Chelsea season can still be a success but only if they rediscover their defensive solidity
The ball has been launched high in the air. An experienced Chelsea player makes a bad touch and one of the opposing side takes great delight in putting the ball into the net. Coach Thomas Tuchel can’t believe what he’s seeing as his men go on to suffer a disappointing result at Stamford Bridge.
Anyone reading that sentence would understandably assume it’s referring to the poor piece of play involving Edouard Mendy and Antonio Rudiger just after half-time of the 3-1 home loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final first leg last night.
Karim Benzema was the beneficiary as he passed the ball into an empty goal to complete a hat-trick.
But no.
The event in our intro took place five months earlier.
On that occasion, Jorginho miscontrolled a long punt from Bruno Fernandes and Jadon Sancho took advantage to put Manchester United in front, albeit Chelsea did come back that day, Sunday November 28, to earn a 1-1 Premier League draw.
Why talk about that incident now, given it was so long ago? Because it was a sign of things to come.
Chelsea have been consistently making errors like that ever since. It is not a recent phenomenon, as Tuchel made out during his post-match interviews following Real Madrid’s rain-soaked victory.
His complaint was only about what has gone wrong in the last two matches. And you can understand why. Before the March international break, Chelsea had won 12 out of 13 fixtures. But they’ve now lost twice at home since the return of club football, conceding seven times in the process following that 4-1 derby defeat to Brentford on Saturday.
But Chelsea have been far too easy to score against since Jorginho’s error started the rot back in November. Just look at the numbers.
They began the season by keeping 12 clean sheets in their first 20 matches (an average of one every 1.7 games), and conceding just eight times (an average of 0.4 goals per game). In the 31 fixtures that have followed, Chelsea have let in 31 goals (an average of one per game) and clocked up only 12 more clean sheets (one every 2.6 matches).
When you think about how Chelsea won the Champions League under mid-season appointment Tuchel last season, it was down to their incredible defensive record. During the knockout stages, only Porto’s Mehdi Taremi and Benzema scored past Mendy (two goals against across the seven fixtures).
Indeed, after he replaced Frank Lampard as coach in late January, the season ended with Tuchel masterminding a run of 19 clean sheets in 30 matches with just 16 goals against (and five of those came in one match — that weird 5-2 home loss to relegation-bound West Bromwich Albion). It was a remarkable feat, given the timing of his arrival and the lack of opportunities in between games to work on things on the training pitches at Cobham.
As we’ve laid out, this defensive downturn isn’t a recent thing. So it’s not because players are distracted by the takeover talks, which was one of the theories put to Tuchel after the final whistle last night.
Obviously, the scenario isn’t ideal. Neither is three members of the defensive unit that started against Real Madrid — wing-back Cesar Azpilicueta and centre-backs Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen — having uncertain futures beyond the end of this season.
However, when The Athletic raised the contrast between Chelsea’s defensive solidity last season to what’s going on in this one, Tuchel only referred to the losses to Brentford and Real Madrid.
“If we have the same talk five days ago, we will still speak about the same defensive performance,” he replied. “In five days, it is seven goals conceded and we didn’t change anything: not from the approach, line-ups, or the system. I don’t think there’s a deeper reason for it. It is alarming. In two games, seven goals, but nothing has changed.”
A world-class player such as Benzema, who is leading the line in a top-class side, getting the better of you is no disgrace. Many teams around the globe have suffered the same fate.
But Chelsea have allowed, with the greatest of respect to these clubs, Chesterfield (of the fifth-tier National League), Plymouth Argyle (League One) and Luton Town (Championship) to score four goals between them in the FA Cup. Struggling Premier League teams Leeds United, Everton and Norwich City have put another four past Mendy.
The Senegal international has had a remarkable 18 months for club and country, but West Ham United showed he can be fallible during their 3-2 victory in December, a week on from the Manchester United game mentioned earlier. There was an error with the ball at his feet similar to the one which allowed Benzema to get his hat-trick goal last night. On that occasion, Mendy gave away a penalty after being closed down.
