Chelsea were outclassed in every department as they were downed by Premier League champions Manchester City 2-0 at Wembley this afternoon in the Community Shield.
A brace by Sergio Aguero, was enough, but had it been four or five, Chelsea could not have complained.
There was little evidence of the style of football new coach Maurizio Sarri is intending to play - unless allowing the opposition to carve you open almost at will, is part of the tactical strategy.
Chelsea have Tibaut Courtois, Eden Hazard, Olivier Giroud and N’Golo Kante to come back from their post World Cup holiday. Assuming all four remain at the Bridge this season, they still won’t be ready for action for at least a couple of weeks.
So this squad will be the one facing Huddersfield Town, away next Saturday as the league season opens.
Chelsea has a pre-season friendly on Tuesday against Lyon to sharpen up the players and hone the tactics and the won’t face a more complete side than City this season. But it still shows the enormous gulf in class between them and City.
By the end of the game, Pep Guardiola’s side were playing with Chelsea.
City showed their intent early on by cutting the Chelsea defence time after time.
Chelsea by contrast could not get out of their own half for the fist 10 minutes.
The opening goal, from City was as predicable as it comes.
After 13 minutes, City raced through Chelsea’s midfield, the bail was passed to Sergio Aguero, just outside the Blues penalty area. he took one touch, looked up, and saw a massive gap better David Luiz and Antonio Rudiger and smashed a low, left-footer past an exposed Willy Caballero.
A terrible first touch by Leroy Sane took the ball away from the german as he found himself on a one v one with Caballero on 24 minutes. Luckily for Chelsea the goalkeeper wears able to snaffle the ball away from the wide-man.
A curler by Alvaro Morata two minutes later was the closest the Londoners had got before a water-break on 26 minutes. Morata’s effort ended up in row z in the strand behind Claudio Bravo’s goal.
Hudson-Odoi gave the disgruntled Chelsea fans something to shout about on 34 minutes when a long run resulted in a short on target. Bravo was easily equal to the task. But it was the Blues first effort on the City goal.
City cut the Blues apart five minutes after the restart when Augero was sent clear. The Argentina striker zipped around Caballero, but, unluckily for him his final shot hit the side netting.
Phil Foden forced Caballero into a low save, two minutes later as City threatened to run riot against the west Londoners.
An typical counter-attack by City saw them double their lead on 59 minutes. The Blues gave the ball away outside the City penalty area, and within seconds Aguero had the ball in the back of Chelsea net. The Blues torn apart by the speed and accuracy of City’s passing and movement.
On came Willian and Danny Drinkwater for Hudson-Odoi and Fabregas.
Tammy Abraham replaced ineffectual Morata on 69 mi notes.
He was quickly followed by Victor Moses, entering the fray for Pedro on 79 minutes.
Chelsea’s shambolic defending saw Caballero exposed to a venomous shot by Gabriel Jesus and the stopper did well to parry it away.
Chelsea: Caballero, Rudiger, Alonso, Fabregas, Jorginho, Bkarkley, Pedro, Hudson-Odoi, Azpilicueta, Morata, Luiz
Subs: Bulka, Drinkwater, Moses, Abraham, Zappacosta, Willian, Christensen
Man City: Bravo, Walker’s, Stones, Aguero, Laporte, Sane, Silva, men’s, Fernandinho, Mahrez, Foden
Subs: Ederson, Kompany, Gundogan, Otamendi, Jesus, Diaz, Gomes
Referee: Jon Moss