MATCH REPORT: CHELSEA 3 WYCOMBE WANDERERS 0

Posted on: Tue 12 Jul 2011

Twenty-three Chelsea players experienced their first match action of the pre-season programme as Wycombe Wanderers were beaten at Cobham on Tuesday evening.

Yossi Benayoun, Fernando Torres and 22-year-old centre-back Slobodan Rajkovic, who spent last season on loan at Vitesse Arnhem, found the net in a 'behind-closed-doors' encounter against the League One side. As is frequently the case in the opening match at this stage of the preparations, no Chelsea player was asked to play for longer than 45 minutes.

There was a mixture of senior and younger players in both the first half and second half selections. Hilario began the game in goal and made two straightforward saves in the opening minutes, his busiest period, before Benayoun juggled in the opener with only four minutes on the clock.

The Israeli controlled a dropping ball inside the area and kept it airborne with two further touches, the second over the goalkeeper who tried to claw it back out with a despairing dive but not before it had crossed the line.

Scott Rendell missed a chance for Wycombe after the experienced Gareth Ainsworth played a good ball over the top of the Chelsea defence. It turned out to be the visitors' best opening of the first half.

Benayoun would have added a second goal on 17 minutes had he put more height on his chip after Didier Drogba played him through. Instead keeper Nikki Bull caught and moments later he denied Chelsea again with his legs when Drogba was given a one-on-one chance by Florent Malouda's pass. A mid-season Didier would have scored.

Chelsea were in control and beginning to link up well with passes on the deck. On 29 minutes, John Terry, taking the ball off the toes of Malouda, shot just wide.

The Blues were causing Wycombe problems down their left, with Malouda worming past the full-back on one occasion, and then Jose Bosingwa hitting the inside of the far post when he drilled the ball hard into the box towards Drogba.

At the other end, Van Aanholt defended strongly when Kevin Betsy tried to burst past the Dutch Under 21 international down the flank.

Chelsea won a corner just before the interval when a Malouda shot was deflected just wide and although Drogba rose well to Kakuta's deadball delivery, he powered a header just over.

It was all change for the second half and Chelsea's new keeper, Ross Turnbull was tested early by Kadeem Harris's shot.

Nicolas Anelka was sharp in playing a ball through a small gap on 51 minutes but Torres's first time shot was stopped by Bull who spread himself well, but a minute later the same combination did come up with the goods, the Spaniard sweeping Anelka's pass into the net with aplomb from inside the area to make it 2-0.

The third goal came four minutes later after young midfielder Billy Clifford, back from the knee operation that ended his Youth Cup campaign early last season, played a part in winning a corner. It was delivered deep from the right by Yury Zhirkov and was sweetly volleyed home by Rajkovic who was playing his first Chelsea game after a series of loans.

Anelka saw his header from another Zhirkov corner headed over on the hour and Cole made one of his famous lung-busting runs forward to take over a move from Anelka and Kalou, but the ball was bundled out of play.

With 20 minutes to go Cole and Torres combined down the left, the England man taking a return pass but shooting wide of the far post, and then when the ball broke well for Anelka moments later, his shot from just inside the area was tipped wide.

Anelka shot wide of his own accord with 10 minutes left on the clock after exchanging passes with Torres, Chelsea's interchange and movement continuing to work well, and five minutes later Kalou deserved a goal after taking a McEachran pass and neatly sidestepping a challenge, only for his curled shot to rebound back off an upright.

Torres was denied another goal on 89 minutes when a defender slid across to block a fierce drive. The striker had been fed by Jacob Mellis who shared the second half with Clifford. That was the last incident of the game.

With goals, a clean sheet and a clean bill of health coming out of the game, an important step in Andre Villas-Boas's build-up to his first season in charge had been made.

Chelsea are next in action on Saturday away to Portsmouth, a game that kicks-off at 3pm and will be screened live and exclusive by Chelsea TV (build-up [2.30pm-3pm] will be free to all Sky Digital customers.)

Chelsea (first-half): Hilario; Bosingwa, Kalas, Terry ©, Van Aanholt; Malouda, Kaby, Mikel, Kakuta; Benayoun, Drogba.

Chelsea (second-half): Turnbull; Ferreira ©, Ivanovic, Rajkovic, Cole; B. Clifford (Mellis 65), McEachran, Zhirkov, Kalou; Anelka, Torres.

Wycombe (first-half): Bull; Foster, Sandell (Dunne), Winfield, Tunnicliffe (Stewart); Halls, Lewis, Betsy; Ainsworth, Grant, Rendell.

Wycombe (second-half): Bull (Arnold), McCoy, Sandell, Johnson, Tunnicliffe; Harris, Donnelly, Bloomfield, McClure (Ibe); Beavon, Strevens.

LINK

Torreeeeeeeeees

Nice one Hutch.

Sounds like a good run out for the lads. I wonder if the goals will be shown on Chelseatv.

I wonder if the goals will be shown on Chelseatv.

