HOLLAND: ANOTHER POSITIVE STEP Assistant 1st team coach Steve Holland was pleased with both of our performances tonight as well as the fact we were able to give 1st pre-season minutes to more players. Andre Schurrle,Ramires,Oscar&Willian all featured for the 1st time this summer over the course of matches vs Fenerbahce&Besiktas. The 1st was won 2-0&though the 2nd ended in a late defeat,Holland explained it had been a good evening all round. ‘These games were organised with the fact we had many players still returning from the World Cup who needed minutes,’ said Holland. ‘Tonight was a very positive step for the likes of Schurrle&Oscar to get their 1st match minutes of pre-season. We are very happy with how that went. ‘We are very happy with both performances. The team played very well in the 1st 45-minute game&were good value for the 2-0 result. In the 2nd game we looked in total control. It was comfortable. We are disappointed to have conceded a sloppy goal like that so late in a game we otherwise looked in total control of.’ The match brought Didier Drogba back to the city where he had most recently played his football,though that was for Galatasaray,which explained the hostile reception he received from the Fenerbahce supporters. Holland is excited by what the Ivorian can offer the Blues this season. ‘With regards to Didier his last moment with Chelsea was scoring the winning goal in the Champions League final. He left Chelsea at the top of Euro football. He went on to have 2 successful seasons with Galatasaray where they had good runs in the Champions League on both occasions. ‘We are very happy to have him back. He’s a leader&a proven match winner. Whether it’s starting games or coming on from the bench we are all very confident he will play a significant part in Chelsea’s season.’ A striker that went in the opposite direction this summer,Demba Ba,was also involved for his new club Besiktas,having netted a Champions League hat-trick in midweek. Holland had words of praise for the Senegalese who caught up with former team-mates&staff alike before&after tonight’s games. ‘Demba is the model professional. He had a frustrating time at Chelsea,&he will perhaps feel he didn’t have a consistent run of appearances in the team,but he did score some very important goals for us. ‘Chelsea fans will remember his goal against PSG that got us through in the Champions League quarter-finals,&they will remember his goal vs Liverpool at Anfield that kept our title hopes alive&probably eliminated any chance Liverpool had of winning the league. He is a fantastic pro who if he gets a consistent run of games will prove his quality.’
Posted on: Sat, 09 Aug 2014 18:34:19 +0000
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