Chelsea: Three lessons learnt from West Ham six pointer
By Tan Yi Hao
3. Another defensive masterclass
The 1-0 win that Chelsea recorded over West Ham would mean that Tuchel’s Chelsea has now kept 16 clean sheets in 21 games since his arrival towards the end of January. While there were certainly some lucky days at the office, the xG against trend clearly indicates that the defensive structure the 47-year-old has implemented is a sustainable one.
In the 21 games that Tuchel has taken charge of, there has only been one instance of an opposition team recording more than 1.0 xG against the Blues. Even more unbelievably, there has likewise been only one game in which the opposition has scored more than once against Tuchel’s team with the 5-2 loss against West Brom the ultimate outlier in the German’s short term in charge.
Against West Ham, Chelsea’s experienced backline consisting of Antonio Rudiger, Cesar Azpilicueta and Thiago Silva expertly marshalled the likes of Jesse Lingard and Jarrod Bowen throughout the game. Shielded by the duo of Kante and Jorginho, West Ham was ultimately limited to just two shots on goal, recording a meagre 0.41xG in the process.
Recent weeks have given rise to talk that teams beaten by Chelsea are “simply not performing at their usual level” or that “on their day said teams would have given Chelsea a run for their money”. Perhaps it is time to recognize the fact that the way in which Chelsea set up to play leave little to no opportunities for opposition players to exploit.
Yes, Chelsea has had a few lucky breaks here and there, but much like how Antonio Rudiger is still yet to be booked in the 27 appearances he has made for the club this season, perhaps it is time to recognize greatness when you see it.
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