Danny Welbeck is no stranger to facing former Premier League clubs, but Chelsea’s meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday will carry particular significance for the striker.
Welbeck has represented several Premier League teams during his career and has regularly faced former team-mates. That will happen again when Chelsea take on Brighton this weekend, but the familiarity will not lessen the importance of the fixture.
Brighton remain an important part of Welbeck’s career story, making the match one he is eagerly anticipating.
‘It’s a special one because Brighton are my former team,’ Welbeck said. ‘Fortunately for me, I’ve played against my old teams quite a lot during my career, so it isn’t anything too new.‘I’m really looking forward to it and I’m excited to keep pushing on.’
The fixture will give Welbeck another chance to build on his impressive start to life at Chelsea.
Moving to a new club inevitably involves a period of adjustment as players adapt to different surroundings, team-mates and working methods. However, Welbeck has felt at home since arriving at Cobham.
The forward has appreciated the warm welcome from his new team-mates, staff and Chelsea supporters. The presence of several familiar faces also helped make his transition smoother.
After scoring on his debut against Luton Town on Thursday night, Welbeck is enjoying the early stages of his career as a Chelsea player.
‘I’ve really enjoyed it and it has been pretty easy for me to settle,’ he explained. ‘It’s such a great group and the staff are very welcoming in and around the training ground.‘Everybody has been great with me and I’ve been received really well by the fans, so I really appreciate that.‘It was also nice to know a few familiar faces when I walked through the door, which helped me settle. Now I just want to keep building and improving every single day.’
Welbeck encouraged by Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea start
Welbeck is also relishing the opportunity to work under new Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso.
Chelsea are continuing to adapt to Alonso’s methods, with new tactical ideas being introduced while players return to the squad at different stages following the World Cup and injuries. Welbeck believes patience and hard work will be essential as those ideas develop, but he has been encouraged by the opening weeks and is excited about the team’s prospects.
‘It’s been really good and it has been a positive start, but we’re only a couple of games in,’ he added. ‘We have to keep working hard and keep learning the new ideas he is bringing to us.‘There are a lot of new messages, while some players came back a little later and new players are being integrated and having to settle. But it has been really good up until now and there are really exciting times ahead.’
Source: www.chelseafc.com
