Chelsea: Three key clashes as Blues march on to Aston Villa
By Travis Tyler
3. Chelsea the job versus Chelsea the passion
Listen, it’s understandable that this is a job for the players. Many grow up fans of one club and end up playing against a rival. Some just want to play and don’t care where. Others just want to ensure their family’s prosperity for as long as possible. No judgements here.
But on some level, “play for the shirt” has to come into play. It’s an old fashioned notion but one that surely exists at Liverpool. At Chelsea? It’s harder to come by. There was talk about how Frank Lampard needs to be the one to motivate this side for a game like this. Motivate them to come out of the gates hungry.
If they need to be motived to do so against Arsenal on Boxing day, maybe this club isn’t for them. It can be a job and that’s okay, but to succeed at Chelsea it has to be a passion, at least against Arsenal of all teams. Lampard is getting and will get criticism for not bearing much blame in his post match pressers, but he can’t make the players complete a simple pass. He can’t make them want to run into an open space they clearly should be. He can’t make them get angry when going 1-0, 2-0, and 3-0 down to Arsenal.
The players have to show a passion to at least play their hearts out for the shirt they are currently wearing. They may not wear it next year, but right now they have to earn it. Against Arsenal, they did no such thing. Will they against Aston Villa? It’s on them, not Lampard.
dark. Next. Chelsea's Edouard Mendy is not the solution between the sticks
What key clashes are you looking for in this match? Let us know in the comments and on Twitter!