FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED from Chelsea's 1-1 draw with Newcastle
Nicolas Jackson earns comparisons to a Chelsea legend, Sandro Tonali needs time to adapt and Reece James lays out his captaincy credentials… FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED from Chelsea’s 1-1 draw with Newcastle
- England youth star Lewis Miley impressed at the heart of the Magpies’ midfield
- Mid-half interludes for players to take drinks have been consistently booed
- Re-live all the action as it happened from a sold-out Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Miguel Almiron scored on his return to Atlanta to earn Newcastle a 1-1 draw with Chelsea in the Premier League Summer Series.
The two sides faced off in Atlanta, Georgia on the US leg of their second pre-season tours, with Chelsea having already beaten Wrexham and Brighton, while the Magpies were held 3-3 by Aston Villa.
As a result, Newcastle went second-bottom of their friendly group with two points, while the Blues move up to second with four after two games, having beaten the Seagulls in their friendly tournament opener.
With both sides ringing the changes throughout the game – Chelsea more so than Newcastle, it was a chance for both Mauricio Pochettino and Eddie Howe to get a better look at the state of their squads ahead of the start of the 2023-24 campaign.
Mail Sport’s CRAIG HOPE was at a sold-out Mercedes-Benz Stadium to bring you his five talking points…
Miguel Almiron was on target for Newcastle on his return to the team in the first half
Nicolas Jackson opened the scoring before Almiron’s equaliser, his second in successive games
DROGBA MKII?
The comparison is starting to feel increasingly valid with each passing game, but Nicolas Jackson shares a lot of characteristics with a peak Didier Drogba. The raw ingredients of hunger and tenacity are there but, more pertinently for Chelsea, so too is the instinct to score goals and run in behind centre backs. ‘Handful’ just about captures it.
Jackson only played for 45 minutes but again he left a big impression. His goal was another cool finish, springing from the shoulder of Sven Botman and stroking into the bottom corner. His power was soon evident when he left two Newcastle players in a heap by the corner flag – they had both picked a fight, and lost.
Mauricio Pochettino says that Jackson has earned more of his trust during this trip, and it all points towards him leading the line during the Premier League opener against Liverpool.
The instinct to score goals that made Didier Drogba one of the great strikers is evident in Jackson
TONALI NEEDS TIME…
Sandro Tonali looked wonderful on his Newcastle debut at Rangers last week. In the States against Premier League opponents, however, there has been a reminder that the Italian will need time to adapt to what will feel like a different level of intensity. That is not just with regards the opposition, but as much the demands of his own team.
Anthony Gordon said this week that, following his arrival in January, he struggled to take in the sheer volume of information and instruction from Eddie Howe. That was before he got his fitness on a par with his new team-mates. Tonali will be feeling the same and, in the games out here, he has not been nearly as impactful as he was at Ibrox – primarily because Aston Villa and Chelsea have afforded him little opportunity to be so.
But one thing is guaranteed working under Howe – over time, every player improves to a level beyond anything they have achieved previously.
Sandro Tonali impressed against Rangers last week but his performance highlighted that he will need time to adapt
MILEY SHINES AGAIN…
The player who looked more like a £52m midfielder at times was Lewis Miley. He, along with Gordon, was Newcastle’s best outfield performer, and that is not a statement made within the context of him being 17 years old. The England youth star was composed on the ball and so brave in his use of it – the only pass that did go astray was still a progressive slide forward.
There was no expectation for Miley to break into the first-team set-up this season, but on the evidence of his showings here in the States, he does not look out of place. If anything, having watched him several times at under-age levels, he is better again for stepping into senior surrounds. Don’t forget, he was up against Enzo Fernandez here, the world’s most expensive midfielder.
Lewis Miley (right) looked more like a £52million midfielder at times against Chelsea and was Newcastle’s best performer
JAMES IS BACK AND LEADS THE BLUES…
Reece James came through 65 minutes of his first match since April – and up against the in-form Gordon he had to be on his toes for every one of those. He needs more than this to get up to speed and, especially early on, Gordon escaped his attention on a couple of occasions. That is forgivable, of course.
Reece James took the armband on his return to action for the first time since April after revealing he would like the job on a permanent basis
But perhaps the most interesting aspect of his return was being handed the armband by Pochettino, 24 hours after sitting next to his manager in a press conference and revealing he would like the job on a permanent basis. The boss has a decision to make in that regard, with Thiago Silva, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Ben Chilwell among the others vying for the honour.
MORE MIGGY AND LESS BREAKS FOR THE LOCALS…
When you consider this is a country where sports such as American football and baseball are broken by constant stoppages, the locals here are strangely irked by drinks breaks. During each of the games so far, they have booed the mid-half interludes, introduced because of the high temperatures.
But at least they were happy to see Almiron get a goal on his return to Atlanta, the club he left for Newcastle in a £21m move in 2019. The Paraguayan won another hearty cheer when Howe substituted him 15 minutes from the end. And, just for good measure, he was confirmed as man-of-the-match on full-time, sparking another stadium-wide roar.
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