Chelsea at Newcastle: Three talking points from victory

Saturday’s contest was a difficult game for Chelsea due to lack of player availability. The Blues were missing Mateo Kovacic, Romelu Lukaku, Mason Mount, Christian Pulisic and Timo Werner during their trip Tyneside. Add to that the fact that Newcastle was playing a defensive and compact game, things were not easy for Thomas Tuchel’s men. Nevertheless, it was an excellent win as the visitors showed they can break down defenses and utilize many different avenues.

Here are three of the biggest talking points from the weekend’s Premier League tie:

1. Some bench players should become starters

This is not the first time Hakim Ziyech underperformed and players like Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Ross Barkley excelled. While starting Ziyech made sense due to Mount’s absence, his performance was below average, a sight all too familiar to Blues fans recently. He was offside when it mattered, failed to create anything substantial throughout and only tried one move to justify his attempts during his time on the pitch.

The moment Ziyech came off, the game changed. The additions of Loftus-Cheek and Barkley instantly saw the attack improve. There was more movement and versatility in and around the box, which resulted in all goals being scored after the substitution. It also gave Chelsea firm control of the midfield. While N’Golo Kante and Jorginho were doing a good job at it, it was not enough. Loftus-Cheek controlled a very physical Newcastle team, while Barkley provided deep passes into the open space. Keeping this in mind, this is not the first time these two players have made such impacts. Therefore, Tuchel has a decision to make: start both midfielders in the coming games or continue to try to fit a square peg in a round hole. To be fair, it is not an easy decision based on the talent at hand, but both players have earned their seat at the table and it would be a surprise not to see them more involved going forward.

2. Who needs forwards when one has wingbacks?

A few weeks ago, it was Ben Chilwell and Cesar Azpilicueta. Now, it is Reece James producing the goods. The right wingback had an outstanding game from all angles. From a defensive standpoint, although Newcastle did not pose much a threat on James’ side, he still dealt with it without difficulty. However, the praise for the academy player stems from his attacking capabilities. James took control of the right side of the box and found space to make crosses or attract the opposition to create openings. If that wasn’t enough, James went on to score two dream strikes.

James is a fantastic player, but on Saturday, he showed why he is the best fullback in the world. He is a powerhouse on both sides of the pitch. It was a shame not to see him get a hat-trick when the penalty was awarded as he was the best Chelsea player on the field. It would have a been a great milestone for someone so young and so talented.

3. Being a striker is not as easy as it looks.

For the past few games, due to injuries, Tuchel was forced to play Kai Havertz as a false nine instead of an actual striker. The young German international has received some backlash for his performances over the last few matches. However, supporters need to keep something in mind: Havertz is neither a striker, nor does he pretend to be one. But the bottom line is, maybe, just maybe, playing a striker in Tuchel’s tactical formation isn’t as easy it seems. When Lukaku and Werner struggled for goals, they were both looked down upon. After seeing what a player who doesn’t have the physical attributes of Lukaku and the speed of Werner, must go through in said position, it shines light to the difficulties of the role.

That said, Havertz has done a great job in the absence of the aforementioned players. The German midfielder is calm and collected when it comes to looking for space and always plays to his strengths. Furthermore, he serves his role perfectly by allowing other players to shine while he does the dirty work. Therefore, more credit should be given to those players that occupy the position as their efforts should not be quantified solely on goals.

What are some of the talking points you took away from the match? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!