Chelsea faces Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday. The high profile clash will be a test of patience and discipline for both sides. While Thomas Tuchel’s emphasis on defensive solidity will be a challenge for the Reds, Jurgen Klopp’s attacking football could cause all sorts of problems for the Blues. It will be a fascinating battle to witness and a feast for any football fan for sure.
Here are three of the biggest things to look out for in the Carabao Cup final:
1. Personnel up front
Tuchel came in last January and transformed Chelsea’s style of play. He brought a ruthless approach toward defending, and the Blues went on to win the Champions League on the back of a sturdy defence. However, the attack was clearly struggling, and everyone’s opinion was that Chelsea lacked a proper centre forward up front. The board listened to the concern and broke the bank to sign Romelu Lukaku, one of the best strikers in the world. The tables have turned and everyone seems to be questioning the Belgian’s presence. It took one good Champions League Round of 16 performance from Kai Havertz for Chelsea fans to start talking about “fluidity” again.
Is Lukaku underperforming? Yes.
Can he do more? Yes.
Can Chelsea do more to play to his strengths? Definitely yes.
Lukaku is a striker that likes to stay central up top. He doesn’t press as effectively as some other players. However, he has always been like this, and the club knew this before buying him. All things considered, everyone knows that Lukaku can wreak havoc on his day. Tuchel and Lukaku need to work together and find a system that accommodates the club’s philosophy and the Belgian’s strengths.
Meanwhile, against Lille, Tuchel decided to field Havertz and bench Lukaku. The decision worked as the German played exceptionally well and scored the opening goal. There is a high chance that Tuchel will reward Havertz with another opportunity. Let’s hope the German builds on the momentum, rather than fading away as he has done in the past. The German has been disappointing at times for all his talent and hype. With Lukaku struggling to find form, Havertz can capitalise on the opportunity and cement his place in the squad, something he has failed to do up until this point in time. It will be interesting to see who leads Chelsea’s attack against Liverpool.