Brighton opted for a back 3, the jet-heeled Tariq Lamptey, when of the Lampard vanguard, beginning at ideal wing-back. Ben White and Adam Lallana also made debuts.
Brightons whole squad cost somewhere in the region of one headline Chelsea midfield signing, but they continued to look the more settled, orderly team, moving the ball around sweetly and pushing in well-drilled packs.
By the end Chelsea were dominant, Brighton a little dispirited, their great group play blown away by a conglomerate of exceptional people and one minute of radiance from James. There is still plenty of slack to be used up in this evolving Lampard team. This was a safe primary step.
Prior to the interval Werner showed his precision once again, cutting inside on the shooting and left increasingly towards Ryans near post, a separated moment of clearness.
Frank Lampard insisted Chelsea had “revealed a great deal of good things” in their Premier League opener. For 22 minutes at the Amex Stadium, Chelseas latest new age struggled to discover its rhythm, element parts clanking together, looking for ways to fit.
It didnt seem like a moment of ignition exactly; in part since Brighton had been the livelier group to that point. Then, there was always a temptation to develop this game up as an instant referendum on Chelseas summertime splurge, and indeed on Lampards own physical fitness to juggle the extraordinary skills now at his disposal.
Lallana had hopped off right before half-time, to be changed by Aaron Connolly, and it was Connollys chest that drew an early save from Kepa Arrizabalaga after the reboot, bundling the ball goalwards from Solly Marchs driven cross.
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Lewis Dunk must have made it 2-2, heading just past a post from 8 backyards out. But Chelsea were shuttling the ball about with more fluency now, Ross Barkley including some drive to what had actually been a rather fixed double‑pivot in the centre of midfield. A sustained spell of belongings ended with James requiring a right‑wing corner. His outswinging delivery was volleyed in by Kurt Zouma, whose shot took a big deflection.
Otherwise Yves Bissouma and Steven Alzate had the much better of the early midfield exchanges, right approximately the minute Alzate played a dreadful pass directly to Jorginho on the edge of the Brighton area. He slipped the ball to Werner, who was tripped by Mat Ryan as he drifted in on goal. Jorginho put the penalty away with a bravura little swivel and side-foot, celebrating with a shout.
Welcome to Lampard 2.0: the upgrade. On reflection, it might just take a while to download.
There was a short picture of the work still to be done as Lampards two German debutants combined, Kai Havertz playing a charming flick pass to Werner on halfway, just for Werners own touch to find Marcos Alonso steaming upfield outside him with all the carefree abandon of a heavily laden Victorian coal barge.
The ground was a striking sight at kick-off, empty stands remarkably lit up, powder-blue sky fading over the lip of the stroking main stand. And Brighton were remarkable either side of Chelseas objective, zipping the ball around well and finding space on the flanks.
Timo Werner is reduced in the charge location by Brighton keeper Mat Ryan. Picture: Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images
Werner is Chelseas impressive summertime arrival, and looked it from the start, lining up as a mobile, roving centre-forward, with Havertz on the right side of an attacking three.
With 54 minutes gone Leandro Trossard scored a should have equaliser, taking a pass from Lamptey and curling a fine left-footed shot into the corner as Arrizabalaga flailed slightly throughout his line. “I am really delighted with Kepa,” Lampard said at the end, convincingly enough.
And that was basically that. What to make of this New Chelsea? Havertz was a languid figure throughout his 79 minutes, which brought no shots, 23 passes and one dribble (was it truly that lots of?). He is a grand skill, who can be expected to discover his area in this group at some phase. Somewhere else Chilwell ought to offer a substantial upgrade on Alonso, who appears to be playing each game through his own portable section of peat bog.
Two minutes later on Chelsea were back in front thanks to something truly incredible from Reece James. Jorginho fed the ball throughout midfield. James took an action forward 30 lawns from goal and spanked his shot in a difficult, flat, dipping arc into the top corner of Ryans goal.
In reality it will require time for the jet-lag of a crazed couple of months to fade. Hakim Ziyech and Ben Chilwell were absent. Thiago Silva is still “acclimatising” to the new normal of life in the biosecure Premier League, in which case all the best with that old bean and see you in about 2 years.
On a beautiful late-summer night in Falmer the first fruits of Chelseas extravagant close-season costs appeared. Timo Werner looked the liveliest part of an initially ponderous, progressively proficient 3-1 defeat of Brighton, who were impressively slick and a little unfortunate.
2 minutes later Chelsea were back in front thanks to something really amazing from Reece James. Chelsea were shuttling the ball about with more fluency now, Ross Barkley including some drive to what had been a rather static double‑pivot in the centre of midfield. What to make of this New Chelsea? By the end Chelsea were dominant, Brighton a little dispirited, their great group play blown away by a corporation of exceptional individuals and one minute of sparkle from James. There is still plenty of slack to be taken up in this developing Lampard group.
