If you watched the last three Chelsea matches you will have noticed a common theme. The Blues tend to start each match with their typical slow build up play that has not resulted in many goals and then the opposition takes advantage with an early lead.
Ipswich did it and made it look easy with two goals in the first half that were mostly down to individual error on the Chelsea side than some overwhelming talent imbalance. Fulham were able to do the same with a goal inside 20 minutes that came after a potential foul on Reece James. Even Legia Warsaw were able to take an early lead thanks to a penalty inside 10 minutes and that was at Stamford Bridge.
What usually follows after these opening half doldrums is a roaring comeback in the second half that looks motivated by a quiet desperation to not be embarrassed. Against Ipswich it resulted in a two-goal turnaround but a third was not on the cards and the Blues dropped vital points as a result.
Against Legia it resulted in a short comeback before Legia took the lead in the 53rd minute and the Blues opted to go into cruise control considering their two-goal lead on aggregate was still safe. It was still an embarrassing result for all involved and lead to the first victory on English soil by a Polish club in history.
In the Fulham match, which was an away fixture, the Blues were motivated by their away fans and a direct and pacey style of football. Chelsea had not won away in the Premier League since December so they did not have recent history on their side. Despite that, they came back in dramatic fashion and the players looked exuberant and relieved when they heard the final whistle.
It was the type of win that could propel them forward to their goals and hopefully set the mood right in the dressing room. But the question remains, where is this intensity in the first half of matches? Why do Chelsea have to be down a goal or two before they pick up the energy and are motivated to win the game?
Some of that has to do with Enzo Maresca’s style of play where he wants them to dominate possession and essentially play keep away from the other team. Instead of taking risks and playing more direct, he wants his players to try and grind the opposition down with sideways passes and forcing them to chase the ball all over the pitch.
Now that he has seen his players comeback twice in dramatic fashion against Premier League clubs, maybe Maresca will opt for a bit more directness in his approach. We know that he is a rigid manager that believes in his style but perhaps there is some room for flexibility in the last weeks of the season. His detractors will tell you not to bother but we hope there are some changes made especially against the tougher opposition coming down the bend.