Chelsea went into the break trailing 1-0, with the League One outfit arguably unfortunate not to have built a larger lead. ..Continue Reading
Lincoln applied consistent pressure in Chelsea’s box through crosses, set pieces, and long throw-ins, while the Blues failed to produce a single shot on target during the first half at the LNER Stadium.
Quick goals from Tyrique George and Facundo Buonanotte soon after the restart ultimately secured the win against the determined Lincoln side.
Maresca revealed to the media after the match that he was incensed with his squad at the break, and Gusto agreed the Chelsea manager’s frustration was well-founded.
“Of course, in the first half we played like kids,” declared Gusto, when asked about Maresca’s reaction. “They bullied us in every part of the pitch. It was really bad for us.
“The second half was important to come back with more desire, more confidence. It is important for the team to keep building these kinds of things to become better.”
The Chelsea full-back added: “We knew they were going to play like this. It was their qualities, so they played with that.
“We were aware before of that. It was the game. The game was about duels, fighting. That is why we tried to do more in the second-half to show our desire to win, and that is what we did.”
The victory ended Chelsea’s run of three matches without a win, and they now aim to build momentum ahead of their upcoming Premier League encounter with Brighton at Stamford Bridge this weekend.
Gusto remains hopeful that the turnaround against Lincoln will boost team morale, though he’s aware of the test Brighton presents.
“That [building momentum] is our objective,” the Frenchman stated. “They [Brighton] are a good team too, but we know that we can compete and we can beat everyone – and that’s what we’re going to do.”
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