Last Saturday’s result was the perfect outcome for Chelsea: an away victory at a ground where they had previously won just twice. Three goals, a clean sheet, and three vital points made it an ideal afternoon for Enzo Maresca's Blues. This article evaluates Chelsea’s performance and the tactical battle that unfolded at the London Stadium. Let's dive into the details of what turned out to be an exemplary display for the West London team.
Team Sheets: Strategic Adjustments on Both Sides
Chelsea’s starting lineup saw notable changes, with Jadon Sancho, Enzo Fernandez, and Tosin Adarabioyo getting the nod, while Axel Disasi, Renato Veiga, and Pedro Neto were rested on the bench. As for the home side, West Ham's manager, Julen Lopetegui, made tactical changes aimed at defensive solidity. Tomas Soucek was dropped, replaced by Jose Rodriguez and Edson Alvarez to add defensive cover. Jarrod Bowen started up front, taking the place of Michail Antonio, while Niclas Fullkrug missed out due to injury.
Our line-up for the early kick-off. 👊#CFC | #WHUCHE pic.twitter.com/PNhpCW5OYW
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 21, 2024
First Half: Chelsea's Tactical Superiority
From the first minute, it became clear that West Ham's high-pressing shape had significant flaws. While their approach targeted Chelsea's central midfielders like Moises Caicedo, who was tightly marked, their defensive structure left gaping holes in key areas. Notably, Marc Cucurella was consistently left unmarked in central midfield, free to dictate play. This seemed puzzling as it allowed the Blues to maintain composure during their build-up phase.
Below is a great example of how CFC's fluid movement during the build-up phase caused WHU many problems.
— Fahd (@fahdahmed987) September 22, 2024
Try to keep rewatching the below clip and focus on these four players - Fernandez, Cucurella, Jackson, and Palmer - and watch how their movements cause…
Chelsea, on the other hand, mixed things up by dropping Fernandez and Cucurella deeper to support their buildup. This fluidity in their positioning created issues for West Ham’s pressing unit. Their wingers pressed Chelsea’s center-backs while also shadow-marking wide players, yet Cucurella’s free role in midfield kept the visitors’ attacks ticking.
One prime example of Chelsea’s clever movement came around the 15-minute mark. Players like Fernandez, Cucurella, Nicolas Jackson, and Cole Palmer constantly rotated and caused West Ham’s defenders to lose track of their assignments. Chelsea’s no.8s, Fernandez and Palmer, frequently dropped into half-spaces to receive the ball, further destabilizing West Ham’s defense.
Jackson's Influence and Chelsea's Opening Goal
Chelsea's striker was crucial in linking up play during the opening phases of the game. Jackson's ability to drop deep and receive passes between West Ham’s defensive lines gave the Irons' center-backs a dilemma: step up and risk leaving space behind, or allow him to influence the game. Alvarez, tasked with marking Jackson, often stepped up aggressively, which he made sure to punish.
Jackson's technical expertise allows Maresca to utilize him as a striker who performs those actions - providing the Italian manager with tactical options.
— Fahd (@fahdahmed987) August 4, 2024
Furthermore, his pace and ball-carrying dexterity also allow rotations with the striker and another member of the forward…
The opening goal came from a quick-thinking move by Jackson. After winning a free kick, he took it swiftly, receiving a return pass from Fernandez. With Alvarez caught out of position, Jackson had acres of space on the left flank, bursting forward before calmly slotting the ball between Alphonse Areola’s legs to make it 1-0. West Ham’s slow defensive recovery and aggressive marking left them vulnerable, and Chelsea capitalized perfectly.
After Jackson took the freekick quickly and Fernandez played it back to the striker, Alvarez pushed up - leaving space between the WHU defenders. pic.twitter.com/yMr3esShpy
— Fahd (@fahdahmed987) September 22, 2024
Furthermore, this instruction to the WHU backline to be aggressive on Jackson caused the foul, which then led to the move that CFC scored from. pic.twitter.com/tjLwiKhlPM
— Fahd (@fahdahmed987) September 22, 2024
Pressing Disconnected: West Ham's Struggles
One of West Ham’s biggest issues in the first half was their disconnected pressing system. Although their forwards and midfielders pressed aggressively, there was a consistent gap between their defensive and midfield lines. This allowed Chelsea to exploit the space and progress the ball centrally with ease. West Ham’s front-line press overcommitted, while their backline was slow to step up, creating the perfect conditions for Chelsea to break through repeatedly.
The second goal was a direct result of this disconnection. Once again, Alvarez followed Jackson too tightly, leaving space for Chelsea to exploit. A fluid passage of play saw Jackson double his tally, as West Ham’s defensive line was unable to cope with the overload in the middle.
The second goal Jackson scored had many elements that were discussed above:
— Fahd (@fahdahmed987) September 22, 2024
- Fluidity in CFC's build-up and player movements.
- An uncoordinated WHU press.
- CFC's central overload.
- Jackson's double movement after Alvarez follows him tightly (again).pic.twitter.com/RjZjB6b2wx
West Ham’s Response and Chelsea’s Mid-Block
While Chelsea's usual high-pressing game was expected, Maresca opted for a more passive mid-block in this game. The idea was to man-mark West Ham's double pivots and force the team in claret and blue to go wide. Although West Ham’s wingers had some space to run into when they received the ball, Chelsea’s backline was solid enough to block any meaningful progression into the final third.
West Ham’s best chance came when Crysencio Summerville managed to get past Wesley Fofana and appeared to be fouled in the box. However, the referee waved play on, leaving the home team frustrated.
This CFC OOP shape aimed to block the middle as the double pivots in WHU's 3-2-5 IP shape were man-marked. Hence, although they were -1 down in the front-line press (3v2), they had a +1 in the backline, which provided more defensive security. pic.twitter.com/a9qfo72H5p
— Fahd (@fahdahmed987) September 22, 2024
Second Half: Chelsea Tighten Their Grip
West Ham started the second half brightly, trying to take the game to Chelsea, but they were undone once again by the same tactical flaws that had plagued them in the first half. Their pressing remained disjointed, and the space between their lines remained exploitable. Chelsea, meanwhile, continued to create opportunities and dominated the game, recording an impressive 1.26 xG in the second half compared to 0.93 in the first.
Although WHU still had plenty of time remaining to stir a comeback, they never really gathered momentum. Lopetegui tweaked the WHU system and personnel, but there was no game-changing adjustment. Instead, CFC created more chances in the second half - tallying 1.26 xG (compared to… pic.twitter.com/YRKHNBT5Vx
— Fahd (@fahdahmed987) September 22, 2024
Chelsea's third goal effectively sealed the win, but their performance slightly dipped after going 3-0 up. Despite creating further opportunities for Christopher Nkunku, Joao Felix, and Noni Madueke, the Blues were wasteful in front of goal. While the game was already won, this lack of sharpness in the final third was a minor criticism of an otherwise excellent display.
Standout Performers and Final Thoughts
There were several standout performers for Chelsea in this match. Jackson, with his two goals, was key in unlocking West Ham’s defense. Caicedo was tireless in midfield, mopping up loose balls and preventing West Ham’s counterattacks, while Levi Colwill and Tosin were instrumental in maintaining Chelsea’s clean sheet.
In conclusion, Saturday's performance marked a much-improved display from the Blues. Chelsea were tactically superior and made the most of West Ham’s vulnerabilities. A strong defensive showing and clinical attacking play ensured a vital three points that propelled the team into the top four.