Last updated on August 21, 2025
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Estevão and Acheampong didn’t just hold their own; they gave Chelsea something the veterans and imports couldn’t: energy, conviction, and freedom.
Image credit: O-O-P
When Chelsea walked back onto the Stamford Bridge pitch on Sunday, you’d expect the air to still be buzzing from their Club World Cup triumph.
This was meant to be the continuation of a winning story — the champions of the world bringing that same energy into the Premier League.
Instead, the story felt all too familiar.
Ninety minutes of dominance on the ball, but little to actually cheer about.
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Chelsea had possession, territory, and even flashes of control — but no cutting edge.
It was the kind of game that leaves fans staring at the pitch thinking, “Where’s the spark?”
And then, almost out of nowhere, it came — but not from the million-pound signings. It came from the kids.
Table of Contents
Estevão: A Teenager Who Played Like He Belonged
The moment Estevão entered the field, Chelsea looked different.
This 18-year-old Brazilian didn’t play like someone easing his way into English football; he played like someone who wanted to grab the game by the scruff of its neck.
He ran at defenders, demanded the ball, and injected an urgency Chelsea had been missing all afternoon.
It wasn’t just skill — it was intent. Fans could feel it.
You could almost hear the collective intake of breath every time he pushed forward, because suddenly there was a sense that something might actually happen.
That’s what Chelsea had been lacking — belief.
And strangely, it was a teenager, not the big-money recruits, who carried it.
Even critics like Jamie Carragher couldn’t help but be impressed by Estevão’s performance, predicting that Estevão Willian will break into Chelsea’s XI.
“I watched the Chelsea game yesterday [against Palace], and he made a difference when he came on. He looks pretty special. I think in a few pre-season games as well in the last couple of weeks that they’ve played well, he’s done particularly well…
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“He’s still a young player. He’s obviously not the finished article. But he does look like one of them where you’re thinking, I don’t think it will be too long before he’s first choice where it feels like he has to play.
“It almost felt like they had to bring him on at the weekend, and he made a difference. I think he’s probably got a decent chance of being involved on Friday night.”
Acheampong: Calm Amid the Chaos
At the back, Josh Acheampong, only 19, made his start in place of the injured Colwill.
And if anyone was expecting nerves, they didn’t see them. He slotted in with a calmness that belied his age.
He wasn’t perfect, but he was assured, composed, and gave Chelsea’s defense a backbone it badly needed.
It’s telling that in a team stacked with high-profile names, one of the most reliable figures on the day was a kid still finding his way in senior football.
Big Signings, Small Impact
Now let’s be honest — Chelsea fans didn’t pack the Bridge on Sunday to watch Estevão or Acheampong.
The buzz was supposed to come from João Pedro, from Gittens, from the shiny new toys in the squad.
But when it mattered, they barely flickered.
Cole Palmer, usually the heartbeat, looked heavy-legged and overburdened.
João Pedro never truly threatened. And Gittens, for all his promise, looked like he was waiting for the game to come to him rather than seizing it.
This is the contradiction at the heart of Chelsea: the club that spends millions chasing stars, only for its brightest light on the pitch to come from its own youth.
Possession That Leads Nowhere
And then there’s the football itself. Seventy percent possession sounds good in theory.
But what’s the point if it feels like passing for passing’s sake?
This was football on mute. Lots of neat touches, plenty of sideways exchanges, but little to make Palace sweat.
Palace, to their credit, looked more than happy to let Chelsea keep the ball, knowing there was no real sting in it.
What Sunday Really Told Us
Here’s my take: Chelsea’s problem isn’t just tactical, it’s philosophical.
They still believe the next transfer will solve everything.
But Sunday showed the opposite.
It showed that what Chelsea needs right now isn’t more signings — it’s belief, hunger, and a willingness to trust the players who play without fear.
Estevão and Acheampong didn’t just hold their own; they gave Chelsea something the veterans and imports couldn’t: energy, conviction, and freedom.
Final Word
The 0–0 against Palace will slip into the pile of early-season frustrations. But it shouldn’t be forgotten.
For me, it was the day Chelsea’s future quietly announced itself.
Not through a record signing, but through two teenagers who dared to play with courage when others looked flat.
And maybe that’s the lesson: Chelsea doesn’t need another headline transfer.
