It was not exactly all sweetness and light for Chelsea during this prosaic 2-0 win over Servette. Those hunting for optimism could find it in encouraging displays from some new faces, while Christopher Nkunku’s penalty and a sharp goal from Noni Madueke during an improved second half should ensure that progress to the Europa Conference League is secured in Switzerland next week, but there were also moments when discontent with the club’s direction under Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital was captured by bursts of impatience from the stands.
There was a fair bit of grumbling after a tepid opening period, during which it was hard to see why Mykhailo Mudryk has been preferred to Raheem Sterling in attack, and later there would even be hints of opposition to the positional, possession-based style of play under Enzo Maresca. The Italian, who is working to boost his standing with his new supporters, will surely have noticed the boos that followed during the second half when Moisés Caicedo played the ball back from the halfway line.
