After an uncharacteristic shellacking last weekend, Chelsea bounced back this week with two great wins in both Champions League and the Premier League that re-established their pre-international break form and gave the players confidence moving into the home stretch of the season. With the win mid-week at Porto, Chelsea are in a great position to make the semifinals with two away goals, in a comfortable performance that provides a very manageable second leg. Yesterday, Chelsea thrashed Crystal Palace, 4-1 and importantly provided some much needed confidence to both Christian Pulisic and Kai Havertz as their form finally appears to be coming on and not a moment too soon.
With Porto in the mid week, Chelsea were given a gift of a draw (though playing this Bayern team might have proved fine as well) as Porto projected as the weakest team left in the quarterfinals. The game didn’t really start that way as each team spent the first 20 minutes or so trying to find their rhythm with Porto looking more offensively dangerous. Thomas Tuchel, doing the job he was hired for, started with Kai Havertz again as a false nine with Timo Werner playing the left wing and the always versatile Mason Mount on the right side. Mount still roamed like he always does as the true number ten. This was yet another line-up change by Tuchel as he can play matchups at this point given how much talent he has up front. While Timo and Kai aren’t scoring goals like they’re supposed to, they draw so much attention that it opens up space for players like Mount and Reece James who worked well beautifully on that right side. Havertz still completely disappears from games at times, only popping up now and then, but his yips seem to be gone and he appears to be finding more consistent form as he did early in the season. The new role Tuchel has for him, despite the glut of strikers, appears to have finally gotten him in some sort of rhythm and the Crystal Palace game showcased more of Kai’s offensive skills than I think any other game this season.
This game really highlighted Chelsea’s defensive prowess, especially Ben Chilwell who displayed a strong performance on both ends of the pitch with his intensity on defense that made him such a strong signing in the offseason. Chilwell didn’t play against West Brom last week, leaving Marcos Alonso on an island and it’s somewhat ironic, given that Chilwell was signed to avoid the defensive jailbreak for the opposition on that side of the field. He came off international break, serving as the left back for England, so Tuchel rested him, leashing him against Porto. The offensive efforts of Porto focused on the wing play, so Chilwell and Cesar Azpilicueta had their hands full the entire game. While Tuchel initially favored Alonso when he became manager, this game, if not a few before, solidified Chilwell’s place in this team as he’s adapted well to the new position of wingback.
With Porto proving tough to break down and providing consistent pressure to Chelsea’s defense, the Blues finally with some build up play found a goal in the 31st minute. Jorginho, who’s been lacking in offensive creativity lately, though Tuchel’s largely left that creator role to Mateo Kovacic, drew Porto defenders to find Mount in the box, who took the ball on a turn beautifully and struck the ball into the goal. As he has all season, Mount proved to be the most clutch player, making a rather muddled first half worthwhile with a goal that Chelsea may not have deserved. The first half then reverted back to the somewhat haphazard nature, with relatively nice chances by both sides that proved moot. These Champions League games for all teams seem to go one of three ways, either a shootout, a blowout or a lackadaisical, disorganized jumble of constant turnovers. The first half definitely resembled that third scenario, so going into halftime with an away seemed good fortune, rather than a hard earned reward.
Fortunately, Chelsea came out in the second half ready to put the game out of reach and showed their true intensity that I believe makes all Premier Leagues so difficult to play against in this competition. Long known as the most physical league in Europe, the Premier League also boasts player stamina, especially as it’s one of the few leagues not allowing five subs at the moment. This gave Chelsea the might, along with their strong subs, to really run away with this thing in the second half, despite having to wait for a second goal. Kovacic loves playing these non-English teams as their lack of physicality lets him really control the midfield tempo and let his game breathe. He struggled against West Brom’s press last weekend, so playing Porto really gave him a chance to get back into a groove which he did. Jorginho played deeper as a nipping defender, giving the more athletic Kovacic free range over the midfield with Mount given more offensive responsibility. In the second half, Chelsea asserted themselves especially when Olivier Giroud and Pulisic were introduced for Werner and Havertz in the 65th minute. Still not sure why Tuchel isn’t using Giroud more; he really should have against West Brom, but given that Giroud is reportedly leaving this summer, it makes sense to get Werner and Havertz in rhythm with playing time. Still Giroud provides such a threat to score goals. Porto made a good push throughout the meat of the second half and Chelsea brought on N’Golo Kante and Thiago Silva to stem the push, which they did well as Giroud did his aerial thing and Pulisic made darting, threatening runs. As the game waned, Pulisic had a wonderful chance, his the crossbar that further exhibited the strength of Chelsea’s subs. A short time later, Chilwell took on an errant ball by Jesus Corona and calmly put the game away in the 85th minute. Chelsea seeded no real threats as the game completed and showed great poise in their efforts.
