'Everything that I wanted' - Morgan Rogers revels in goalscoring debut as Chelsea edge Fulham in five-goal thriller

After his high-profile switch to Stamford Bridge from Aston Villa earlier in the transfer window, Rogers would have been itching to hit the ground running under the lights in West London. The new No.17 was tasked with restoring Chelsea's lead at Craven Cottage after a frantic opening to the match. The Blues had taken the lead through Joao Pedro after just 32 seconds, but were pegged back when Joshua King cancelled out the opener. Rogers then stepped up to find the net, ensuring Xabi Alonso’s side went into the break with the momentum.

Reflecting on his first appearance, the forward could not hide his delight at making such an immediate impact for his new employers. "It was a great game to play in. Obviously to score and help the team win, that’s everything that I wanted from a debut," Rogers said. "I thought the quality of our play was excellent and it was so enjoyable out there. Fulham is a difficult place to come to, and they played really well, but we had that fight, that grit and I think we were the better team on the night. For me, we deserved the win and I’m really happy with how the game went."

Playing in a fluid number ten role alongside his close friend Cole Palmer, Rogers looked right at home in Alonso’s tactical setup. The pair linked up effectively throughout the contest, with Palmer adding a third goal just after the restart to put the Blues in control. Although Gonzalo Garcia reduced the deficit for Fulham to set up a nervous finish, Chelsea held firm to take all three points. Rogers felt the team showed the necessary character to overcome a stubborn opponent on their own turf.

"I thought the quality of our play was excellent and it was so enjoyable out there. Fulham is a difficult place to come to, and they played really well, but we had that fight, that grit and I think we were the better team on the night," Rogers explained.

Despite his goalscoring exploits, Rogers was withdrawn for the final ten minutes of the match as fatigue began to set in. The attacker arrived at Chelsea later than some of his new team-mates due to his involvement in the World Cup, and he admitted that he is still working his way back to peak physical condition.

"I didn’t feel that sharp towards the end, I was a bit tired and that’s why I came off for the last 10 minutes," admitted Morgan. "I’ve felt really good in pre-season but I’ve not had much of a break due to the World Cup, so I wanted to keep myself fresh. Coming to a new team, you don't want to come in sluggish and off the pace, so I tried to keep myself in the best shape as possible and I’ve tried to get up to speed as quickly as I can."

While the debut was undeniably successful, Rogers believes he is only scratching the surface of what he can provide for Chelsea. With games coming thick and fast in the Premier League, the focus now shifts to maintaining this momentum and finding another level of performance. The 24-year-old is confident that as he settles further into his new surroundings, both his individual output and the team's cohesion will continue to improve under Alonso's guidance.

"I still think there are more gears to go, and I've got to try and find them as quickly as possible because the games are coming thick and fast. But as I said, I felt good out there and I enjoyed it," Rogers concluded.