Chelsea

Chelsea

Premier League • England

Jorginho puts penalty issue to bed; names ‘amazing’ Chelsea team-mate

Jorginho Chelsea 2021 TEAMtalk1

Jorginho has made it clear there was never an issue over whether team-mate Reece James would take the penalty in Chelsea’s 3-0 victory over Newcastle.

The Blues maintained their position at the top of the Premier League table with a comfortable triumph at St James’ Park. Caretaker manager Graeme Jones set up his Magpies side to defend for the entire 90 minutes. And the hosts kept the west Londoners at bay for the first 65 minutes until James bagged the opener.

The right-back then repeated the dose 12 minutes later with a rasping right-foot shot. And there was a chance he could have notched a hat-trick when Kai Havertz was brought down by goalkeeper Karl Darlow.

But Jorginho found the net from 12 yards to put the icing on he cake of a solid Chelsea performance. A few pundits suggested after the game that James should have been allowed to try for his third goal.


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However, Jorginho was quick to stress that the England defender was fully behind the decision to let him take the kick.

“If he had asked, we would have had a conversation but he didn’t,” he told ESPN Brasil (via The Metro) after the game. “He came over to support me.”

The result left the Stamford Bridge outfit three points clear at the top of the table after Liverpool’s draw with Brighton.

Newcastle are still winless and 19th, with the new owners yet to appoint a permanent manager.

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Jorginho hails James talent

Despite Chelsea’s array of attacking talent, the side’s defenders have been helping out with goalscoring duties. James has four to his name in the league while Ben Chilwell had notched three.

Trevoh Chalobah has scored twice while Antonio Rudiger, Thiago Silva and Marcos Alonso have also found the net. It has taken the pressure of the club’s midfielders and forwards.

And Jorginho was full of praise for James’ opening goal.

“He’s amazing with both feet, so he opened the game for us and it was great, it was a beautiful goal,” he told the Chelsea website.

Reece James, Mason Mount Chelsea v Norwich October 2021

The second strike gave Darlow no chance as James struck it sweetly from distance. But the man with eight England caps felt the opener shaded his first effort for quality.

“I think the first one was probably the better goal on my weaker foot – it was a good finish,” he told BBC Sport.

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