Chelsea has controlled possession and dictated tempo throughout many of its matches this season, but how do the Blues do it?
A dominant 4-0 win in the Champions Leagues against Sevilla displayed almost all the things that have made Chelsea so good this season. However, there was an element that was missing which has become synonymous with the side.
The Blues were once again defensively sound, resulting in another Edouard Mendy clean sheet and the attack was equally as sharp. Olivier Giroud grabbed all four goals, showing he still has a lot to offer with his clinical finishing and expert movement. Despite this, Chelsea ended the night with just 45 percent possession. This is by no means a knock on the performance, but rather an intriguing stat.
In the Premier League currently, when it comes to dictating a game, Chelsea is unrivaled. After 10 games, the Blues have completed the most passes in the Premier League, which illustrates Frank Lampard’s desire for ball retention. Including Wednesday night’s game, Chelsea has seen less of the ball than the opposition in the previous two Champions league matches. There are a number of factors which have contributed to this and when at full strength, explain how Chelsea controls and dictates the tempo of games.
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Personnel in midfield would be the first factor to consider because it could easily be assumed that the rotation of the players is the reason behind Chelsea’s lower possession. However, if you were to assess the midfield that started against Sevilla—Mateo Kovacic, Jorginho and Kai Havertz—these are arguably Chelsea’s most technically gifted midfielders. This group would benefit more from ball possession than the usually starters of Mason Mount and N’Golo Kante. Yet, when the latter two start, the Blues seem to have more of the ball. We’ve been led to believe that midfield is where the tempo of the game is set, but in the modern game, this has shifted and this is no different with Lampard’s Chelsea.
So, if it’s not the midfield responsible, who is? It’s the back line. The phrase ‘playing out from the back’ is overused, sometimes used to justify pointless passes between centrebacks. However, with this Chelsea side, the use of the ball in defence is vital to the progression of the team in transition and attack.
Thiago Silva’s, the name seems to be connected with everything good going on at the moment, strengths are not limited to his defensive capabilities. The acquisition of Silva was not just to solidify the defence, but also help build from the back. Silva has a calmness in possession, a range of passing and is comfortable in tight situations.
This has allowed Chelsea to be able to turn over the ball quickly and interchange passes between the defence and midfield, resulting in high possession. While Antonio Rudiger has played remarkably well when slotted in, he still is not the best player on the ball nor does he have the composure to play out like Silva. This no doubt affects Chelsea’s ability to control a game, but the most vital element to the team’s ball use is in the fullbacks.
Reece James and Ben Chilwell have been Europe’s best fullback pairing this season. Both are defensively solid and are a vital cog in Chelsea’s attack in addition. Chilwell’s late arrivals in the box and James’ pin-point crosses from the right are key components to the Blues’ play. However, they are doing a lot more work than just the aforementioned. James and Chilwell almost act as wingbacks constantly in midfield to be presented as an option. Chilwell has a strong connection with Mount on the left and the same is to be said with James and Hakim Ziyech opposite. These relationships are responsible for why Chelsea is such a dominate team in the English top flight.
The interchanges between Ziyech and James are arguably Chelsea’s most important and pose the biggest threat. In the midfield, Ziyech’s tidy passing keeps the team ticking and James marauding runs push the team forward. In an instant, these two can change the tempo of the game, but it is important the off ball movement is there, as well. Mount and Chilwell are far more industrious in the midfield, but the impact is equally as important.
Nothing epitomizes modern day football more than the importance of fullbacks and for Chelsea, James and Chilwell are vital to how Lampard’s side dictate the tempo of a game. Leeds United await this weekend and there is no doubt that the return of James and Chilwell will impact the outcome of this game.