Maresca names something Palmer and Nkunku “struggle with” which new striker can do | OneFootball

Pedro Neto started his second game as Chelsea’s striker against Southampton last night and it worked really well. Speaking after the game, the winger revealed that he’s actually played such a role before, as a teenager at Lazio.

That little bit of experience, plus his qualities as a hard worked and an explosive runner in behind made him a real threat, and he didn’t get put off by some physical clashes with defenders.

Speaking after the game, Enzo Maresca went into more detail about why he had set up the team this way, and how it was becoming the best solution while Nicolas Jackson was out injured:

“We tried one game with Cole [Palmer], we tried the other game with Christo, both games against Brighton away. It didn’t work well, so the week after we tried with Pedro during the week and we saw that it could work,” the Chelsea boss said.

“I think at Villa away he did fantastic and tonight again. He probably gave us a threat in behind because he’s not just receiving the ball to feet, he also likes to attack in behind, something that probably Cole and Christo struggle with. So for us it’s important because he’s a threat.”

We enjoyed Neto’s contributions and expect him to start there again.

Academy kid hoping to step up for more minutes

Shim Mheuka making his Chelsea debut. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Later in the game there was another striker introduced – this time someone who plays it as their natural position. Shim Mheuka is an academy star who got his first team debut last night:

“At the end we used two young guys from the Academy, Tyrique and then Shimi. They were born in 2006 and 2007, so that also showed the club is working in the right way with young players from the academy and I think that is important.”

We also hope to see him pick up a few more minutes while Jackson is out.