I don't think there are(or should be) cameras at a "behind closed doors" matches. Or if there are, the footage is not for people outside the so called inner circle. Of course now that I've said that, someone will post a link to extended highlights on youtube or something like that...

Loving this. Fed up of no Chels, so even a match report is like crack to me!

Also pleased for Nando and Yossi - good to see them on the scoresheet early on, after difficult last seasons for both of them.

I don't think there are(or should be) cameras at a "behind closed doors" matches. Or if there are, the footage is not for people outside the so called inner circle. Of course now that I've said that, someone will post a link to extended highlights on youtube or something like that...

I do doubt it myself that we'll get to see it Maks. Like you have pretty much said, this sort of game is for the coaching staff to have a good look at where we're at and for players to find fitness. I expect it was recorded for coaching purposes. Would be nice if Chelseatv showed the goals though.

There's a Blues News tonight at 10pm, they may show the goals on there?

Anyone notice that Zhirkov was played on the right side? I remember some of us had discussed putting either him or Malouda on the right wing and seeing how they could handle it, would be curious to see if AVB is actually trying something like that.

Edit: Nevermind, I misread it. Zhirkov crossed in A CORNER from the right. My mistake.

Edited July 12, 201115 yr by ace

Was highlights on blues news?

Was highlights on blues news?

Nope. It was a repeat of an earlier episode. How lame. There may be one tomorrow?

Yep. They showed the goals plus very brief highlights, including another couple of shots that hit the woodwork. First goal: Benayoun playing keepie uppie in the box then into the back of the net with a cheeky little lob, Torres made it two from onto a through ball from Anelka, having earlier come close, and the third slotted in from close range by Rajkovic.

Some interesting names among today's lineup, including Kaby also known as Aliu Djalo I think this was Tomas Kalas's first involvement with the first team. Also nice to see Billy Clifford and Jacob Mellis involved. And Slobodan Rajkovi of course

I don't think there are(or should be) cameras at a "behind closed doors" matches. Or if there are, the footage is not for people outside the so called inner circle.

I can see your point.. however, last season entire "behind closed doors" matches were shown live on Chelsea TV!

Nope. It was a repeat of an earlier episode. How lame. There may be one tomorrow?

Not sure what you were watching, but they definitely showed brief highlights on CTV online. Don't worry if you missed it though. They also said there'd be more on the Wycombe game at 6:30 tomorrow.

Hutch, can I watch it without the chelsea tv membership?

I don't think it's up at the moment, but it might be on the club's youtube channel tomorrow.

Cheers!

Torressssssssss!!!!!!

Raikovic on the scoresheet. Can't do his chances any harm. I wonder if he'll go on tour?

Nikki Bull the Wycombe keeper was certainly impressed judging by his twitter updates LINK

Here are a select few -

NikkiBull1 Nikki Bull

@

@ChelseaRumours Torres body language looked a lot better then last season in games I watched on tv. He looked happy, his touch was very good

1 hour ago

NikkiBull1 Nikki Bull

Surprised @SRENS09 got up off the floor after being totally cleaned out by John Terry! It was a hard but fair challenge! CRUNCH! #wipeout

3 hours ago

NikkiBull1 Nikki Bull

@

@ChelseaAnalysis big respect to everyone at Chelsea today, proper football club. Players were different class & all staff made us welcome!

3 hours ago

NikkiBull1 Nikki Bull

Oh & I will be having an investment on Mr Torres to be Premier League Top Scorer this season seemed to have that glow back in him #goals

2 minutes ago

Here's the goals

Here's the goals

Nice one mate, cheers.

Cheeky goal from Benny as Hutch pointed out with a touch of keepie uppies. Great to see Torres finish with confidence and by all accounts looks like a successful workout for the lads.

Anyone else notice Sturridge didn't play? Any idea why?

He's not returned yet because of international duty, him and betrand have time off

Matt Barlow in the Mail:

Fernando Torres hits the target in a flash for new Chelsea boss Villas-Boas

Fernando Torres may have found the target only once in 18 games for Chelsea but the £50million striker launched pre-season on Tuesday with a goal after only seven minutes.

Torres came on at half-time as his side beat Wycombe Wanderers 3-0 in a practice match, held behind closed doors at their training ground in Surrey.

t was the first chance for Andre Villas-Boas to see his players in competitive action and the new manager used 23 players, with no-one playing more than 45 minutes.

Villas-Boas varied his formations, starting with Didier Drogba up front alone and John Mikel Obi anchoring a five-man midfield, then playing a familiar 4-3-3 system in the second half with Torres, Nicolas Anelka and Salomon Kalou in attack.

Frank Lampard, Petr Cech and Alex were left out to rest minor niggles and expect to play at Portsmouth on Saturday. Yossi Benayoun and Slobodan Rajkovic, the 22-year-old Serb, were the other scorers.

LINK

Its good to see the press writing something positive about Fernando.

saw the goals on blues news...have to say torres' finish was more like his old self...very assured...obviously only against wycombe but a good sign...as for benayoun, that goal was pure class