Chelsea FC have had an uncharacteristically terrible defense for the majority of the current season. The game against Manchester United offered a wonderful glimpse into the possible future.
Chelsea have for a long time been associated with their defending, and it has been a wonderful platform for the position for countless players. While many football fans seem to think the only way the game can be played beautifully is by attacking, I dissent. There is pleasure in a wonderful defence.
Chelsea appear to be getting back to that against Manchester United. Dropping David Luiz for Andreas Christensen was the right move. Luiz is not the sort of player that a manager can build a football team around. Too much has to be done on his terms – if he’s having fun, if he’s feeling it, if he’s enjoying his football. That does not make him the most accountable player on the field, and it appears the entire Chelsea following finally snapped back into shape after the horror show in Rome.
Andreas Christensen, though young, is a phenomenal defender. He is conservative in his play but still good with the ball at his feet. There is no trade-off or choice between good technical ability with the ball and good defending ability. Idiots argue otherwise, but it simply is not true.
Many defenders are excellent in the air, use good judgement, can tackle and can also pass. Sergio Ramos, Alessandro Nesta, Pique and Thuram could all do it. John Stones has finally joined the ranks of good defenders this season. Christensen has the ability to join them, too, but only because he understands that defending comes first.
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A defender’s job is simple: keep clean sheets. Stifle the literal hope out of opponents. There’s a joy in that. If you played several beautiful balls over the top and have a high pass completion rating, it is all for naught if the other team scores at all. For Christensen, this is instinctual in a way that it never has been for David Luiz, and that is why the Dane must be the choice going forward.
Sadly, it is time for Chelsea to move on from Luiz. Andreas Christensen should be flanked by Cesar Azpilicueta and Gary Cahill. Chelsea should remain that way without substitution, or they risk failure for a long time. The substitute in case of injury should be Antonio Rudiger.
The best defence in Europe for five years running was Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli at Juventus. Each of them made over 45 appearances per season in that time. Solidarity and continuity does wonders for a backline.
Following the defeat in Rome it was apparent Chelsea lacked communication, accountability and leadership among the defence. Cesar Azpilicueta and Gary Cahill are both limited footballers technically, but make up for that with work-rate and character. David Luiz’s proclivity for listening to his heart over his head is the sort of unaccountable behavior that destroys the solidarity of a backline.
What makes Rudiger the choice over Luiz moving forward is that he apologized. He came out and acknowledged his mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. You can’t possibly blame a man for making them. But you simply must be accountable in their reparation. David Luiz, on the other hand, apparently got into a bust-up with Antonio Conte over it.
David Luiz is a nice guy but he should be the fifth choice defender. If games need killing off, Jake Clarke-Salter should come on for experience. Rather than wasting Luiz’s time he should be allowed to leave. Clarke-Salter is heir apparent to the left centre-back role, as he is naturally left-footed and was Christensen’s partner the whole way through youth levels. He is the future Chiellini to Christensen’s Bonucci.
Luiz is one of the most loved and highly thought of Chelsea players. If he is happy to stay then Chelsea should let him without a doubt. There is just very little use for a non-defending defender in serious football.
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The rest of the season should be seen out with Cahill, Christensen and Azpilicueta as the back-line. If David Luiz wants to play, Chelsea should let him do it someplace else because at Stamford Bridge, where defending is an art form, David Luiz is a philistine.