Despite being knocked out of the third round of the Carabao Cup by Chelsea, Lincoln City manager Michael Skubala is a happy man.
Lincoln went toe-to-toe with Chelsea, even taking the lead in the first half through Rob Street.
In the end, the Blues’ extra bit of quality got them through, with Tyrique George scoring an excellent equaliser. Enzo Maresca talked up George after the game, stating that the youngster is really helping the team.
Still, Skubala was more than happy with Lincoln’s performance and loved one thing that his team forced Chelsea to do.
Michael Skubala ‘really proud’ that Lincoln made Chelsea defend their box
Chelsea are a team who do not have to do a lot of defending. Under Maresca, they press high and dominate possession.
Against Lincoln, though, they were really on the back foot at times and had to defend their box. Getting the world champions to do that was a proud moment for Skubala.
The 42-year-old told Lincoln’s official website after the game: “We had a few moments in the second half where it didn’t quite drop for us, but when you make Chelsea defend their box as we did tonight, you can be really proud.”
Malo Gusto also discussed Lincoln’s performance, claiming that some of the things he saw from the League One side were things that he had never witnessed in a football match before.
The tactics Skubala employed almost worked, so the Englishman can give himself a pat on the back.
Chelsea showed Lincoln ‘respect’
Chelsea started some high-profile names at the LNER Stadium, including World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez and France international Wesley Fofana.
Estevao Willian was also introduced to the game in the second half. After the match, Estevao spent time signing autographs for Lincoln fans.
For Skubala, Maresca’s team selection was a sign of respect. “Chelsea came here and showed us respect, they came with a strong team and really had to earn it,” he said.
All in all, it was a day that those connected to Lincoln will never forget. They got to see their team give Chelsea, the current world champions and two-time Champions League winners, a real game.
Next up for them is a League One tie against Peterborough United, while Chelsea take on Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League.
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