Well, another international break spared Chelsea from injury. On Saturday, the Blues faced Newcastle and despite some nervy moments pulled out a strong win even if it lacked the recent exquisite offensive play of late. Chelsea really only scored one goal as their first was self-inflicted by Newcastle. Additionally, injuries and rest, a constant concern for some of the team’s youngest and oldest players, gave us a unique lineup.
Mateo Kovacic, inexplicably being named Chelsea Player of the Season last year, struggles to fit in with this new team. In this game, he was paired with Mason Mount’s new found starring role in the midfield, with N’Golo Kante playing a deep central role. Kovacic, while being an exceedingly great talent, always seems to lack in game awareness with someone of his prowess. I don’t think I’ve figured out effective efficiency stats in soccer yet, but I have to imagine if such a measure exists, Kovacic would score quite low for his performances in each game. He’s constantly caught out of position in the midfield and like Jorginho, lacks the defensive dexterity to properly poke the ball away. It’s odd too, given that Kovacic is so much more athletic than Jorginho, the latter of which has more playing time this season consistently. With Kai Havertz out, Hakim Ziyech was forced to play the number 10 role, but for some reason Kovacic kept stalling out offensive possessions and gumming up the short game in front of goal. Look Mount got forward too much also, however he did that last season too and it worked at times. Kovacic hasn’t had that license since I’ve been watching this team so imagine my dismay watching him drift down the right side, getting in the way of the burgeoning space romance of Ziyech and Reece James. James strikes me as a player who’s timid at times, but only because of his age and his clear respect for experience. I can’t see him as a dude in 5 years, not yelling at Kovacic for inefficiently inserting himself into the flow of the offense. Looking at who Chelsea hung onto after and let go after this season, it’s those players who can play in Frank Lampard’s system that’s a slow offensive build with bursts of energy sprouting from the slightest moments of space. Willian, Ross Barkley, Mount still at times, they all killed the flow of Lampard’s offense by holding the ball more than they meant to; the devil is in the motion. Kovacic plays like this, I don’t know if it’s a holdover from Sarri, but Jorginho, Sarri’s boy, figured out his niche in this offense. I kept being frustrated as Mount seemed to acquiesce to Kovacic’s style of ball stopping. Mount has his own problems in the delay of seeing the offense develop, so Kovacic, who understandably seems more methodical and less frenetic in his offensive buildup, wasn’t remotely helpful next to Mount. With Jorginho, someone who yes gets stupid fouls like Kovacic, but who understands the flow of the offense, I think Lampard should have started him.
Ben Chilwell’s injury along with Ziyech’s emergence have effectively neutered Timo Werner’s effectiveness on the wing. Despite pushing the ball constantly on the left side even with Timo working the left in Christian Pulisic’s absence, Chilwell wasn’t attacking and dropping delectable crosses like he usually does. Don’t think he really had to, Ziyech’s warlock wonder balls did the trick, along with a few James crosses, though James is catering to Ziyech more for cross production on the right side. Mount as usual was part of any attack on that left side, though he again seemed to lack the foresight to find the right passes to get the offense into gear. I know Lampard really wants to build offense slowly, with quick interspersed runs towards goal, but Mount’s devotion to pushing the ball backwards on fast breaks is maddening. At some point, Lampard needs to point out to Mount that when you’re outnumbering the defense and pressing, it’s ok to go forward.
After the own goal in the first half, Newcastle started to put together some challenges in the second half, but poor clearances and an absolutely delicious run from Werner where he gathered a defensive clearance, split and out sprinted two Newcastle defenders, finally plattering the ball for Tammy Abraham for a crazy angle goal, doomed Newcastle. With Pulisic out, Tammy has so many more opportunities and he’s happened to play Olivier Giroud right out of the lineup completely. He’s better in the air than he was, a staple of Giroud’s game, and also much more confident and strong with the ball at his feet, something Giroud struggles with in his older age. It’s just a matter of spryness, nothing else, I love the OG. Pulisic’s injury necessitated Werner’s out of position play on the left wing, for which he’s fine, but not his best. Tammy took over the middle and hasn’t remotely disappointed, providing consistent scoring chances, already registering 4 assists, matching his total from last year. I can’t say enough about how clearly Tammy worked in the few weeks that he has between seasons on the weaknesses in his game. He seemed to play down to the level of the offense last year as it ran through Mount and Willian, but seems to fancy the pace and space of Werner and Ziyech much more than the wilted Marcos Alonso crosses he was used to last year. I really want Pulisic back and you can always see the certain spark that this already potent offense lacks with him, but I feel confident with Tammy to help steer the ship in a way I didn’t even last year as he scored all those goals.
There’s not a whole lot else to say about this game; Chelsea won when they were supposed to. The defense wasn’t wildy challenged, Antonio Rudiger looks like himself again playing with Mendy and just about everything went well. For this group, even without Havertz, Lampard understands potential fits of personnel in games like this where a result is expected. The level doesn’t quite have to match that of a top six game or Champions League, but this lineup can get it done. Emerson even made an appearance to relieve the somewhat shaky Chilwell, which shows how confident Frank is in this team. Emerson amazingly exposed himself quickly in that left side, further confusing viewers as to why Chelsea didn’t transfer him, however unlike last year, those failings didn’t result in goals for the other team. Edouard Mendy’s mental presence in the mind’s of defenders creates so much calm that even piss poor defenders like Emerson feel confident for a second slide when they get beat. Chelsea didn’t light off any fireworks today; they’ve gelled enough to clinically run over these teams. I just hope those lapses, whether due to injury or not, don’t muck up any attempts to win meaningful top six games, like the monster that is Tottenham next weekend.
Bo's Gamut 