Chelsea FC suffered through a dramatic and costly afternoon against West Bromwich Albion but still came away with all three points. The match was wrought with drama for all the wrong reasons as Mark Clattenburg made himself the center of attention once again.
Still, it was a breathtaking affair that the Blues were somewhat fortunate to win but they have still taken four points from two fixtures in which they played the majority of the second half with 10 men.
Imagine what the scoreline would have been had the Blues stayed at full strength against a West Brom side that was vulnerable to the attack? Even Falcao could have notched himself a goal on the night.
Here are four things we learnt from the match.
Next: How Good Is Pedro?
Pedro Is Really, Really Good
When Chelsea FC announced the signing of Barcelona winger Pedro Eliezer Rodríguez Ledesma, more commonly known as simply Pedro, it was only a matter of time before he would earn a starting spot. Willian was struggling in front of goal as he has his whole Chelsea career and the Blues needed a goal-scoring threat on the right wing.
Through a combination of injuries to some key players and Willian’s sheer inability to score consistently, Pedro was given the nod against West Brom and he blew them away. Earning Man of the Match honors, the little Spanish dynamo scored the opener, assisted Diego Costa, and should have had another assist if it was not for Willian’s inaccuracy in front of goal.
He even set up Radamel Falcao for a goal that would have sealed the match. His presence should finally take some pressure off Eden Hazard and it may be a master stroke of a move come April when Chelsea are in the thick of the title race.
A pessimist may say that the competition was weak and that this is the same West Brom side that conceded three goals to Manchester City but they are still a top flight team. He may find it a bit tougher against the other big boys in the league but he looks to be worth every bit the £21m so far.
Next: Diego Costa
Diego Costa Is Not Done Yet
The rumors of Diego Costa’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. When healthy he is among the best strikers in Europe and the Premier League as well. He may not be as dynamic as Sergio Aguero and he does not have Harry Kane’s boyish good looks but when he is on form, Diego Costa is a threat in every sense of the word.
His hamstrings were a concern early on in the season and they still may come back to haunt the striker but for now he has looked healthy and ready to dominate. For his goal against the Baggies, the Spanish striker ran the full length of the field, about 113 yards, to tap in Pedro’s perfect cross. With another player who is direct and can cross coming down the right wing, expect Costa to have even more space to threaten defenses and he can match his 20 goal season with ease.
If he can manage 50 appearances the way he did for Atletico Madrid in 2013-14 then 30 goals is the exception and a very realistic target for the striker. He already makes players like Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas look better with his finishing so expect him to do the same for Pedro and Oscar when he returns from his injury.
Next: Ivanovic Mucking Things Up
Branislav Ivanovic Must Be Replaced
Chelsea FC fans have been joking on Twitter that Branislav Ivanovic must have some sort of dirt on Jose Mourinho because no matter how bad he plays he is still named to the starting lineup. Many fans were hoping that new signing Abdul Rahman Baba would make his debut but Mourinho did not make that move just yet. Perhaps after taking a look at the tape from the match he will change his mind.
Ivanovic was victimized by two pacey players in Jefferson Montero and Aleksandar Kolarov in recent weeks but against West Brom he was taken to task by Chris Brunt and Callum McManaman, two players not renowned for their pace. He was taken for a ride on both West Brom goals as he did little challenge the cross from coming in from his side and West Brom capitalized on both. McManaman turned him inside out in the Chelsea box and should have scored the Baggies’ third but his shot flashed just wide.
Chelsea desperately need someone with pace out on the flanks but Ivanovic’s aerial presence is a real threat. Perhaps with John Terry’s suspension Mourinho will bring Ivanovic in at center back and bring in Baba off the bench. Whatever the case is, something needs to change in the Chelsea backline and the prime suspect is the Serbian fullback.
Next: Overcoming The Referee
Chelsea FC Overcoming Referee Decisions
In their opening three fixtures, Chelsea FC have seen three questionable decisions from the referee go against them. Against Swansea, Bafetimbi Gomis was fouled just outside the box or on the line by Courtois but the referee pointed to the spot. The dismissal and red card was fine but he should have been given a free kick not a penalty.
Against Manchester City when it was still 1-0, Ramires looked to have scored but was incorrectly ruled offside. The Blues went on to lose 3-0 but 1-1 is an entirely different scoreline than 1-0 and would have changed the complexion of the match. Against West Brom, John Terry was sent off for the slightest touch on Salomon Rondon who did well to embellish the contact from the Chelsea captain.
Despite this, the Blues have taken four points from these three fixtures and have done well to hold on to leads or to keep the opposition from scoring when down to 10 men. This is excellent for the team’s mentality and Jose Mourinho will certainly point to it when the team’s back is against the wall. Six or seven points from these three fixtures would have been preferred but we all know that Premier League titles are not won in August.
Next: Chelsea FC Move To Wembley Agreed In Principle