Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca asked 18-year-old winger Tyrique George to get the team “flowing” after he took the place of Cole Palmer in Thursday’s 3-0 win over Legia Warsaw, with the England forward turning in another ineffectual display in the first half in Poland.
George was moved infield to the number nine role after Palmer was taken off at half-time and within minutes struck his first Chelsea goal, tapping in after Reece James’ long-range strike was parried.
It sparked a much improved Chelsea performance in the second half as Maresca’s side benefited from moving the ball quicker and stretching Legia’s defence, eventually cantering to the win thanks to two more goals from substitute Noni Madueke.
Palmer has not scored for Chelsea since January 14 and despite showing signs of a return to form by setting up the winner in last week’s victory over Tottenham he failed to get the team firing in their Conference League quarter-final first leg.
Maresca confirmed that there was no injury to the 22-year-old and that had it always been the plan to play him for only 45 minutes, but the improvement after George took over in the central role was stark.
“It was to try to help us become more free-flowing through the middle and to try to get me some more touches on the ball,” George told Chelsea’s website.
“The gaffer told me once I had moved into the nine to make sure I follow in any shots for rebounds. Obviously, (James’ rebound) just fell to me and I tapped it in.”
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The win means next week’s return at Stamford Bridge is set to be little more than a formality as Chelsea moved a step nearer to fulfilling their billing as favourites to lift the trophy.
The change in urgency and energy that came after Madueke was introduced and Legia began to tire also offered hope that the team might be emerging from its recent period of playing sluggish, slow football.
“It was a game of two halves really,” said Madueke. “In the first half, we were a little bit slow with our build-up, we didn’t move from side to side quickly enough, and didn’t get enough decisive overloads in.
“In the second half, we did things a lot quicker and we were much more decisive and that showed with the goals we got to secure a good win.”
Chelsea play Ipswich at home on Sunday looking to stay ahead of the pack in the race for the Champions League.
With five places now guaranteed for the Premier League in next year’s competition, the Blues in fourth place are at the head of a four-team cluster separated by just two points, with Manchester City, Newcastle and Aston Villa well placed to pounce should they falter on Sunday.
