Tactical Breakdown of Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle: Blues Secure Hard-Fought Victory

Attacking Strategies

Throughout the match, the Blues attempted to penetrate Newcastle in various ways, employing wing play with Neto and Madueke isolating the young full-backs and central penetration through incisive passes aimed at cutting through the midfield. On occasions, they also tried direct balls into the channels behind Newcastle's defensive line. However, one could argue that Chelsea could have done better in the final third to create a higher volume of valuable chances. Credit must be given to Newcastle for their defensive organization, as they effectively protected their box—better than Chelsea did, in fact.

An example of Chelsea’s effort to penetrate was highlighted in a sequence where they managed to bait Newcastle's press and enter the box but failed to convert their opportunities. Despite their attempts, Newcastle's 4-5-1 mid-block was effective at times. Although the away side had not created an abundance of expected goals during the season, they remained capable of creating chances on the counter. When they caused turnovers in midfield, they had a solid structure to threaten Chelsea, a strategy that Maresca had anticipated.

Pressing Execution and Tactical Adjustments

Chelsea’s high pressing approach was somewhat confusing, as at times it resembled a man-to-man system, while other times it appeared more hybrid. The key difference was evident in the decision-making of defender Wesley Fofana when it came to stepping up against Joelinton, who occupied the left side. In one instance, Chelsea displayed a hybrid shape while pressing, leaving Newcastle free to find Bruno Guimarães.

In another example, Maresca's team adopted a man-to-man approach, though the execution was flawed. This inconsistency in organization hinted that Maresca's intention was primarily a man-to-man press, but due to a lack of coordination, it often resembled a -1 high press. It was later revealed that Maresca indeed intended for a man-to-man system, leading to a tactical change in the first half. Previously, both Chelsea wingers were marking the opposition full-backs. Maresca's adjustment saw the opposite winger press the central midfielder instead, leaving the full-back free. This tactical decision was quite intelligent.

Despite the disjointed nature of Chelsea's out-of-possession work, particularly during high pressing situations, they did force several errors when Newcastle attempted to play out from the back. One of these errors culminated in Chelsea's second goal, which originated from a Newcastle attempt to play through Chelsea’s lines. The resulting midfield turnover was seized by Palmer, who then drove forward to score.