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Chelsea vs. Crystal Palace becoming an unusually dramatic London derby

By Hugo Amaya

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 16: Willian of Chelsea celebrates with team mates after scoring his team's third goal of the game during The Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round match between Chelsea and Hull City at Stamford Bridge on February 16, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 16: Willian of Chelsea celebrates with team mates after scoring his team's third goal of the game during The Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round match between Chelsea and Hull City at Stamford Bridge on February 16, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) /
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After failing to win their last three games, Chelsea need a massive improvement against Crystal Palace. How important can this fixture be for the blues?

After unimpressive performances in recent games, and an (extremely) massive game against Barcelona around the corner, Antonio Conte has something to prove. Chelsea’s losses to Manchester United and Manchester City have made Conte, as well as the players, the subject of criticism from everyone.

Winning against Crystal Palace would boost everyone’s confidence around the club. Conte has been under heavy fire for replacing Eden Hazard when the team were looking for something special. But, if he manages to balance the team and get a win, he may just silence his critics.

This is also an opportunity for Conte to pick the correct squad, which may mean a new XI. Although Eden Hazard is an outstanding player, his teammates are becoming over-reliant on his talent. This is disrupting the balance of the team.

The game against Crystal Palace will allow Conte to find different solutions even at the expense of the Belgian. Playing Alvaro Morata or Olivier Giroud this time around may solve some problems in the attack, as well as the flow of play in transition, hold-up and offensive possession.

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Furthermore, the players need good results to play against Barcelona. A large part of the game is played in the mind. Going to the Camp Nou after losing three games in a row would be nothing short of a disaster. Moreover, the attacking players’ chemistry has to be at the highest level possible. If they want score goals against Barcelona, this is the chance to practice just that.

From Chelsea’s defensive point of view, Crystal Palace have become a stubborn challenge in recent years. Crystal Palace beat the Blues in the last two fixtures. Chelsea’s defence will want to stop this from becoming a bad habit. A solid performance will help erase the childish mistakes of recent games and re-establish the rightful degree of assertiveness to the back line.

When it comes to the bigger picture, Chelsea cannot lose any more games if they want a spot in the Champions League next season. A win today should spark the flames of reaching that goal. It should also represent, to some degree, the desire the team has to win silverware, or at least continue to fight for it.

Next: Predicted XI vs. Crystal Palace: Giroud has his audition for Barcelona

Chelsea face off against Barcelona in the second leg of the round of 16 on Wednesday. Winning against Crystal Palace does not, by any means, assure a win at the Camp Nou. However, it does show the will of the team to correct their mistakes and fight in the competition. And it will help improve their chances of keeping a top-four spot in the Premier League.

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