Chelsea haven’t been helped by injuries, fatigue due to a very busy schedule including the Club World Cup or COVID-19 over the past five months. The loss of Ben Chilwell to injury for the season in November has damaged the balance of the side. Reece James has barely been fit since December and didn’t look 100 per cent here against Real Madrid.
A key man in the Champions League triumph last May was N’Golo Kante. But he has started less than half of their games this season (24) and was substituted at half-time against ex-Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti’s La Liga leaders. His midfield partner, Jorginho, didn’t last much longer, with the Italy international going off just after the hour mark.
Tuchel has been increasingly leaving Jorginho out of the starting XI of late as he perhaps shows signs of an intense 2021, where he also helped Italy win the European Championship, taking its toll.
With those two key men not at their best or sharpest to consistently protect the back line, is it any wonder Chelsea are looking more vulnerable?
Real Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois suggested on the eve of the tie that former club Chelsea were not playing at the same standard as when they defeated his current side in the Champions League semi-finals last season.
“It’s more or less the same team, same players,” Courtois said when asked to compare. “But obviously the dynamic last year, they were playing really well and in a really good flow. This year, also maybe with the (ownership) situation, they’re struggling a little bit more.”
Nobody would disagree with that assessment now, but Chelsea can’t afford to feel sorry for themselves. Their bid to secure a top-four finish resumes away to Southampton on Saturday before the second leg of this quarter-final in the Bernabeu three days later. The following weekend brings an FA Cup semi-final against in-form Crystal Palace.
Their 2021-22 season can still bring further success on top of that Club World Cup triumph, but only if they rediscover their defensive solidity. As Tuchel concluded: “It is the moment now to find an end to this period of conceding goals and losing games very quickly, because we are in a crucial time of the season.”
https://theathletic.com/3235631/2022/04/07/chelsea-season-can-still-be-success-if-rediscover-defensive-solidity/
Chelsea season can still be a success but only if they rediscover their defensive solidity
The ball has been launched high in the air. An experienced Chelsea player makes a bad touch and one of the opposing side takes great delight in putting the ball into the net. Coach Thomas Tuchel can’t believe what he’s seeing as his men go on to suffer a disappointing result at Stamford Bridge.
Anyone reading that sentence would understandably assume it’s referring to the poor piece of play involving Edouard Mendy and Antonio Rudiger just after half-time of the 3-1 home loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final first leg last night.
Karim Benzema was the beneficiary as he passed the ball into an empty goal to complete a hat-trick.
But no.
The event in our intro took place five months earlier.
On that occasion, Jorginho miscontrolled a long punt from Bruno Fernandes and Jadon Sancho took advantage to put Manchester United in front, albeit Chelsea did come back that day, Sunday November 28, to earn a 1-1 Premier League draw.
Why talk about that incident now, given it was so long ago? Because it was a sign of things to come.
Chelsea have been consistently making errors like that ever since. It is not a recent phenomenon, as Tuchel made out during his post-match interviews following Real Madrid’s rain-soaked victory.
His complaint was only about what has gone wrong in the last two matches. And you can understand why. Before the March international break, Chelsea had won 12 out of 13 fixtures. But they’ve now lost twice at home since the return of club football, conceding seven times in the process following that 4-1 derby defeat to Brentford on Saturday.
But Chelsea have been far too easy to score against since Jorginho’s error started the rot back in November. Just look at the numbers.
They began the season by keeping 12 clean sheets in their first 20 matches (an average of one every 1.7 games), and conceding just eight times (an average of 0.4 goals per game). In the 31 fixtures that have followed, Chelsea have let in 31 goals (an average of one per game) and clocked up only 12 more clean sheets (one every 2.6 matches).
When you think about how Chelsea won the Champions League under mid-season appointment Tuchel last season, it was down to their incredible defensive record. During the knockout stages, only Porto’s Mehdi Taremi and Benzema scored past Mendy (two goals against across the seven fixtures).
