Three ways Chelsea let two set pieces decide the tie against Man United

2. Choppy possession through the wingers

Without Willian in the lineup, Chelsea did not have a forward or midfield player who could (or would) maintain possession so the rest of the team could re-form, reset and ultimately work another attempt at United’s defensive line.

Manchester United’s shape made it easy for them to have a wing-back and a midfielder squaring off against the Blues’ wingers, with either a centreback or another midfielder in reserve. When the ball came to Callum Hudson-Odoi or Christian Pulisic they ran into this mini-wall of red, which usually recovered the ball via their 2v1 or 3v1 advantage and sent it out for a throw or cleared it to the midfield line. The Blues would then come back and start the process over again.

Hudson-Odoi is Chelsea’s best 1v1 winger. Against an isolated defender, Hudson-Odoi is usually past him and through on goal. Pulisic has some of the best close control on the team, and seems more deft and aggressively agile with the ball at this feet than without. But they were both isolated and overwhelmed against United.

This led Chelsea to have a series of one-and-done thrusts off the wings. Because Manchester United were content in their shape and Mourinho-esque control of the game through defensive play, they were not too bothered by Chelsea repeating this cycle.

The Blues had 65% possession, but much of that came through short, isolated bits of possession interrupted by throws and clearances. Chelsea did not have the prolonged, probing, shifting possession that has marked most of their season. It was less hypnotic than last season because there was at least the opponent breaking things up, but it was as monotonous. This time, instead of the same circuits repeated ad tedium, it was the same first few steps of an attack inside to outside, and then sent back out by the United defence.

Chelsea needed someone like Willian who does more than just dribble at defenders. Willian has been valuable to Chelsea in every aspect of the game this season. Part of this has been his ability to hold on to the ball, keeping one or two opposition defenders occupied making sure he doesn’t attack the box himself, while the rest of the team resets for the next attack. He is a big part of Chelsea maintaining a high level of pressure in the final third – the opponent can never take a breather if he is on the ball in that area. They don’t know what he is going to do, and he buys his teammates time to prepare for something they may not directly involve him.