One defeat to Manchester City is nothing for Chelsea to panic about

Well, it was bound to happen at some point. Chelsea finally suffered its first defeat of the season at the hands of the reigning Premier League champion, Manchester City, by a final score of 1-0. It seems that most supporters, myself included, don’t know how to feel about the loss in the grand scheme of things. Perhaps it will take some time to realize its ultimate effect. One thing is certain though, there is absolutely no need to panic.

For what feels like the first time in a long time, the Blues were tactically and physically outclassed by their opponent. Man City dominated the possession battle, controlling the ball for nearly 60 percent of the match, and denied Chelsea even one shot on target. Bernardo Silva stood out in particular for his work rate both offensively and defensively. Ruben Dias was also imperious at the back. Even though Gabriel Jesus’ decisive goal took a lucky deflection on its way to the net, Pep Guardiola’s men were the deserving recipients of all three points.

Chelsea was bested by Manchester City, but there is no need to panic

There are, however, many positives for the European champions to take away from the match, mostly in their own defensive line. The back three of Andreas Christensen, Thiago Silva and Antonio Rudiger was impressive yet again, blocking four shots from Man City’s formidable attacking talent. The trio also managed to limit the number of quality chances against Edouard Mendy, despite the consistent barrage of offensive pressure from the opposition.

Not for nothing, but Thomas Tuchel’s initial game plan also had to be scrapped in the 29′ when Reece James was forced off with an apparent ankle injury. Cesar Azpilicueta—while still a top defender in the English top flight—does not have James’ pace or physicality, both of which would have come in handy against Jack Grealish and Joao Cancelo on Chelsea’s right flank. The Englishman was crucial for the Blues in last season’s FA Cup semifinal and Champions League final against Man City, so his absence on Saturday undoubtedly played some role in the match’s outcome.

The Blues’ offensive struggles are a concern, though, especially when it comes to facing stronger opposition. One consistent weakness in Tuchel’s squad has been its inability to break down other top sides when Chelsea doesn’t have an obvious possession advantage. This happened last season, as well, when the team never scored more than two goals against an opponent that finished in the top six or one from the Champions League. Of course, I am making no groundbreaking analysis by pointing out that the European champs struggle to find the net against better teams, but it is a trend to continue monitoring as the year progresses.

Tuchel and his staff will have to address this issue at some point soon. Although there is no easy remedy except, of course, to score more goals. New signings are not the answer, especially considering the immediate impact Romelu Lukaku has had leading the line at Stamford Bridge. The Belgian’s accomplices in attack need to step up and be more creative in the final moment by picking out the key pass or dribbling past the penultimate defender to create space for Chelsea’s newest talisman. This should come with more time and cohesion within the squad.

All things considered, the weekend was not a total disaster for the Blues. Manchester United, Liverpool, Leicester City and Tottenham all dropped points, so City was the only real title challenger to take a step in the right direction. James’ injury is a problem if it ends up being long-term, but Azpilicueta again showed his quality at RWB. Callum Hudson-Odoi should provide more than enough cover at the position, as well. I understand that this club’s fanbase has a penchant to dramatically overreact to results, whether they be positive or negative, but this one defeat to the most expensive team in the history of the Premier League is nothing to panic about.

What thoughts did you have after the loss? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!