Chelsea needed extra time to get past Wrexham on Saturday night, eventually coming out on top 4-2. Joao Pedro caught the eye, and Joe Cole had plenty of good things to say about his performance.
Going into the match, there were already concerns, given that Rosenior's starting lineup featured nine changes. Players like Robert Sanchez and Benoit Badiashile , who've both faced their share of criticism this season, were among those starting.
Sam Smith and Josh Windass each put Wrexham ahead at different points in the match, but Chelsea managed to respond both times — first through an own goal and then a finish from Josh Acheampong . The match turned when George Dobson was sent off late on.
In extra time, Alejandro Garnacho gave Chelsea the lead with a neat finish. Lewis Brunt thought he'd equalised for Wrexham with a header, but it was ruled out for offside. That set the stage for Joao Pedro to score again late on.
Photo by Ben Roberts – Danehouse/Getty Images
Pedro came off the bench against Wrexham after hitting a hat-trick against Aston Villa , and his form has been nothing short of remarkable. Before Saturday, he had already tallied 10 goals and five assists in 12 appearances.
His goal on the night summed up what he brings to the side: picking up the ball deep, driving forward, and finishing with confidence. Speaking on TNT Sports, Joe Cole drew a comparison to Erling Haaland when discussing Pedro's impact.
"He's a monster, he really is. He picks it up [for his goal] and I think he has already decided what he's going to do. Takes the centre-back to the left, drags it back, he actually strikes it into the floor".
"Everything he's hitting at the moment is going in. He's playing that no.9 role; not like an Erling Haaland where he's on the shoulder, he will drop in and drift in because he's got quality. But such a good player."
Rosenior is off to a strong start, winning 10 of his first 15 games, but a trophy would help quieten any lingering doubts. The Blues are still in the hunt on two fronts.
The push for Champions League qualification brings its own financial rewards, while an FA Cup quarter-final spot is already secured. Next week, they also face an underperforming PSG side.
Chelsea have a recent history against PSG, too, having beaten them in the Club World Cup final last summer. But if Rosenior and his squad are to build on that success, keeping Pedro fit will be essential.
The squad has quality across the pitch and good depth. Several players are hitting form at the right time, but none are matching what Pedro is producing right now. At £60 million, he's already looking like great value.
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