Chelsea makes the long trip to Russia to take on Krasnodar in the Champions League, here are three key clashes that could decide the match.
Do you know the major difference between good teams and great teams? Good teams can be beaten by opponents relatively easily. Although they find themselves on the victorious end of the spectrum a majority of the time, the flaws are there to be exposed. Great teams cannot be beaten by anybody but themselves. Chelsea has the potential to be the latter.
When the Blues take the pitch on Wednesday night, few individual matchups seem worth even noting. In the end, Frank Lampard’s side will have to shoot itself in the foot in order to drop points in this one. Chelsea dominates the match on paper in nearly every aspect, but games aren’t played on paper. Here are three clashes to keep an eye on as the Blues take their talents to south Russia:
1. Chelsea’s attack vs. the opposing goal
Chelsea was thought to be one of Europe’s best and most exciting attacking sides coming into the season. After the Blues spent north of £200 million on talented players—including Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz—the expectations were high in front of goal. The beginning of the season brought goals galore, but the results were mixed given the poor defensive showing by the Blues.
After consecutive goalless draws, it’s back to the drawing board for the attack. We are almost guaranteed to see some fresh faces against Krasnodar, but that doesn’t change the anticipated outcome. Chelsea has depth few other teams have the luxury of being able to afford. Lampard has players like Tammy Abraham, Olivier Giroud, Callum Hudson-Odoi and others that can come off the bench at any given moment and give the team a goal or three.
The Blues are going to need to find a rhythm in front of goal and Krasnodar is the perfect place to start.
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2. Edouard Mendy vs. fitness
The winning equation for Lampard’s team this season has been quite simple. If Edouard Mendy is between the sticks for Chelsea, expect few goals to be conceded. If Kepa Arrizabalaga—or even Willy Caballero—find themselves in goal, the defense looks confused at times and almost trapped in their roles, leading to errors and more importantly, goals. Therefore, Mendy is the Blues’ No. 1 keeper going forward.
The only concern here is the fact that Mendy departed Senegal training a few weeks ago with a muscle injury in his thigh. The 28-year-old played in the last two matches, but three in eight days only increases the chance of re-aggravating his knock.
If Mendy feels good and insists on playing again, there is no reason to keep him sidelined. The clean sheets against Sevilla and Manchester United went a long way in proving the veteran is the keeper for the Blues’ future, he just needs some regular playing time to continue to adapt. His health is a game-changer for not only Krasnodar, but the Premier League, as well.
3. Ben Chilwell vs. Wanderson
Perhaps the only individual battle to keep an eye on throughout the match is Wanderson versus Chelsea’s left back—which is presumably Ben Chilwell at this stage of the season. Wanderson is one of the group’s most versatile players and coming off the right flank, he’ll be met with either one of the best England has to offer (Chilwell) or he’ll be licking his chops at the sight of Marcos Alonso or Emerson. Regardless, the 1v1 bout on the Blues’ left side could be the birthplace of any potential Krasnodar attacks. The left back on the night will need to lock down Wanderson and foil any plans before they turn into reality.
What are some of the key clashes you’ll be watching for in the match? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!