The Spain international produced an electric performance for Chelsea to put West Brom to the sword and ask more questions of the Red Devils, who missed out on the former Barca man
Chelsea took just 24 hours to show Pedro Rodriguez more commitment to a summer transfer than Manchester United had in two months. "Maybe Manchester United fell asleep," the player's agent, Antonio Sanz, told told Radio Club Tenerife. "The negotiation with Chelsea was like a lightning bolt.”
Pedro appreciated Chelsea’s speed and decisiveness in the transfer market; at the Hawthorns on Sunday he decided to respond in kind. Within 45 minutes the diminutive Spaniard had ignited Jose Mourinho’s title defence and exposed the scale of Louis van Gaal’s folly.
The decision to start Pedro – after just three days of training with the Chelsea first team – was a surprise. Mourinho is a coach who demands that every single one of his players fully understands his tactical instructions before trusting them in the heat of battle. After the match he revealed his new signing had learned quickly.
“He came with [pre-season] minutes, with intensity, so it was a question of understanding,” the Portuguese told reporters. “We worked tactically every day since he arrived, so he could understand the team and the team could understand what he needs. I think it was a very good performance.”
There was certainly no lack of understanding with Eden Hazard, who provided the pass for Pedro’s slightly fortuitous debut goal in the 20th minute and dovetailed with his new team-mate beautifully all afternoon. Craig Dawson and Chris Brunt could not deal with Chelsea’s attacking pincer movement of fast, jinking threats from both flanks, and by the end of the season one suspects they will be far from alone among tortured Premier League full-backs.
Pedro’s first assist in English football followed just 10 minutes after his first goal and again benefited from a slice of fortune; Diego Costa sliding along the wet turf to jab home a swing of the boot that was no more a cross than a shot. He should have had a second, deliberate one soon afterwards, cutting inside as West Brom defenders slipped and slid past him to find Willian, only for the Brazilian to apply a scandalously poor finish to a brilliant move.
But the Spain international’s overall performance dwarfed his direct contribution to the scoreline, constantly darting into space, finding team-mates with sharp passes and running himself into the ground in his desire to protect the floundering Branislav Ivanovic.
Tactically and technically it was pitch perfect, a masterclass in modern wingplay that threw United’s slow, turgid attacking display at home to Newcastle on Saturday into even sharper focus. How could Van Gaal reportedly baulk at paying an extra £3 million for a player that he had identified only days before as being precisely the kind of fast, penetrating threat his squad needed?
United continue to search for Van Gaal’s fundamental “balance” with Juan Mata labouring as a No.10 parked on the right flank and Adnan Januzaj cutting a nervous figure as a winger deployed centrally. Chelsea, in contrast, identified the need for another elite goal threat from wide areas and got a man with the mentality and skillset to slot in immediately.
Such decisions do more than affect the fortunes of teams – they can make or break champions, though there was enough evidence at the Hawthorns to suggest that it will take more than Pedro’s darting brilliance to solidify Chelsea as favourites to retain their title.
Ivanovic has yet to find a Premier League winger he can lay a glove on this season, John Terry did nothing to dispel questions about his long-term viability at the top level with a desperate tug on the impressive Salomon Rondon and Nemanja Matic compounded a rash early challenge on James McClean in the penalty area by failing to get close to James Morrison for either of his goals.
Terry’s dismissal turned much of the second half into something resembling a siege and as Gary Cahill attempted to marshall a weary and uncomfortable Chelsea defence to the final whistle, Pedro was sacrificed for the final six minutes in favour of John Obi Mikel. The fact the former Barca man left the field after Willian and Costa highlighted just how much trust Mourinho already has in his new man.
Chelsea’s problems should diminish as the sharpness returns, and further transfer arrivals could also ease the process. But one of Mourinho’s new faces already looks capable of leading the way, and every reminder of his talents should prompt fresh waves of embarrassment at Old Trafford. [GOAL]
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