Chelsea: Lackluster attack lacking as Edouard Mendy saves point

Chelsea’s attack lacking as they fail to score against Manchester United and fail to even mount a threatening shot on goal against David de Gea.

Chelsea saved a point against Manchester United at Old Trafford but the attacking effort was listless, lackluster, and lacking. Thankfully, keeper Edouard Mendy has already proven to be Chelsea’s No. 1 keeper as he has kept his third clean sheet in four starts for the Blues.

At Old Trafford, Mendy was at his absolute best (ascent a passing gaffe that could have been an own goal) making several top saves that wouldn’t likely have been saved by any of Chelsea’s backups keepers (Petr Cech excepted). Unfortunately, Chelsea’s attack did little if anything to threaten David de Gea‘s goal.

After Mendy’s brilliant day (MOTM for sure), the biggest story was Chelsea’s absence of any real attacking threat that challenged United’s defense. Chelsea’s forwards should have left their fandom shouting, “Shoot! Shoot!” as they continue to try for the perfect pass. They don’t get it. They pass back and often eschew even a decent opportunity to shoot. Newbies Timo Werner and Kai Havertz show positive signs but the results are still not evident. They are underperforming, at least as far as the sky-high expectations of the Blues’ fandom. Fans expected goals and brilliant offensive displays and to-date have been for the most part disappointed. They are not producing.

Seemingly only Christian Pulisic is using his skills to drive on goal and let a shot fly. The others are seemingly content to pass back, pass sideways, pass anywhere rather than do what scores goals, shoot. In addition to the lack of clinical finishing from the forwards, the midfield is showing themselves completely devoid of any offensive capability whatsoever. None of the current midfield contributes anything to the attack and it is definitely damaging the team’s ability in transition and in attack generally. It’s just not there in any substantial way.

N’Golo Kante can move the ball forward but he’s been giving it away too easily and doesn’t know what to do with the ball when he has it. Jorginho has almost no concept of attacking football. Pass back. Pass sideways. Jorginho is just a non-factor in the attack. He is not capable evidently of participating.

If anyone needed any convincing of Bruno Fernandes’ contribution to the United attack from midfield, it was on clear display today. Fernandes is the pivot around which the potentially devastating United attack revolves. Chelsea has no such player. Havertz was expected to be that player but that hasn’t materialized as yet, though he clearly has the capacity to contribute greatly in such a role. Hopefully.

And no one else is an attacking threat in midfield either. There’s nothing there. They need a player who can pass effectively forward, transition from defense to attack, and actually advance the ball up the pitch, link up with the forwards, and shoot and score himself. That acquisition should be a requirement in the January window. Bring in a midfielder a Fernandes-style player that isn’t currently there.

A recent article explained how and why Ross Barkley was at least an asset in attacking midfield before he was shipped out to Aston Villa. Driving forward and shooting are his forte and no one in midfield is even providing that. Barkley may not be the complete package but at least he provided a driving style that put pressure on the opposing midfield and backline. No one in Chelsea’s midfield is doing that. And in addition, far too often they pass sideways, backward or just easily hand the ball back to the opposition, as they did far, far too often today against United.

Lack of direct attack, clinical finishing, overpassing, and passing back are characterizing Chelsea’s forwards. Lack of linking up with the forwards, poor passing accuracy, and no shooting capacity whatsoever are plaguing the midfield. Chelsea is only winning a few points because they now have a keeper who can actually keep the ball out-of-the-net. Mendy’s record to-date: one goal in four starts. He’s been brilliant. Absent Mendy’s heroics, the club would have little to show for the past three or four games.

Frank Lampard and Chelsea’s players have to figure this out soon if they are to have any opportunity whatsoever to compete for a top-four spot. Moving Havertz and Mount into the midfield could be a solution, especially since it appears that ball magician Hakim Ziyech is beginning to reach full fitness and will slot in at forward on the right. It’s worth a try in a 4-3-3 with Kante between them.

If not, job number one in the January window should be this: bring in a dominating midfielder who can do-it-all. Absent that addition, a top-four finish may be an illusion.