Although Enzo Maresca made 11 changes for Chelsea’s match against League Two Barrow, this was hardly a cheap group of Blues backups as far as B teams go.
It was a team that required £415.8 million to put together, and on a night when Christopher Nkunku helped himself to a hat-trick at Stamford Bridge, that superiority was evident.
Chelsea paid £52 million for Nkunku, while their other starting attackers cost £89 million for Mykhailo Mudryk, £54 million for Pedro Neto, and £46.3 million for Joao Felix. That was even before we reached the bench of substitutes, when Ben Chilwell, a £50 million left defender, was brought in for his first minutes of the campaign following a summer in which he was unsuccessfully put up for sale.The away fans deserve praise for their unwavering singing throughout Chelsea’s crushing squad depth; some who traveled the whole 600 miles may have already accepted their destiny as the starting lineups were announced.
They witnessed Nkunku’s treble from the away end, and Neto’s tap-in to seal the victory came after Felix’s free kick resulted in a regrettable own goal by Barrow goalkeeper Paul Farman.More formidable opposition than Barrow will face Chelsea if they are to duplicate their run to the Carabao Cup final from the previous year, when they were defeated by Liverpool and Gary Neville famously referred to them as the “billion pound bottle jobs.” Maresca, nevertheless, gave his players credit for how they stepped up and took charge.
“They all ought to be playing in the Premier League right now, but they’re not,” Maresca remarked. However, they do a wonderful job taking chances when we give them minutes. Whether it’s 45, 90, or five minutes, they’re all set.”You don’t know what Chelsea are going to pick when you turn up, but you know it’s going to be a good one,” Barrow manager Stephen Clemence continued. It may appear to be a distinct sport. There is a huge chasm. This coming weekend, I’m excited to return to League Two.
Barrow had hoped to take the lead thanks to long throw-ins from Rory Feely, but Chelsea showed off their superiority in the eighth minute when they scored.
Nkunku volleyed the ball past Farman after Felix, facing the Barrow defense, scooped the ball over the top. It was the most creative assist the Carabao Cup will undoubtedly witness this season.
After fifteen minutes, Nkunku scored once more, this time by flicking in a cross from Malo Gusto following Neto’s backheel.