Chelsea booked its ticket to the FIFA Club World Cup final on Wednesday with a gritty 1-0 win over Al Hilal. Romelu Lukaku’s tap-in goal just after the half-hour mark decided the game in the end, but that’s not to say there weren’t an abundance of crucial moments between the whistles. The Blues’ back line put in its best performance in the last few months against a surprisingly physical Saudi Arabian squad. The back three kept the European Champions in the match with a number of crucial blocks, interceptions and tackles.
Nevertheless, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the fantastic shifts put in by players such as Mateo Kovacic and Hakim Ziyech. If it weren’t for the aforementioned duo, Chelsea may just be playing a meaningless third place consolation game against Al Ahly later in the week. That isn’t the case though. The Blues’s date with Palmeiras on Saturday is now squared away. They will look to avenge the club’s final loss in 2012 during its only other trip to the competition. Nevertheless, before jumping head first into previews of the final, let’s break down some key talking points from the Blues’ semifinal victory that could play a huge part in the season going forward.
Here are three key takeaways from Chelsea’s win over Al Hilal on Wednesday:
1. Chelsea’s best midfield pairing
Discussions about who makes up the Blues’ best starting XI or who is Chelsea’s most impactful (insert positional unit here) are often arbitrary. These debates carry no weight and there is almost always a flaw in the selection as it relates to top clubs. This is no different when it comes to the reigning European Champions. All of that being said, it might finally be time to have a discussion about the Blues’ best midfield pairing.
This was a topic of discussion that became popular around the time Thomas Tuchel took over last season. N’Golo Kante’s injuries meant Jorginho and Kovacic slotted into the middle of the park without competition, most notably in the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16 battle against Atletico Madrid. The constant chopping and changing of formations this season has seen this argument pushed by the wayside for the time being. Nonetheless, it’s found its way back up to the surface after a scrutinized halftime change made by stand-in manager Arno Michels.
Tuchel’s top assistant brought Jorginho off and replaced him with the Frenchman in an attempt to commit more bodies forward while in search of the team’s second goal. Even though it seemed like a decent idea at the time, seeing as the Italian was struggling to get involved, it almost came back to hurt the Blues. This change destabilized the midfield and saw Al Hilal press with a lot more success than in the first half. The Saudi Arabian squad found it a lot easier to cut through the duo and get some fantastic looks at goal. If not for the heroics of Kepa Arrizabalaga, I could’ve been writing an entirely different article right now.
The pairing of Kante and Kovacic truthfully appeared flustered. Kante looked discombobulated at times as he ran around like a chicken with his head cutoff and Kovacic failed to carry out the defensive instructions that were required of him. It’d be a gross over-exaggeration to rule Kante out of future midfield duos, but it’s safe to assume now that Chelsea’s best chance at succeeding sees Jorginho and Kovacic paired together in the middle of the park. Many will interpret this as a knock on Kante, which it most certainly is not. Instead, it’s a compliment to the skillsets both the Italian and Croatian possess. They complement one another perfectly and it makes for some truly beautiful football almost every time they step foot on a pitch together. Kante still has a very important role to play with the Blues, it just might be time for Tuchel to fully commit to the lovable duo that supporters have dubbed ‘Jovacic’ long-term.