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Chelsea were told they needed to be better at set pieces before the FC Noah – Axel Disasi defeat
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Chelsea were told they needed to be better at set pieces before the FC Noah – Axel Disasi defeat

Chelsea’s coach has told the players to make better use of free kicks and corner kicks, according to defender Axel Disasi.

During the 8-0 Conference League match against Armenian minnows FC Noah on Thursday, two goals were scored during set-piece routines, with Disasi and Tosin Adarabioyo coming in from almost identical positions after deliveries from Enzo Fernandez.

Chelsea reportedly paid £850,000 to sign specialist Bernardo Cueva from Brentford in July, but had only scored one Premier League goal straight from a set-piece until last weekend: Nicolas Jackson’s header in a 6-2 win over Wolves in August.

“My goal (against Noah) is something we worked on a lot during training with the set-piece coach,” Disasi said.

“He told us we had to score tonight because we haven’t scored many goals since the start of the season. I’m sure he will be very happy with the two goals tonight.”

The two goals from corners at Stamford Bridge made it three in two games, following Moises Caicedo’s brilliant volley in Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Head coach Enzo Maresca has also expressed his desire to see Chelsea’s wingers contribute with goals. These words were heeded against Noah as Joao Felix struck twice and Mykhailo Mudryk produced a sublime finish to take them top of the Conference League table.

This tournament only starts for Chelsea in the quarter-finals or semi-finals

Former Chelsea striker Joe Cole

Teenage striker Marc Guiu also scored his first goal for the club since joining from Barcelona and Christopher Nkunku struck twice.

The team has scored sixteen goals in the three matches in the competition and has a perfect record. It probably only needs one more win to ensure progress.

They travel to Germany to take on Heidenheim next, before making a grueling 7,000-mile round trip to Kazakhstan to play Astana. They finish at home to Shamrock Rovers from the Republic of Ireland on December 19.

Speaking to TNT Sports after the destruction of the Armenian side – which was only formed in 2017 and is playing in the main rounds of the UEFA competition for the first time – former Blues striker Joe Cole said Chelsea “shouldn’t be in this competition play” and suggested they would continue to rack up routine wins until the final stages.

“This tournament doesn’t start for Chelsea until the quarter-finals or semi-finals,” said the 43-year-old. “They are huge favorites to win, and they should be.”

Maresca has played its second series in the tournament so far, opening the door for the start of backup right-back Disasi on Thursday.

“Before the competition started, the coach told us that every team would come here to play their game of the year,” he said.

“We are aware of this and it is about playing our game and showing respect, but we also have to show our quality.

“We push in the same way whether it is the Conference League or the Premier League. We keep the same desire to win.”