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Chelsea: Six lessons learnt from Chelsea’s blitz of Manchester City

By Olaoluwa Nwobodo

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 22: Frank Lampard manager of Chelsea celebrates his teams victory over Spurs during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on February 22, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 22: Frank Lampard manager of Chelsea celebrates his teams victory over Spurs during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on February 22, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /
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Chelsea’s Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga (C) saves a shot from Liverpool’s Senegalese striker Sadio Mane (L) during the English FA Cup fifth round football match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge in London on March 3, 2020. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images) /

3. Being pragmatic is ALWAYS a good thing

Chelsea was at home. Many would have expected Chelsea to “take the game to Manchester City”. However, the one time that Chelsea did that, the game was over after 19 minutes. 19. The club has nothing to play for when they are 0-4 down after 20 minutes. A club has all to play for when the score is 0-0 after 70′, or 1-0, or 1-1. If a club takes itself out of the game early on, they lose the will to fight.

In the early parts of the match Chelsea were sitting deep, letting Man city have the ball, keeping their shape. They knew they would have to withstand a lot of pressure from City, but they stayed disciplined. In the reverse fixture, Chelsea played a high press and while the team played well overall, Man city had too many three versus two and four versus three situations. Players like Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez had a lot of space to run into. Chelsea forced the creative players of Man City to overwork their brains, and they still could not break Chelsea down.

Whenever Chelsea came forward, they looked really dangerous. Sitting deep was also smart because it meant they had a lot of space for Willian and Pulisic to stretch their legs when Manchester City turned over possession. Chelsea kept themselves in the game for as long as they did, and that is why they had a chance to score the winning goal in the 78′. Had they already conceded 3-4 goals by that time, the 78′ penalty would have been a consolation goal rather than the winner.

Related Story. Chelsea: Player ratings vs Manchester City; Pulisic MotM. light

4. Trust your teammates

Chelsea conceded many set pieces, even while not having an impressive record of defending them. This showed that the Chelsea players trusted each other to defend the set pieces and they defended them very well.

That free kick by Kevin De Bruyne is not a free kick that any goalkeeper can save. The way the ball went so high and dipped at the perfect time, Kepa Arrizabalaga had no chance. There was nothing Arrizabalaga or any other outfield player could have done to stop that free kick from going in. The Chelsea players opted to go for the foul whenever they sensed the defenders might be exposed. This trust is the first step to achieving great things as a team.

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