system was also exposed in wide areas, helping Real Sociedad grow into the game and making the halftime scoreline look fair.
The first-half pattern raised concerns over Chelsea's fitness and tactical balance as key players work back to full sharpness.