Chelsea needed substitutions and a formation shift to inspire their comeback against Southampton. They need real leaders to keep them from falling behind in the first place.
Chelsea’s season so far has been a tale of two halves. Around the new year they were in second place in the Premier League and were alive in three other competitions. Since then, apart from the FA Cup, nothing has gone as intended.
Against Southampton it was the same kind of performance the fans have witnessed from Chelsea since the turn of the year. They lose the ball cheaply and the opponents score from a counter-attack. Even though Southampton’s second goal was a well-worked set-piece, a goalkeeper who believes himself to be one of the best should have done better.
Even though the first half continued the form from the previous matches, Chelsea managed to turn things after going behind 2-0. The second half showed a glimpse of what this team is capable of. It was more like the Chelsea fans saw before the turn of the year.
Apart from N’Golo Kante, nobody took any kind of responsibility in the first half. That has been the case in most of the recent matches. Even the ever-dependable Cesar Azpilicueta was making basic errors. The flair players like Eden Hazard and Willian were attempting flicks and dummies when all they need to do was a simple, normal pass.
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Even while going for the goal, Chelsea’s attackers seemed to be trying to score a perfect goal. If they are leading by a commanding score-line like 4-0 or 5-0, it is understandable. But it is unacceptable to try those when the team is struggling to win.
Those same players showed what the club really needed after going 2-0 behind. The introduction of Olivier Giroud and Pedro instilled intent and purpose in their attack. There were no more unnecessary flicks or dummies. Players like Hazard, Willian, Giroud and Fabregas took the responsibility to change things around.
An important aspect of Chelsea’s comeback win was their lineup after going behind 2-0. Antonio Conte finally tried a line-up that did not have a back-three. But they returned to the three-man defence once they took the lead. When they did so, they once again lost the fluidity and flow. Giroud, who was in thick of it in the 4-3-3, suddenly seemed lost. Chelsea almost threw it away if not for Thibaut Courtois.
Since the turn of the year, when the club needed more depth in the ranks, the board provided them with even more injured players. Since then, Antonio Conte always seems to be trying to prove something to the board and the players look disinterested.
For a club to move forward, every person involved within the club should do their job with utmost sincerity. They are currently inside the top-five only because of their good performance in the first half of the season. On the form of the second-half, they are among the bottom five.
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Chelsea always had leaders in them. They are the players capable of leading the current team as well. But they need to seize the opportunities to be one.