Chelsea won their first viewable preseason match, 2-1 over Bournemouth. It was a surprisingly energetic performance for a preseason match with the first half moving at a blistering pace. Even more interesting was how the Blues held firm to their values with a very patch work team thanks to the Euros and Copa America. What lessons were learnt in this one?
1. Four at the back is dead, long live three at the back
There has been plenty of talk about Chelsea going back to a back four at some point in the future. Maybe this signing or that allows it. No more. That’s all dead now. This is a three at the back team and it will remain as such.
The main reason to believe that is Lewis Baker and Dujon Sterling. Neither are natural centerbacks, though Sterling has at least played there at academy level. Rather than change formation or bring on centerbacks like Matt Miazga, Thomas Tuchel started those two out of position in a three man defensive line.
Simply put, a manager doesn’t go that far out of the way to make a system happen unless it is the system. 3-4-3 won Chelsea the Champions League and their last Premier League. It’s here to stay.
2. Rising stock
Several players are coming out of this match with rising stock for Chelsea next season. Let’s not bury the lead though; Callum Hudson-Odoi ran the show. From the right wingback position, Hudson-Odoi was the beginning and the end of everything Chelsea tried to do. It got so stark that by the second half the entire game plan had basically become “get it to Hudson-Odoi and hope he does something”. If the winger turned wingback is looking to make his mark in the new season, he couldn’t be doing a better job thus far.
Next best was Armando Broja, who only played the second half but scored and made his impact felt. His pressing and positioning were fantastic and his goal well taken. He tried to set up a few others and on another day may have ended with more goals and assists. It isn’t hard to see why Tuchel likes him; he has a bit of everything and with a little refining he could be a super star sooner rather than later.
Hakim Ziyech turned up well in the first half as well. Part of that may be Hudson-Odoi running the show and some of the shine coming off on Ziyech, but the midfielder did find great positions and passes several times in the first half. For a player from last season that really needs to make a good impression while his competition is gone, he did well.
Conor Gallagher was the only player to go the full 90. Though he is somewhat rough on the ball and got rougher off it as the match went on, his energy to win the ball back was something to behold. If the club was looking for a N’Golo Kante deputy for next season, they could hardly do worse than Gallagher. He needs to tidy up his tackling, but otherwise it was a good match from him.
Perhaps the surprise package was Lewis Baker playing at centerback. Now, Baker is very much not and never has been a defender, but it would be hard to tell from that match. Bournemouth were unable to expose any unease from the Englishman and on the ball he was practically unfazed anytime he was pressed. It would be a long shot for one of Chelsea’s most talented academy graduates to make it now, but he put in a good account to build on.
3. Sinking stock
Even in a mostly solid performance, a few players stood out for the wrong reasons. Chief among these has to be Kepa Arrizabalaga. No, not for any howlers but his distribution was simply awful. If he completed as many passes as he failed to it would be a surprise. Now, a keepers primary job is to be a keeper and he did that. But when a team uses their keeper as much as a point of possession, he simply can’t get it wrong that often.
Tammy Abraham played well, but he’ll be a victims of the success of others. He played well, but it was Broja and Ike Ugbo that scored in the same or less time. A striker’s primary job is goals and to see the competition come on and find the net only hurts Abraham’s prospects no matter how well he did himself. He still might have time to turn things around this preseason, but at the moment it is hard to say no to a transfer fee and just keep Broja around in his place.
On a similar note, Christian Pulisic didn’t exactly standout in any particular way. It’s one thing to be a player returning from loan and to ghost through the match, but a player from the previous season lacks the luxury. With competition hot for spots up top, Pulisic didn’t do nearly enough to be remembered for next time.
What did you learn in this match? Let us know in the comments and on Twitter!