Cesar Azpilicueta twice made Chelsea’s title-clinching win possible
By George Perry
Michy Batshuayi scored the goal that everyone will still be talking about months from now. Cesar Azpilicueta kept the play – and the 0-0 scoreline – alive to make that moment possible.
Cesar Azpilicueta may have done the most Cesar Azpilicueta thing ever following Chelsea’s Premier League-winning game on Friday. While Diego Costa washed the champagne out of his eyes with Lucozade and Eden Hazard moved through beers as if they were the Arsenal defence, Cesar Azpilicueta – so the rumour goes – was drinking a recovery shake amidst the Blues’ celebrations.
Azpilicueta twice made Chelsea’s win possible. Around the 70th minute David Luiz went on an adventure towards the midfield line. He thrust forward to try to intercept a West Brom outlet pass. Salomon Rondon received the ball and with a quick move was past Luiz. Luiz fouled Rondon, and the referee played the advantage with nothing but open grass between Rondon and Thibaut Courtois.
Gary Cahill was the closest Chelsea defender in support of Luiz. Cahill dashed towards Rondon, but the West Brom man had a few steps head start. Cahill could not have taken back the ball without giving up a yellow or even a red card.
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Cesar Azpilicueta had started even further up the pitch – and on the opposite side – than Rondon. The Spaniard caught up to Rondon in time to shoulder him 15 yards out from Courtois. That put just enough space between Rondon and the ball that Azpilicueta could fully block Rondon’s shot from eight yards. The calmness, the patience, the perfect physicality all resulted in Azpilicueta defusing the scoring chance.
About 15 minutes after his textbook display of full-back skills Azpilicueta showed why he may someday be Chelsea’s starting wing-back or midfielder. As Chelsea’s dual-striker set-up pushed West Brom further back towards their net, Azpilicueta played well forward of Chelsea’s defensive line.
He dashed from a few yards beyond the top of the box to get to the outside of Victor Moses as the ball bounced between Chelsea players. He took a short square pass from Moses and lofted it across the box towards Marcos Alonso.
When Gary Cahill subsequently scuffed his shot, Azpilicueta was first to react. He charged for the loose ball, getting there a step ahead of the West Brom player. Rather than take a turn to the outside to settle play and look for the pass, he instinctively cut the ball back towards the front of goal.
Beyond the assist credited to his name, Azpilicueta kept the attack alive. After spending most of the game eyeing Ben Foster from distance, Chelsea had finally advanced their lines into the Baggies’ box. With two strikers and Willian’s fresh legs on the pitch, Chelsea had at last created the confusion and overload necessary to scramble a Tony Pulis defence.
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West Brom can reform their defensive shape as fast as any team in the Premier League. Had Azpilicueta taken extra touches upon recovering the ball, West Brom could have drawn Chelsea off-sides or re-established a low block in front of Foster. Azpilicueta exploited the rare occurrence of confusion and distortion among the Baggies’ defence.
No one would be surprised to hear that the only player to have played every Premier League minute of Chelsea’s season does not even give himself a “cheat hour” to celebrate a title win. Then again, that is precisely why he can – and has – play every minute.
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Azpilicueta deserves to rest for Chelsea’s remaining two games. He would likely be appalled at the very suggestion.