Can Chelsea FC Play Like the Seattle Seahawks did in Super Bowl XLVIII?

Feb 2, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after Super Bowl XLVIII against the Denver Broncos at MetLife Stadium. Seattle Seahawks won 43-8. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

In Super Bowl XLVIII tonight in New Jersey, the Seattle Seahawks and their defense dominated the Denver Broncos and their top ranked offense. Denver has been scoring at will at season but Seattle has been the stingiest defense in the National Football League. The Seahawks won the game by physically dominating the Broncos and by scoring through unconventional means.

As of the last round of Premier League matches, Manchester City have the best offensive record in the league and Chelsea own the best defense. City are known for their flair with players like David Silva, Fernandinho, and Jesus Navas scoring and setting up goals by the bunches for forwards Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Negredo. Chelsea’s defense has been bolstered by the physical presence of John Terry, Gary Cahill, Branislav Ivanovic, and the rotation in deep central midfield featuring Nemanja Matic and John Obi Mikel.

Chelsea wishing the Seahawks luck in the Super Bowl:

City manager Manuel Pellegrini has always featured a slick passing attack but his side is aided by the power of Vincent Kompany and Yaya Toure much the way Denver’s attack is aided by their big physical wide receivers. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho prefers the philosophy of defending first and attacking second. Many of Chelsea’s goals this season have come as the result of a counter attack after absorbing pressure, much the same as Seattle sucker punching Denver with an interception and kickoff return for a touchdown.

So the question is, can Chelsea physically dominate Manchester City and beat them on the counter the way Seattle did tonight? The key for Chelsea is to impose their will on City and set the tone early on in the match. A lucky bounce or defensive error by City certainly would not hurt the Blues’ chances either. If the stars align and Chelsea is able to turn what must be a tremendous effort in to three points, there will not be any confetti or a trophy at the end of the match, but it would go a long way in determining who will end up winning the Barclay’s Premier League.