Indeed, after he replaced Frank Lampard as coach in late January, the season ended with Tuchel masterminding a run of 19 clean sheets in 30 matches with just 16 goals against (and five of those came in one match — that weird 5-2 home loss to relegation-bound West Bromwich Albion). It was a remarkable feat, given the timing of his arrival and the lack of opportunities in between games to work on things on the training pitches at Cobham.
As we’ve laid out, this defensive downturn isn’t a recent thing. So it’s not because players are distracted by the takeover talks, which was one of the theories put to Tuchel after the final whistle last night.
Obviously, the scenario isn’t ideal. Neither is three members of the defensive unit that started against Real Madrid — wing-back Cesar Azpilicueta and centre-backs Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen — having uncertain futures beyond the end of this season.
However, when The Athletic raised the contrast between Chelsea’s defensive solidity last season to what’s going on in this one, Tuchel only referred to the losses to Brentford and Real Madrid.
“If we have the same talk five days ago, we will still speak about the same defensive performance,” he replied. “In five days, it is seven goals conceded and we didn’t change anything: not from the approach, line-ups, or the system. I don’t think there’s a deeper reason for it. It is alarming. In two games, seven goals, but nothing has changed.”
A world-class player such as Benzema, who is leading the line in a top-class side, getting the better of you is no disgrace. Many teams around the globe have suffered the same fate.
But Chelsea have allowed, with the greatest of respect to these clubs, Chesterfield (of the fifth-tier National League), Plymouth Argyle (League One) and Luton Town (Championship) to score four goals between them in the FA Cup. Struggling Premier League teams Leeds United, Everton and Norwich City have put another four past Mendy.
The Senegal international has had a remarkable 18 months for club and country, but West Ham United showed he can be fallible during their 3-2 victory in December, a week on from the Manchester United game mentioned earlier. There was an error with the ball at his feet similar to the one which allowed Benzema to get his hat-trick goal last night. On that occasion, Mendy gave away a penalty after being closed down.
Chelsea haven’t been helped by injuries, fatigue due to a very busy schedule including the Club World Cup or COVID-19 over the past five months. The loss of Ben Chilwell to injury for the season in November has damaged the balance of the side. Reece James has barely been fit since December and didn’t look 100 per cent here against Real Madrid.
A key man in the Champions League triumph last May was N’Golo Kante. But he has started less than half of their games this season (24) and was substituted at half-time against ex-Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti’s La Liga leaders. His midfield partner, Jorginho, didn’t last much longer, with the Italy international going off just after the hour mark.
Tuchel has been increasingly leaving Jorginho out of the starting XI of late as he perhaps shows signs of an intense 2021, where he also helped Italy win the European Championship, taking its toll.
With those two key men not at their best or sharpest to consistently protect the back line, is it any wonder Chelsea are looking more vulnerable?
Real Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois suggested on the eve of the tie that former club Chelsea were not playing at the same standard as when they defeated his current side in the Champions League semi-finals last season.
“It’s more or less the same team, same players,” Courtois said when asked to compare. “But obviously the dynamic last year, they were playing really well and in a really good flow. This year, also maybe with the (ownership) situation, they’re struggling a little bit more.”
Nobody would disagree with that assessment now, but Chelsea can’t afford to feel sorry for themselves. Their bid to secure a top-four finish resumes away to Southampton on Saturday before the second leg of this quarter-final in the Bernabeu three days later. The following weekend brings an FA Cup semi-final against in-form Crystal Palace.
Their 2021-22 season can still bring further success on top of that Club World Cup triumph, but only if they rediscover their defensive solidity. As Tuchel concluded: “It is the moment now to find an end to this period of conceding goals and losing games very quickly, because we are in a crucial time of the season.”
https://theathletic.com/3235631/2022/04/07/chelsea-season-can-still-be-success-if-rediscover-defensive-solidity/
