Chelsea Tactics and Transfers: In defense of “Total” defending

Defenders inspire their team to score goals just as much as they prevent their opponent from doing the same. Chelsea need a “Total Football” approach to defence to free their forwards as much as steel their defenders.

Chelsea were rubbish against West Ham. There’s no two way’s about it. From top to bottom, none of them brought the quality of play that is expected of them, and that’s why the Blues lost.

It really is that simple.

If you can’t string together any passes of intelligence in any dangerous areas; if you can’t finish the chances you create; and if you can’t match the other team pound for pound in sweat and effort, chances are you’re going to lose. Chelsea were that team on Saturday, so West Ham deserved to win at Stamford Bridge for the first time in 17 years. It’s a shame, and it’s why they’ll need to improve mightily as the season progresses.

This all comes down to an argument in favor of the necessity of defending. That is not mutually exclusive with attacking football, or that I’m willing to complete surrender entertaining and free flowing football. In fact, I am a believer in coaching the minds of your players, not just their bodies, and the values of Total Football as a basis for building a team’s mentality. But Chelsea simply must defend better.

Chelsea would have taken at least a point out of the match against West Ham had they done so.

It is easy to blame Reece James for the goal that Aaron Cresswell scored, but that is slightly unfair.

With James on an island against West Ham’s left-back it was a lot to ask. It is also unfair to Cresswell, who took the ball perfectly on his left foot with a delightfully weighted first touch, while also playing James off balance as he moved the ball to his right before placing a well-weighted, curling, striker’s finish into the far corner. This is perfect technique. Perfect. To suggest this was all the fault of the young Chelsea defender would be incorrect and unfair to both. Cresswell is, after all, a man who is paid millions of pounds a year to play this game and has done so professionally more than 300 times.

Had a hard-working defensive midfielder been in position to help take away the interior angle from Cresswell, this would have played out differently. James would have then marshaled him towards the line before a rushed and harried cross was pinged into the box, likely to little effect.

Chelsea’s defense as a whole have their moments of blame – no one in the XI walks away blameless when the side loses. The pairing between Fikayo Tomori and Kurt Zouma is the best Chelsea have at the moment and deserves time to grow. But the centerbacks still lack the complementary push-and-pull that a perfect pairing should have. Likewise, the wingers and the fullbacks have yet to cohere.

Without Cesar Azpilicueta involved, the defense and those in front of them lack organization and character. After one of James’ more brilliant runs down the right side against West Ham, I remarked that it appears the end is closer than the beginning for our glorious Northern Spanish defender. But it gives me great joy to say that is not true just yet.

The team needs direction and leadership. Good defending is about communication, organization, poise and determination. Though it may be unfair, my expectation for a defense is that they take to the pitch as kings among men and they rule it as such.

A proper defense then gives the team confidence and passion moving forward.  Attackers, entertainers, midfield warriors, classic No. 10’s and every other variation need confidence and passion to take the battle forward, to win the game. They need to know that, should their move not come off properly and they lose possession, it won’t be too costly. Only through that security will they have the proper balance of confidence and good sense to try.

Built on the back of a tightly knit and strong defense a team should flow forward time and time again, like waves, until the opposition is broken down. They should do so with Bruce Lee’s theory on water. They should come from different angles and sides. They should shoot from distance and within the box. They should ping crosses in and smash headers at the goal, inspired by the willingness and bravado to gamble and entertain knowing they can depend on their defense to hold the line and that they’ll get another chance to amaze, knowing they will not lose. Then, and only then, can they responsibly think about winning.

Defending is not simply about the five men at the back including the goalkeeper. It is about a team’s decision that under no circumstances will they be beaten. It is about hard work and effort. Less-talented teams know how to use defending as a way to even the playing field against the larger teams of the world.

Liverpool are the best team in the land at the moment. Part of their success derives from learning and respecting football as something much larger and more intelligent than just bashing a ball about and claiming that this is in some manner romantic or correct.

A good defense provides the platform and confidence for a team to push forward.  A weak defense echoes through the rest of team until a team is not so much playing football as exercising in a field with 11 men they know.

With a good defense you don’t guarantee yourself a win, but you do guarantee yourself a point and a platform to get two more as well.