Estevao Willian may be shattering goalscoring records at Stamford Bridge, but a masterclass from Pedro Neto against Hull City has highlighted the one major ‘rough edge’ the Brazilian must still smooth out.
Pedro Neto silenced his doubters with arguably one of his best performances in a Chelsea shirt against Hull City in the FA Cup.
This comes after Neto struggled against Wolves in the Premier League, failing to find a player with eight out of eight crosses, as well as losing possession 14 times.
As doubts started to creep in, there were rumours that he could be cashed in on this summer, but that’s been put to bed as BlueCo views Neto as a valuable member.
And he could actually help Estevao Willian with a thing or two.
Rate Mamadou Sarr’s performance vs Hull City from 1️⃣-🔟
A record holder on your competitive Chelsea debut!
Mamadou Sarr breaks Chelsea record on debut vs Hull City
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Estevao Willian’s performance against Hull City
It’s safe to say that Estevao Willian has settled into life at Chelsea magnificently, despite still being just 18 years old, having become the first teenager at Chelsea to score seven goals in the Premier League era.
His seventh goal came against Hull City in a performance that perfectly summarised his potential. Playing on the right wing, his world-class movement was evident. He expertly took down a raking long pass from Mamadou Sarr and rounded the goalkeeper, though he couldn’t find the back of the net.
While his offensive output remains record-breaking, the match also highlighted areas for improvement that manager Liam Rosenior will be eager to address.
His energy and running were praised. But Rosenior’s post-match comments about Pedro Neto’s “intensity and work rate” served as a subtle nudge toward the Brazilian. Estevao occasionally lacked the defensive bite and recovery sprinting that Neto had, sometimes leaving his full-back exposed.
Even the Hull City fans were booing Alejandro Garnacho 🤣
What did you make of these two?
Alejandro Garnacho and Liam Delap disappoint for Chelsea vs Hull City
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Pedro Neto’s defensive work goes under the radar
Neto’s performance was a masterclass in all-around play, as he recorded five ball recoveries and consistently sprinted back to support his full-back. His data this season further highlights this work rate, with Neto currently averaging nearly double the defensive actions of Estevao, including 37 interceptions and 122 tackles compared to the teenager’s 12 interceptions and 71 tackles.
In contrast, Estevao’s positioning against Hull remained focused on the final third, which allowed him to score his record-breaking 7th goal but occasionally left Reece James isolated in defensive transitions.
The takeaway for Estevao is clear: he must adopt the same mentality Neto displays when Chelsea loses possession. By closing the gap in defensive work rate and recovery sprinting, Estevao can ensure his offensive records are matched by the tactical discipline required in Rosenior’s high-intensity system.
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