The first joy for Pochettino arrives ahead of the third day of the Premier League: the English winger decides the match with a brace and an assist for Jackson
– london
Todd Boehly’s Chelsea has spent well over €1 billion in almost three transfer window windows so far. The best signing of the new era, however, could be the first, Raheem Sterling. There is his signature on the 3-0 with which the Blues liquidate the modest Luton Town at Stamford Bridge and take the first victory of the Pochettino era. They are still an open building site, especially with the transfer market still moving, but the certainty is already that Sterling is another player than the shy and awkward one who did everything in his first season with Chelsea except goals. Pochettino has already found a position for him as a right winger, has got him back in shape and given him confidence. And Sterling returned to do his magic, like the two goals that launched Chelsea and the assist for the first goal with the Blues by Nicholas Jackson who closed the game in the 75th minute.
the keys
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Chelsea needed to win and impress after having managed just one point from their last two games. The victory mission was soon achieved, the one to convince is not yet complete. Pochettino made his debut from the start of the most expensive signing in the history of English football, Moises Caicedo, deploying him in front of the defense and advancing the second most expensive signing in Premier League history, Enzo Fernandez, to playmaker. The Argentine played much better than the Ecuadorian, who has yet to adjust to the new reality. The Blues were at their best in the second half, often breaking left with Sterling. The first goal in the new shirt will give Jackson confidence, as this victory could be what it takes to convince Chelsea that they are on the right track. Luton, who are still looking for the first points of their history in the Premier League, have confirmed that they are modest and at least two hands below the Blues. Edwards’ team, after being crushed up to 1-0 in the 17th minute, however tried to play for it, even if they had a team up front that spent more on what should have been their second goalkeeper than Luton did in his first Premier League signing campaign so far. The Hatters’ salvation mission does not pass through Stamford Bridge.
the match
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Chelsea dominates and unlocks in the 17th minute with Sterling, who closes a nice personal action with a precise diagonal from inside the area. The Blues are solid but lose some attacking weight after the goal, Luton grow slowly but end the first half 1-0 down and without shots on goal. Chelsea in the second half are something else: they run and play, attack and shoot. And score. Twice. The first was in the 68th minute with Sterling, who picked up a nice assist from Gusto from the right in the middle of the area. The second in the 75th minute with Jackson: Fernandez starts the action with an illuminating launch, Sterling continues it from the right with a splendid ball in the middle that the former Villarreal forward transforms into his first celebration at Stamford Bridge. It’s 3-0: that’s enough for the first victory for Pochettino’s Chelsea.
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