When Cole Palmer lobbed Jose Sa from 25 yards at Wolves on Sunday, half the Chelsea team raced to mob goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.
The Blues’ XI split into two camps, celebrating in different halves of the field – those toasting goalscorer Palmer – and those hailing goal maker Sanchez.
Palmer’s goal restored Chelsea’s first-half lead at 2-1 in a madcap match that the Blues eventually won 6-2 thanks to a second-half rout.
Without the England forward’s lob however, the Blues may not have had the platform for that four-goal second-half salvo.
New head coach Enzo Maresca had already made it clear to his Chelsea squad even before he officially took the reins this summer that his entire tactical approach requires pinpoint goalkeeper passing.
Former Brighton stopper Sanchez was put on notice straight away that his distribution must reach the highest qualities in order for him to thrive under the new Stamford Bridge boss.
And after several shaky moments in the 2-0 defeat by Manchester City on the season’s opening weekend, Sanchez came good in fine style for Palmer’s strike.
Maresca was later left to raise his own glass to his goalkeeper’s creative intervention.
“I said many times, we started one month and a half ago, when there is space in behind, we need to attack in behind,” said the Chelsea head coach.
“They were all on our side, and then we attacked.
“When they sit back it is difficult because there is no space in behind, so we need more passes, more process.
“We are in a moment where we started less than two months ago and the players are still learning.
“Sometimes we can play quicker, sometimes we play slowly, but it’s just with timing that we are going to improve.”
Sanchez’s long ball found Nicolas Jackson in space, and his cute pass was then followed up by an even smarter finish from Palmer.
Palmer laid on three assists in a row for Noni Madueke’s 14-minute, second-half hat-trick as Wolves folded, but Maresca was still left to champion his goalkeeper’s astute first-half intervention.
