Talking tactics: Chelsea host a Newcastle that is just ready for the end

If Newcastle was not a bogey team, Chelsea would have no worries about this game. Steve Bruce’s side is just waiting for the end of the game and season.

Everyone remembers that one game they had as a kid where before it even kicked off, everyone just wanted it to be over. It shows through all levels of play and when the game ends, it is a relief more than anything.

That is basically Newcastle since Rafa Benitez decided to stop finding an upstream current. It seemed like he almost held Newcastle together through sheer force of will alone last season to keep them in the Premier League. But with Mike Ashley dangling a sale that never came, Benitez departed and in his place came Steve “we are all okay with relegation” Bruce.

Maybe that is harsh on Bruce but really nothing about his appointment signals a club with a desire to stay in the Premier League. He has done an admirable job at trying to hold things together but Newcastle simply look like a side that has already accepted its relegation. Were Newcastle not a boogie team of sorts for Chelsea, this would be an easy match to predict.

Formationally, Newcastle has shifted between a few shapes in order to find the best fit for the personnel. Before the break, Bruce did lament that Newcastle were unable to adjust into other shapes and ideas midgame so maybe that was a focus during the break. Primarily though, they have favored a three at the back set up.

So it is known what Bruce wants to be able to do, though being better at keeping possession is a pretty vague statement on its own. When they do have the ball, which remains rare with Bruce as it did with Benitez, they generally send it long and take a lot of shots with the hope something will happen.

Maybe that is what Bruce was talking about when he seemingly took a swipe at Benitez, but Benitez set the side up in a way that ultimately got the results to stay in the Premier League. It was ugly yes, but it worked. Bruce has thus far shown that he cannot organize Newcastle as well as Benitez (not a shock) or that he is trying to change the style into something more gung ho.

It is hard to tell what Chelsea should expect from Newcastle as it is a side stuck between a very passive set up that worked and whatever vision Bruce has for the side as they try not to collapse in on themselves. The Blues will likely dominate the ball as Newcastle look to find the same smash and grab magic that worked against Manchester United.

Ultimately, this match will simply be about Chelsea taking their chances (something the Blues have struggled with somewhat) while keeping Newcastle from turning any of their hopeless shots into goals.

It sounds easy and it should be easy but nothing is ever that straight forward when Newcastle United is involved with Chelsea.