Cesar Azpilicueta was nearly halfway to a Chelsea record for assists by a defender after seven games with Alvaro Morata. His tally will stall while he and the Blues adapt to Morata’s absence.
Cesar Azpilicueta assisted on four of Alvaro Morata’s seven goals in a Chelsea shirt. That put Azpilicueta only one shy of last season’s assist count, and only two fewer than his career-best from the 2012/13 season.
Azpilicueta has led Chelsea’s defenders in assists in all but one of his seasons at Stamford Bridge. Branislav Ivanovic led the way in 2014/15 with seven assists, six coming in the Premier League. In the last 15 seasons, three defenders have finished a season with six Premier League assists: Ivanovic (twice), Azpilicueta and Ashley Cole. Across all competitions, Cole has the lead with nine in 2011/12.
The unlikely offensive partnership sprang to life by default, as Azpilicueta was the first Chelsea player to identify and deliver quality service to the new striker. Cesc Fabregas has yet to find his way in this season’s tactics, despite (because of?) the increase in playing time. Fabregas has not put himself in right position to create long aerial balls or clever through balls to Morata. Instead, Fabregas has frustratingly drifted high and to the left in several games, or is caught a few steps behind an emerging play.
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Marcos Alonso struggled in Eden Hazard’s absence. Without Hazard to create space and diversions on the left side of the offence, Alonso does not have his usual command and confidence on the flank. Despite having the perfect target man for his crosses, he has yet to send anything tantalizing towards his countryman.
On the other side, Victor Moses still treats every first defender as a stockade fence. His attempts at crosses yield throw-ins and little else.
Cesar Azpilicueta, in his developing hybrid role between centre-back, midfielder and wing-back, is in the perfect position to set up Morata. Moses stretches the field wide, which allows Azpilicueta to come inside. N’Golo Kante protects Azpilicueta’s movement forward. Azpilicueta can then make a mid-distance, curving diagonal pass to Morata. His passing angle and range is between what they would be from Fabregas or Moses.
Azpilicueta filled a void that his teammates created. Like much of his career at Chelsea, Azpilicueta did the job that no one else was doing. He will have to adapt again if he wants to add to his assist tally while Morata recovers.
If Chelsea switch to a 3-5-2, Azpilicueta may not have the space to operate just off the top of the box. Neither Michy Batshuayi nor Eden Hazard are particularly strong in the air, so he will need to change both the angle and elevation of his passes.
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However, a fun aside: Azpilicueta’s first assist at Chelsea was a cross to an Eden Hazard header. Azpilicueta can send balls to meet Hazard moving in from the left, which Hazard can chest down and continue on a run across the box. He can also send Hazard through on a one-two if the Belgian comes to the right side.
Azpilicueta set up Batshuayi’s title-clinching goal last season, playing nearly to the goal line to cut the ball back towards the six-yard line. Chelsea were chasing a goal, late in the game against a deep-sitting opponent. He will not have many opportunities like that in the coming weeks. Azpilicueta will rarely be forward enough to cut a ball in to Batshuayi unless Antonio Conte moves Azpilicueta off the back line.
At his usual pre-Morata pace, Azpilicueta can expect one assist while the striker is out with injury. Even though Chelsea may need all the help they can get on offence, Azpilicueta will likely return to his more defensive posture at right centre-back. Without his best target, it is not worth the risk to bring him up the pitch.
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This will place the pressure for chance creation back where it belongs: with the wing-backs and Cesc Fabregas. They need to find ways to open opportunities for the Belgian pair leading the line. Counting on one striker to carry the weight of goal scoring is bad enough. Looking to a centre-back to make those goals happen is a route Chelsea should not have to go down.