Joao Pedro believes Chelsea made a positive start against Hull City but admits the Blues must improve quickly after being held to a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea started brightly and looked in control during the opening stages. Their pressure paid off in the seventh minute when Morgan Rogers opened the scoring, finishing from the edge of the box after being set up by Joao Pedro.
However, the game quickly turned on its head. Hull struck twice in quick succession to take the lead, leaving Chelsea facing the prospect of another frustrating result.
Joao Pedro eventually restored parity in impressive fashion, smashing the ball into the roof of the net to make it 2-2. Despite pushing for a winner, Chelsea could not find the decisive third goal and had to settle for a point.
Reflecting on the match, Joao Pedro admitted Chelsea had plenty to be encouraged by but were disappointed not to take all three points.
“I think we started really well. We put pressure on them and controlled the game, but we need to improve on the details. In the end, this point is very important for us, so we need to analyse it and improve.”
The Brazilian also stressed the importance of adapting quickly in the Premier League, where dropped points can become increasingly costly over the course of a season.
“We have to adapt quickly, as soon as possible, because we know how the Premier League is. If you drop points, in the end it will be difficult to recover. If you want to compete, you have to improve.”
Chelsea knew Hull would become more defensive after taking the lead, looking to frustrate the hosts and threaten on the counter-attack.
“We knew if they got in front they were going to sit at the back and wait for us to come and play for the counter-attack. It was a tough game.”
Despite the disappointment, Joao Pedro remains confident that Chelsea can learn from the result and respond strongly in their next match.
“In the end, we could get one point, but like I said, we need to improve and I think we’re going to improve soon.”
Joao Pedro Continues Fine Form
The draw was another impressive individual outing for Joao Pedro, who has made an excellent start to the new Premier League campaign.
The Brazilian, who was named Premier League Player of the Month for August, now has three goals and three assists in four league appearances this season.
His growing understanding with Chelsea’s attacking players has also been one of the team’s biggest positives. Joao Pedro has developed a particularly strong connection with Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers, with the trio once again combining effectively against Hull.
Palmer played an important role in Chelsea’s equaliser, delivering a low cross into Joao Pedro’s path before the striker produced a powerful finish.
“When Cole passed to me, I just tried to hit it on target and I was very happy to hit a good shot.”
Joao Pedro clearly enjoys playing alongside Palmer and Rogers and believes their chemistry can make Chelsea a dangerous attacking team.
“I enjoy playing with Palmer and Rogers a lot because they are very good players. I know when we play close, we can be very dangerous. We showed that again, so I enjoy it a lot and hopefully we can continue to improve even more.”
Joao Pedro Responds to Benzema Comparison
The Chelsea forward was also asked about Xabi Alonso’s recent comparison between him and Real Madrid and France legend Karim Benzema.
Joao Pedro acknowledged some similarities in their playing styles, particularly his willingness to drop deeper and combine with teammates, but was quick to make it clear that he still has a long way to go before being compared with Benzema.
“I think maybe the style, the way I play – I like to come deep and I like to link up with my team-mates. But, of course, Benzema is on another level.”
For now, Joao Pedro is focused on maintaining his strong form and helping Chelsea achieve their ambitions.
“I just try to enjoy every game and try to help my team with goals or assists. I’m in a very good moment and I’m very happy.”
Chelsea will now look to turn the lessons from the Hull draw into a stronger performance next time out as they aim to avoid dropping further points in the Premier League.
