3 lessons learnt as Chelsea squeaks out win against Norwich

Chelsea secured a much-needed three points against already relegated Norwich in a 1-0 victory on Tuesday evening at Stamford Bridge.

In a season where Chelsea has played up to the competition of clubs like Liverpool, Manchester City and Leicester City, while also playing down to the likes of West Ham, Bournemouth and Sheffield United, three points on Tuesday was far from guaranteed. Here are some lessons learnt from the match against Norwich.

Chelsea continues to look lethargic

Despite Chelsea’s 18 shots and 69 percent possession—compared to Norwich’s two and 31%, respectively—the Blues were only able to score one goal. The chances were aplenty with Giroud having the opportunity to add the brace or potentially a hat-trick throughout the first half alone.

However, despite the opportunities available to the squad to score goals only five of the 18 shots were on goal. With a Champions League spot on the line and playing against the club sitting firmly at the bottom of the table, Chelsea did little to sow confidence heading into the tough finish of the season. With Liverpool and Wolves yet to come, Chelsea will need a far more energetic and motivated performance if the Blues hope to play in the upper-tier of European competition next season.

Frank Lampard’s starting XI still raises questions

After an abysmal 3-0 showing on Saturday against Sheffield United, manager Frank Lampard took responsibility for the loss. Growing pains were all part of the plan, but one had to hope that Lampard would learn from his past mistakes, especially the following week.

Jorginho faltered in the match against Sheffield, leading many to believe that he would no longer see much time on the pitch. As such, his time at Chelsea has been called into doubt. Instead, Lampard threw him back into the starting XI against Norwich. Some could say this was purely the manager having faith in his players, while others would say he didn’t quite recognize what the issue over the weekend was.

Playing Tammy Abraham over Olivier Giroud against a strong team was eyebrow raising. Playing an experienced Giroud against a relegated club over choosing Abraham on Tuesday was even more so, as it highlighted issues fans have already begun to see.

The squad that was fielded on Tuesday against Norwich lacked consistency and any motivation to secure the victory over a down trodden Norwich side. Lampard still has a ways to go in regards to understanding the correct chemistry of his players needed to field the best starting XI.

Christian Pulisic shows no signs of slowing down

Since Project Restart began, American international Christian Pulisic has been the best player on the pitch for Chelsea. His energy and aggressiveness help set the tone for a relatively lazy Blues squad the last four matches.

Against Norwich, Pulisic had an opportunity in the 27′ as well as the 75′. The first was fired into the side of the net while the second was barely secured by Norwich keeper Tim Krul. Furthermore, he was able to add the assist in Chelsea’s lone goal when Giroud scored seconds before halftime. His speed and electricity has generated tantalizing runs and kept defences on their heels. However, many of his teammates have been unable to replicate his type of desire to attack ruthlessly at all costs. This season—and this club—will go where Pulisic goes.

What did you take away from the match? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!