This season has been irritating for many Chelsea followers, to say the least. These younger gamers create loads of possibilities, dominate possession, and commonly discover themselves in goal-scoring positions—however the ending simply hasn’t been there.
For a squad of 60 gamers valued at a billion, that’s a significant issue. All that possession, all these openings, but nothing to point out for it.
Similar Outdated Issues
The latest 0-1 loss on the Emirates was yet one more reminder that Chelsea can dominate possession all day lengthy however nonetheless come away with nothing.
With the worldwide break providing a reset, Chelsea’s conflict in opposition to Tottenham at Stamford Bridge is essential—drop extra factors, and their Champions League hopes take a critical hit.
In keeping with non GamStop bookies, Chelsea are 4/6 to win at house, with a draw at 18/5 and Tottenham at 10/3 to take all of the factors. A set whole of three.5 targets, with 20/21 on the over, present that this might go both method, however for Chelsea, there’s just one acceptable end result—profitable.
Extra Than Simply the Strikers
Chelsea’s goal-scoring points don’t begin and finish with the strikers. The midfield has been simply as responsible, providing little when it comes to attacking output.
Caicedo, Enzo Fernández, and Lavia are all proficient, however none of them deliver the facility, drive, or aim risk that the likes of Lampard, Ballack, Essien, or Mikel as soon as supplied.
Bodily, they’ll by no means dominate video games, and creatively, they only can’t supply sufficient leading edge. And not using a midfielder who can break strains, drive ahead, and chip in with targets, Chelsea will hold struggling to show possession into actual risk.
Tactical Changes Wanted
Enzo Maresca’s tactical setup has allowed Chelsea to create possibilities, however there are nonetheless flaws in how they strategy the ultimate third. Too typically, Chelsea’s attackers rush their pictures or fail to select the appropriate choice when underneath stress.
Motion off the ball is one other situation. Palmer constantly finds himself in harmful areas, however the remainder of the assault lacks the identical sharpness.
There’s no true poacher within the squad—Jackson has the bodily attributes however doesn’t but have the intuition of a high striker.
Maresca has experimented with completely different approaches, sometimes pushing Palmer centrally or tweaking Neto’s function, however fixed changes gained’t repair the issue. Chelsea want a extra outlined attacking construction, one which maximizes their xG and turns dominance into targets.
The possibilities are there—it’s time to start out ending them.
The Defensive Influence on Attacking Play
One other issue that may’t be ignored is Chelsea’s protection. Simply take a look at the backline and be actual—there isn’t a single participant who would have made it into Abramovich’s Chelsea.
Badiashile and Fofana have their moments however lack management. Chilwell and Reece James battle with accidents, whereas Chalobah, for all his love for the membership, isn’t on the degree required to compete on the very high.
With a backline like this, it’s no surprise the whole crew seems to be shaky.
When defenders can’t be relied upon, every thing else collapses. The midfield performs with hesitation, the assault lacks confidence, and as an alternative of urgent excessive and dominating, Chelsea spend an excessive amount of time protecting gaps.
Within the Abramovich period, the protection was a fortress—Terry, Carvalho, Cole, and prime Ivanović didn’t simply cease targets, they dictated the sport. Proper now, there’s no presence, no worry issue, and no stability.
If Chelsea wish to compete, they want 5 skilled gamers—leaders who can take management, arrange the backline, and set the inspiration for the crew to assault with confidence.
In any other case, it doesn’t matter what number of xG they rack up; with out a stable protection, they’ll all the time be chasing video games as an alternative of profitable them.
The Highway Forward
All membership legends have mentioned the identical factor—this Chelsea squad lacks management. It’s an immature crew filled with potential however lacking the expertise and mentality to manage video games in key moments.
Nkunku, Sancho, Madueke, and Jackson are all proficient, however none of them have the presence to take cost when the crew wants path. They will produce moments of brilliance, however with out a commanding determine to information them, Chelsea’s assault typically seems to be disjointed.
There’s nobody demanding the ball when issues aren’t going their method, nobody setting the tempo when they should take management of a match.
That’s the distinction between potential and dominance. Chelsea’s assault is stuffed with aptitude, however with out a chief to deliver all of it collectively, it stays inconsistent.
The expertise is there, however with out a clear focus, they’ll hold struggling to show possession into targets when it issues most.
