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Liam Rosenior crouched down inches from the pitch before bursting into action, clapping wildly and encouraging chelseaJamie Gittens. It was a glimpse of what to expect from the manager, the man and Chelsea, whose reign got off to a flying start with a 5-1 win over Chelsea. FA Cup Beat Charlton in the third round. Those few seconds showed that Roniol was prioritizing more than just tactics when taking over from Enzo Maresca.
Charlton were neutralized, leaving Amari Bell and Tyrese Campbell to exchange passes. Gittens rushes from one place to another. But just as the winger came to a brief stop, Roniol called for another sprint, forcing a clearance and changing possession. Excited for the challenge ahead, it’s clear why he’s particularly pleased about a return to what he describes as “proper football” – a cup tie on a cold night in the Valley.
In the absence of Cole Palmer and Reece James, he made eight changes to showcase the depth at his disposal. Jorel Hutto, Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Giu, Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez scored.
But what was really interesting was the way the game played and indeed the visitors’ reaction after being briefly shaken by the hosts when Myles Lieburn put the Addicks within a goal.
“We need to improve on that, the long passes, the wide free-kicks, the disappointing goals we conceded,” admitted Roniol. “But we reacted really well and we picked up the pace which was really pleasing. Happy with the attitude of the team. We pressed really hard and well and I felt we controlled the game. There were a lot of real positives and a good start.”
Desperate for that “intensity” that was the hallmark of his side in Strasbourg, there are signs of what Ronniol’s side will look like in the coming weeks. A striking shape from the start. It was an unlikely spark too, with Hutto, one of the two designated full-backs, immediately bursting into the Charlton half to join Facundo Buonanote as one of the two number eights. Moises Caicedo and Andre Santos sat in front of a back three as the visitors looked to sort out early issues.
Comical moments ensued as Nathan Jones’ playmakers departed before Greg Docherty, Leaburn and Chalie Kelman allowed Santos to pick up the ball, return the ball and continue to pinball with his three centre-backs.
Ronnie Orr put it well, boldly asking for “a team that’s brave, fearless, willing to make mistakes and push forward” and while there was patience here, Josh Acheampong’s willingness to step up and take the ball to the edge of the Charlton penalty area showed a willingness to move the ball around fluidly. That led to invitations from deep, with Achim Pong and Gittens forcing Will Mannion into action.
In the first half of stoppage time, Charlton failed to clear the pass and the ball fell into the hands of Hutto, who fired a rocket-like shot into the upper left corner. Chelsea dominated and it was already two goals up shortly after the restart. Buonanot took the free-kick with real pace, Adarabioyo crouched with his back to goal and simply redirected the ball with his header, past the helpless Mannion.
However, the Addicks would not surrender, first with James Bree’s aerial shot and then with Kellman’s powerful strike being blocked by Hutto. But Lloyd Jones leapt highest to meet the resulting corner, and Filip Jorgensen could only send the ball into the path of Leaburn before swooping in to spark madness in the Valley.
But just when the home side were feeling evenly matched, Alejandro Garnacho once again burst out from the left, this time handing the ball to compatriot Bona Norte after taking away three red shirts. His shot was weak, but Mannion could only parry it to Giu, who once again sealed the cushion.
Next week’s test will be very different, with Premier League leaders Arsenal visiting Stamford Bridge in the Carabao Cup semi-finals, but a glimpse of Ronior’s principles should revive optimism among disgruntled fans. The visiting supporters made it abundantly clear that they “don’t care about Clear Lake” but Ronnie Orr hopes his presence will be an acceptable by-product of the controversial BlueCo machine. A willingness to utilize width should bring some recognition, and Ronnie Orr’s delight in every moment the ball reaches the winger suggests it’s a priority. Gio struggled to lift the ball, and Santos shot the ball into the gap, allowing Ganaccio to sprint. The Argentinian curled up an inch wide at the far right post but an energetic Ronnie Orr was applauded on the touchline.
If Ronnie Orr has a group of “potentially” world-class players, then his job is to tap into their talent, especially Estevo Willian. After Neto added more luster to the scoreline, the electrifying Brazilian teenager crossed Mannion to win a penalty, with Fernandez completing the rout.
The real priorities, though, can be seen in the elephant in the room, specifically how Ronnie Orr endorsed the visiting team’s slogan.
“If your fans are happy, you’re doing a good job,” he noted. “I participated in a competition and some of the passages in the competition were very beautiful. It didn’t matter what I thought, the important thing was to win the competition.”
Victory against Charlton may not quell Blues fans’ dissatisfaction with the club’s ownership, but if the wins come thick and fast then fans will love Ronnie Orr and he will soon have precious time and space to turn his attention back to the details of his ideas.