Chelsea ended up comfortable victors by the end of their trip to Krasnodar. What lessons can be learned from the 4-0 win in Russia?
The Blues started slow as they were put off by the pressure of Krasnodar. That is a requiring theme with this team, perhaps a sign that they still think they can beat anyone without actually being prepared for a team they “should be beating” coming at them. Regardless, the Blues survived the storm unlike many times before and they ended up pumbling the Russian side. What lessons can be learned from this one?
1. The foundation was laid, built on, and still found lacking (at first)
The two back to back 0-0’s against Sevilla and United were not necessarily ideal, but there was at least an understanding that if they were followed up with wins that they would be good points. Chelsea did just that. But it wasn’t pretty enough or something, causing the chicken littles to be out in force after the first half.
Listen, Chelsea doesn’t have a divine right to win matches. And while the first half was lacking, the final result was 4-0. Flattering? Not nearly as much as the ones using the world are making it out to be. Chelsea weathered the storm (a trait they have struggled with for awhile) and came out the other side to put Krasnodar to the sword. Sometimes that is how games go.
Mind, Chelsea was also leading at the first half when the doom and gloom crowd was out. The 0-0 draws weren’t good enough, but neither was a win apparently. Much of that was quieted by the FT whistle, but that doesn’t mean it should be ignored.
The simple fact is that a game is not determined by one half. It is 90 minutes. The same can be said about a full season; it is not one match but 38 league games and who knows how many cup games. Time will tell what these recent results will mean for the course of the season, but two 0-0’s against rivals followed up by a 4-0 win regardless of how it came about is hardly the time hand wringing.