Chelsea FC Must Carry Champions League Form Into Premier League
Chelsea FC put in a good performance in their opening Champions League game but they must carry their form into Saturday’s Premier League clash with Arsenal
As the final whistle was blown there was a gush of relief along with an air of positivity around Stamford Bridge as Chelsea FC finally showed some resemblance of the Championship winning form. A 4-0 drubbing of Champions League minnows Maccabi Tel Aviv represented Chelsea’s best performance this season.
Jose Mourinho radically changed the squad for this fixture and made a big statement by keeping John Terry, Branislav Ivanovic and Nemanja Matic on the bench.
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New signing Abdul Baba Rahman was given his Chelsea debut while Chelsea academy prospect Ruben Loftus-Cheek got the nod in the middle of the park.
The Blues welcomed back Oscar as the No. 10 after the Brazilian was out for several games due to an injury with Loic Remy given the responsibility to lead the attack up front.
Jose Mourinho also tinkered with the formation a bit and paired Cesc Fabregas and Oscar together leaving Loftus Cheek as the only defensive midfielder in front of the back four.
Many of us were expecting a drab affair considering how the team has fared this season, but personally I was in for a surprise when I saw a resurgence and a regaining of a lost sense of enthusiasm within the team as they started the match.
Oscar, especially, was brilliant in the middle of the pitch where he was the focal point of most of the Chelsea attacks. He was also helped out defensively by pressurizing the opponent as soon as he lost possession.
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Willian on the wide right was as outstanding as ever, making things happen for Chelsea up front with his immense work rate and impeccable trickery and agility. It was unfortunate that his day was cut short.
Baba Rahman showed exactly why Chelsea have invested in him. He was seen to be prancing up and down the line and his balancing of his defensive and offensive duties was a joy to watch.
But apart from the fantastic result, it is now safe to say that Loftus Cheek will and should be an integral part of the Chelsea system. The lad rarely put a foot wrong the entire match. His sudden change of pace from a defensive position towards attack is a pleasure to see while he has also developed that maturity to stay composed in a tense situation.
Loftus-Cheek’s start to the match wasn’t a bright one as he was booked for a tackle in the very first minute of the game. Having said that, his ability to stay calm throughout the match after getting booked so early just goes to show how far the youngster has come.
In general, Chelsea started to look like themselves again. They were dominant and were passing with a certain purpose and fluidity.
Granted that they weren’t playing against the best of opposition, but such a result was needed for both the team and the manager just to lift the spirits in the Chelsea camp after a torrid start to the campaign.
One of the best things that I witnessed yesterday was that in certain phases of the games when Chelsea lost possession, the whole team started to press to get the ball back. This hunger, this ardor was missing until now and hopefully won’t disappear as the season continues.
Diego Costa finally opened his account with Chelsea in Europe as he struck a sweet volley from a Fabregas pass. Hopefully such a goal will also kick start his season after some miserable performances.
Fabregas got himself a goal and an assist and boy did he need this! The Spaniard endured a tough start to this campaign where he went the first 5 games of the season without any assists or goals. With one of each now credited to his account, Fabregas should have a spring in his step against his old club this weekend.
I had my doubts over the Chelsea defense ahead of this game as it was relatively new. Although I am not thoroughly satisfied (Maccabi were able to cut through at certain stages) it was definitely better than what we have witnessed in the weeks previous.
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With Gary Cahill keeping the shape, Zouma, Cesar Azpilicueta and Baba all had sufficient pace to regain the possession if the attackers got behind the line. It is not that I think the defense will become weaker if Terry and Ivanovic come back, but I hope that the two stalwarts face a fight for regaining their first team positions.
After a long time, Stamford Bridge is a happy place and to keep it that way, Chelsea have to carry the same form into the Premier League.
The title may very well be out of our reach, but top 4 or top 3 should be a realistic target and if Chelsea can find their lost mojo then who knows what can happen?
The London Derby couldn’t have come at a better time for Chelsea. Arsenal are downtrodden at the moment after a defeat at the hands of Dinamo Zagreb. With a win at Stamford Bridge, the Blues can not only claim the bragging rights in London, but can kick-start their season altogether.
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