Chelsea’s Premier League campaign did not get off to the ideal start at Stamford Bridge this afternoon.
Chelsea fans were impressed with the lineup the boss named for the season opener, although no new summer signings were given the opportunity to impress from the off.
Chelsea fans really impressed by Romeo Lavia
However, there was a first competitive start for the club for Romeo Lavia, who saw his first season as a Chelsea player wiped away due to injury.
It didn’t take supporters long to see what they had been missing though. Fans took to Twitter to praise the young midfielder for his performance despite the defeat.
One user said: “Tell you what. Lavia is class.”
Another added: “It’s safe to say Romeo Lavia is already the one of the best midfielders in the league after 45 minutes of football.”
A third stated: “Lavia’s personality on the ball is insane. He’s scared of nobody.”
Another said: “Win lose (likely) or draw, I won’t forget this performance by Lavia.”
Finally, one user claimed: “Whether you’re disappointed or not about Gallagher/Chukwuemeka’s exits, Romeo Lavia is a super player. Can become everything we need in that midfield.”
Enzo Fernandez struggles vs Manchester City
It would be fair to say the midfield three did not seem to function smoothly this afternoon, with Enzo Fernandez struggling in particular in the more advanced role in the middle of the park.
Lavia was removed after 66 minutes, with it being his first bout of competitive football of any kind in 2024.
Despite defeat, the Belgian can be more than proud of the personal performance he put in, and Maresca will no doubt feel comfortable that he has a player in midfield who suits his style of playing out from the back.
There is no doubt that he should be a regular from this point, with fixtures coming thick and fast for the Blues both in the Premier League and in the Europa Conference League.