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Chelsea: Three key clashes for a West Ham Christmas Eve

By Travis Tyler

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 01: Declan Rice of West Ham United and Christian Pulisic of Chelsea battle for the ball during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Chelsea FC at London Stadium on July 01, 2020 in London, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 01: Declan Rice of West Ham United and Christian Pulisic of Chelsea battle for the ball during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Chelsea FC at London Stadium on July 01, 2020 in London, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) /
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and Chelsea’s English midfielder Mason Mount vies with Chelsea’s English midfielder Ross Barkley West Ham United’s English midfielder Declan Rice during the English Premier League football match between West Ham United and Chelsea at The London Stadium, in east London on July 1, 2020. (Photo by Adam Davy / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by ADAM DAVY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
and Chelsea’s English midfielder Mason Mount vies with Chelsea’s English midfielder Ross Barkley West Ham United’s English midfielder Declan Rice during the English Premier League football match between West Ham United and Chelsea at The London Stadium, in east London on July 1, 2020. (Photo by Adam Davy / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by ADAM DAVY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /

Chelsea faces West Ham United in the last match before Christmas. After two losses on the trot, what key clashes will determine this tricky fixture?

Chelsea is very good at spreading the pre Christmas cheer. Everton and Wolverhampton Wanders were both in a rut only for the Blues to come out and gift them a victory. West Ham is by no means in a rut but they will be hoping these things come in threes before Christmas. Chelsea needs to focus on a few key clashes to find a way to spread some cheer to the right side of London this holiday season.

1. Chelsea’s buildup versus Tomas Soucek and Declan Rice

David Moyes loves a pivot, not unlike Frank Lampard. Both managers seem to prefer a solid midfield two that everything else is shaped around. The formation doesn’t really matter. It could be a 4-2-3-1, or 3-4-3, or maybe even a 4-4-2 but the concept of two in the center is the same.

Lampard has been using a 4-3-3 instead most of this season, but that might be because of one piece he thinks is missing. That just happens to be Declan Rice, opposite on the day. Rice and Tomas Soucek have quietly formed one of the Premier League’s best midfield pairs and they have been a big reason for West Ham’s success this season.

Getting through the pair, or more accurately, around the pair will be a major task for Chelsea’s buildup play. Even if the Blues look to play out wide, West Ham is likely to adapt to either free Soucek or Rice to go wide too or they will force the Blues central.

No matter which way Chelsea tries to break through, they will have to deal with this pair. Doing so successfully and often will go a long way towards three points.

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