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Chelsea key clashes at Villa: Blues’ defense vs. Villains’ attack, Kante vs. McGinn, etc.

By Gabe Henderson

LEICESTER, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 01: Antonio Rudiger of Chelsea celebrates with Andreas Christensen after scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Leicester City and Chelsea FC at The King Power Stadium on February 01, 2020 in Leicester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
LEICESTER, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 01: Antonio Rudiger of Chelsea celebrates with Andreas Christensen after scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Leicester City and Chelsea FC at The King Power Stadium on February 01, 2020 in Leicester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) /
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Chelsea will have its hands full with a match-ready Aston Villa side on Sunday. Here are some key clashes to keep an eye on.

The overall matchup may not be the most mouth-watering fixture on this weekend’s lineup, but football is back regardless. The Blues open up against a struggling Aston Villa side as they look to elevate themselves closer to securing a top four place. Regardless of one’s thoughts on the match as a whole, there are some scintillating smaller squabbles.

1. Blues’ defense vs. Villains’ attack

If someone were to highlight the matchup of Frank Lampard’s defense against a John Terry-aided attack, it would surely turn heads. However, both units have been sub-par this season and amongst the Premier League’s most mediocre groups. It’s the worst kept secret in the league that Chelsea’s had defensive struggles this season.

Coming back after a three month hiatus entails knocking some of the rust off. Luckily for the Blues defenders, they come out against an incredibly average attack before a mid-week scrap with Manchester City. The reason this clash is so important in this match is because despite not scoring, Aston Villa showed promise throughout the entirety of the match against Sheffield United.

Although they didn’t find the back of the net, the Villains came close on a few occasions. Dean Henderson and Sheffield’s disciplined defense kept the clean sheet, but that may not be the case against Chelsea. Chelsea’s defense needs to be solid for multiple reasons: they’ve been way too shaky this season—and need to get off to a hot start—and they’ve got the short end of the fitness stick.

Villa is going to be aggressive early and put a press on the Blues through Jack Grealish and John McGinn. The constant pressure on the left side will make Chelsea vulnerable to a counter from Anwar El Ghazi on the right. The Blues need to come out on their toes and dialed in, one mistake could turn the game on its head. All eyes will be on the Chelsea back line as it’ll look to fend off early pressure. If the Blues are able to make it 20-25 minutes into the match without conceding, they should be in the clear going forward. Regardless, letting up is never an option with this inconsistent side.

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