1807 days between Chelsea wins at Molineux but there are distinct similarities

Posted on by Harrison Burridge

September 14th, 2019, was a day that will live long in the memories of Chelsea fans in attendance.

It was the day Frank Lampard, and his enterprising Chelsea team announced themselves with a 5-2 demolition of Wolves.

Until August 25th, 2024, that was the Blues’ last win at Molineux and despite the near five year gap, European success and significant upheaval the club has experienced since, maybe things aren’t all too different from that Saturday afternoon under the Wolverhampton sun.

Hat-trick heroes proving their value to Chelsea

The 2019/20 season was a novelty for Chelsea. They were under the restraints of a transfer ban and recovering from the departure of club legend Eden Hazard. So, unable to turn to the transfer market, as they had done for years previously, the hierarchy looked to the successful academy system for answers. One of those was Tammy Abraham.

Loan spells at Bristol City, Swansea City and Aston Villa led him to a place in Chelsea’s first-team squad and the responsibility of being the club’s number nine with Olivier Giroud as his deputy. A pair of braces in the opening month underlined the 21-year-old’s credentials and the following 90 minutes would only highlight those further.

Three goals in 21 minutes either side of half-time gave Chelsea an unassailable 4-0 lead leaving a fanbase firmly behind their striker, who if it wasn’t for the transfer ban may not have found himself lining up in the starting XI at 3pm that day.

Wind forward to the present day and a 22-year-old winger would take centre stage in Wolverhampton. Noni Madueke’s time at Chelsea has been mixed leading to rumours circling of an imminent departure as the new hierarchy looked for a way to ease their attacking congestion after their latest transfer spree saw Pedro Neto and Joao Felix arrive in West London.

But the English winger only needed 14 second half minutes to silence the doubters he had in the fanbase and from within the club too. 2-2 became 5-2 in the blink of an eye and Chelsea were dancing their way to a first league win under Enzo Maresca and first win at Molineux since 2019.

Front foot football with a youthful squad

Chelsea fans and particularly the Stamford Bridge crowd enjoy watching their teams play attacking football. 2018/19 had seen Maurizio Sarri deploy a more structured possession approach and fans regularly voiced their displeasure at the style despite a third-place finish and Europe League title. Perhaps this is why Lampard’s first season in charge sticks so fondly in the minds of Chelsea fans alongside the obvious reasons.

That afternoon in the Black Country epitomised just that. A team academy graduates Abraham, Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori all started and scored in – they would link-up as part of a flowing move for Abraham’s opener – dominated and dazzled against Nuno Espirito Santo’s Wolves who looked bereft of ideas.

Gary O’Neil himself was left with the same feeling after Sunday’s surprise. The game resembled something of a basketball match in the opening 45 with honours even at the break. However, a switch was flicked and Maresca’s charges started playing without fear as they swept through the Wolves defence time and time again. The sixth goal showcased that perfectly with a move taken from the training ground and implemented on matchday to the adulation of the travelling fans.

Levi Colwill follows in the footsteps of Fikayo Tomori at Chelsea

Tomori’s long-range rocket has become a symbol for the 2019 success but that only told half of the Englishman’s story that afternoon. A brave and determined foray forward led to the second goal and then a wave of blocks, interceptions and tackles followed to preserve the Blues’ lead.

Alas it didn’t work out for Tomori in Chelsea blue but his departure coincided with the growing rise of Levi Colwill – another defensive success story for the academy – on loan first at Huddersfield and then Brighton & Hove Albion.

Last season was a difficult one for Colwill as he was often asked to fulfil an unfamiliar role at left-back. Now back in his preferred centre-back role, he displayed all of his ability and defensive nous on Sunday afternoon.

A 92% pass accuracy paired with six out of eight long balls completed highlighted one of the biggest advantages to using him in the middle of the backline, his progressive nature. There wasn’t a Tomori-esque goal to boot but a similarly solid defensive showing rounded off a fine performance in a season the Englishman will be looking to kick his career on with Maresca’s backing.

One thing can’t be denied and that is the fabric and make-up of Chelsea has undergone an overhaul in the 1807 days that have past since September 2019. In fact, only one player remains from the matchday squad, Kepa Arrizabalaga, although he is confined to being loaned out year after year.

12 new signings have been added to the Chelsea ranks this summer with many more arriving in the previous years in a sequence that couldn’t be further away from the transfer banned Chelsea. Sunday saw nine under-23 players in the starting XI – something that has only happened three times prior in the Premier League.

However, the core values at the heart of Chelsea Football Club remain the same. Fans feel an affinity to academy products, revel in exciting young talents participating in an attacking style of football and crave that winning feeling. The club’s past two wins at Molineux demonstrate all of those.

It kickstarted a run of seven wins in eight for Lampard and Chelsea in 2019. Maresca and the current version of Chelsea will be hoping for a similar launchpad.

Written & edited by Harrison Burridge (@hburridge2)

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