Chelsea’s midfield: Intrasquad competition silencing early-season doubts

Chelsea’s 4-0 drubbing of Burnley was significant in many ways, as it emphatically addressed some of the questions that have been asked of the team under Maurizio Sarri.

The questions started over the summer and have barely let up. Can Chelsea win without Eden Hazard? Can the midfielders be relied upon to contribute a few goals here and there? Will Kepa Arrizabalaga and the defense hold tight when faced with a barrage of crosses? Can Maurizio Sarri rely on the strikers over a full season?

Chelsea rubbished all of those questions in their most complete performance of the season. Alvaro Morata scored and, despite missing a couple of clear chances, had an overall good game. He got in behind Burnley’s defense time and again, and only his finishing let him down. Olivier Giroud came from the bench and was unlucky not to open his account for the season. The combination of an on-form Joe Hart and the crossbar thwarted his efforts.

The performance of the entire team was awesome but the midfield was where they were most superb. Jorginho was at his metronomic best, N’Golo Kante had one assist and was involved in every meaningful Chelsea attack. Ross Barkley scored one goal and added two assists to continue his resurgent form. And Ruben Loftus-Cheek added gloss to the scoreline with a late goal.

For any team that wants to play Maurizio Sarri’s style of football, a very good and highly-coordinated midfield is of the utmost importance. The system requires a deep midfielder who functions as the deep-lying playmaker or regista, a box-to-box midfielder and an attacking midfielder.

Chelsea, with Jorginho and Kante, have the first two positions on lockdown. It is now left for Mateo Kovacic, Ross Barkley and Ruben Loftus-Cheek to fight it out for that last spot. The healthy but fierce competition for that last spot is pushing the players to new heights. And the winner of it all? Chelsea.

Mateo Kovacic has always been somewhat of an enigma in his (so far) short but ultimately successful playing career. Everyone knew of his unlimited potential but no one seemed to know where his best position was. He has played every position in midfield and, sometimes, even on the wings. His lack of consistent playing time in one position caused him to stagnate a bit. Sarri, however, saw him as the final piece of the puzzle and his arrival was arranged on loan.

The Croatian went straight to the first team and he instantly became a crowd favorite. His creativity from deep was impressive and his ball carrying skills were second only to Eden Hazard’s. His defensive skills were also fully appreciated. The roar you hear after any of his crunching tackles can attest to that. He’s the type of player you enjoy fully only when you see him live, as he’s less likely to trouble the scoresheet than trouble the opposition. He has only one assist in the Premier League but that says very little about his contributions. Jorginho, the brain of Sarriball, also has just the one assist.

Ross Barkley’s career (minus the trophies) is similar to Kovacic’s. They are both 24 years old and have seen their careers grind to a halt at their pre-Chelsea clubs. In Barkley’s case, it was due to an eight-month injury layoff and a further six months playing catch up after his transfer. His best position was also unknown and, with his relationship with the manager deteriorating, it was time for him to say goodbye to Goodison Park. His injury problems and lack of faith from Antonio Conte blighted the second half of last season and he was deemed a flop.

Under Sarri, the England international has been granted a new lease on life. He had a full pre-season to impress the new head coach and he made a lasting impression. He’s now the first choice for that last spot owing to his performances in recent matches. He has scored in three consecutive matches taking his tally to three goals and three assists in the Premier League. Only Hazard, with seven goals and three assists, has been involved in more. Barkley even received a call up to the national team this month after two years away from the Three Lions. He’s on the right track to exploit his vast potential and, with Sarri guiding him, he could soon become a key player for both club and country.

The one player who made it easy for England to quickly move on from Barkley is none other than Ruben Loftus-Cheek. The London-born academy graduate’s progress was stymied by a lack of playing time as well as his playing style, which was perceived as arrogant in some quarters. His loan move to Crystal Palace was the wake up call his career needed and he did enough to make England’s World Cup squad.

He performed well at the tournament and his return to the club was therefore delayed. As a result, he did not have enough time to convince the manager of his worth. His injury problems then came up at inopportune times, delaying his first appearance even longer. There were calls for him to leave the club permanently, but he buckled down and his efforts have now been rewarded handsomely.

Loftus-Cheek netted his first senior hat-trick on Thursday and on Sunday made it four goals in two games. Such form has catapulted him to relevance at the club. If he can improve on the tactical side, he’ll live up to promise as John Terry’s successor from the academy to the first team.

The competition between Barkley and Loftus-Cheek, in particular, could be an interesting one to keep an eye on. It affects them at the club and in the national team. Gareth Southgate’s switch to a 4-3-3 means there’s only one slot for an attacking midfielder of their kind. So, for now, it is still a case of either one or the other. But it could reach a stage where consistent excellence from both players can no longer be ignored. In that case, Southgate would have to reimagine the team tactics to fit both of them in.

Intra-squad competitions are essential for the success of any team. It helps to eliminate complacency and push players to aim for constant improvements. The three midfielders have different abilities suitable for different matches and any coach will relish having such options.

The competition will help the players reach their potential and, more importantly, help the team in the long run. Knowing any slip in standards will be punished by an eager teammate will keep them on their toes all season.