Ahead of the weekend’s Crystal Palace game, the Porto game provided good confidence for the team still getting their pace back. Earlier in the season, Chelsea provided one of their best performances, especially their new signings, demolishing Palace 4-0 and Saturday proved no different. Unsurprisingly, against a weaker side, Havertz started out again as the false nine, with Mount on the right wing, however curiously, Pulisic got the start on his favored left side, despite having a slight hamstring issue that kept him out of the second half against West Brom. This game proved to be Pulisic’s most complete game this season, giving 90 minutes and two goals, along with a litany of chances as he meshed in lovely fashion with Havertz. Unfortunately, Werner wasn’t able to join the action and it’s proving difficult for Tuchel, as it did for Frank Lampard, to play Pulisic and Werner at the same time. They have similar styles and haven’t found the proper cohesion to make magic happen together. Could be how selfish they both can be, so having Havertz, a very unselfish player along with Mount really gave this front line a formula to cook.
In the early stages, Chelsea took command of possession as Jorginho and Kovacic commanded the midfield. Callum Hudson-Odoi got a nice start as the right wing back, something he’s shown a wonderful adaptability for and his involvement, as it often does, made things so much easier for the midfield. Pulisic and Chilwell really connected well on the left side and made things difficult early. Mount got in a great cross, which Pulisic somehow converted into a well taken shot, requiring a good save from Palace keeper, Vicente Guaita. Havertz was intimately involved, providing Mount the ball on that cross, operating so smoothly in space. After Pulisic’s chance, in the 8th minute, Havertz and Mount won the ball back and Kai deftly maneuvered his way for a pass into the net for the first goal, using Palace’s defense so well as a screen for the keeper. His wonderful display of defensive skill and finding space made this such a well deserved goal on his journey to great form.
A short time later in the 1t0h minute, the Chilwell/Pulisic partnership bore fruit off a long ball from Jorginho and a sneaky run by Havertz that gave Pulisic a chance to bazooka the ball into the top netting which he did. It was an incredible goal on his weak left foot and highlighted all of the offensive players skills, especially Kovacic’s command and Jorginho’s probing long balls. At this point in the 10th minute, down two goals, Palace largely retreated to allow Chelsea continued possession, especially in the back, barely managing to get the ball over the midline, much to Wilfred Zaha’s furor. Seriously that guy needs a different team; he might be older, but I’ve rarely seen a player that frustrated by his own team’s inability to possess the ball. Jorginho again sent a wonder ball to Havertz in the 22nd minute, which Kai took beautifully dribbling to himself through the air, only to provide a tame shot that Pulisic almost followed up into the net. Havertz looked calm at times, even with his goal, not really putting all of himself into his shots, especially this one, which he really could have buried. The rest of the half, Havertz seemed to wander around, barely making a blip on the radar as he has at times this season, disappearing from games. His early season possession heavy involvement gave no indication that he’s this passive regularly, so it wasn’t great to see him still depart from being involved.
Chelsea continued throbbing the ball at Palace, creating chances, converting again off a left side free kick, which Mount sailed right to Kurt Zouma’s head to give Zouma his 5TH goal of the season. It’s been up and down under Tuchel for Zouma, but with Thiago Silva out, he partnered very well with Antonio Rudiger this game, preferred over Andreas Christensen. Tuchel’s approach since becoming manager, by involving so many of the defensive players seems to have really lit a fire under their asses. Azpilicueta solidified his place in the back three, buoyed by Reece James moving into a wing back role and his presence along with Rudiger, gave strong confidence to Edouard Mendy. Their play out from the back tactics, something Zouma struggled with, worked beautifully today, with Kovacic, Jorginho and eventually Kante playing vital roles in keeping the ball out of danger. Obviously Palace seemed asleep today, but Leeds and West Brom gave everyone the blueprint to break through this Chelsea backline by applying a high press so even if you don’t have the horses to do it, opponents should at least try and see what happens. Fortunately, for Palace, Chilwell lapsed for a moment and Palace struck with a divine cross from Jeffrey Schlupp to Christian Benteke who thundered a header past Mendy, with Chilwell failing to properly cover Benteke. Seems these types of goals which West Brom made well use of are the best way to score against Chelsea, however it also takes the highest level of skill to actually convert them along with a lackadaisical showing from Chelsea as they did last weekend.
Fortunately, that was the only lapse as Chelsea further possessed and applied pressure, finally breaking through with a James cross that Pulisic found himself on the end of. It’s a run Pulisic makes all the time so given his conversion rate on those runs (it’s low) it was nice to see this one providing a payoff. With three goals in his past two games, he seems to be finding good form to close out the season, let’s just pray to God he properly stretches those hammys. Hakim Ziyech made a late sub appearance for Kovacic, but failed to make a real impact and amid rumors that he’ll leave after this season, I think his lack of success at Chelsea is most disappointing compared to other signings given his skill set. Not sure it’s all his fault given the upheaval, COVID, injuries and everything else. We’ll see who they bring in this summer, but either way it’s hard to see him fitting into this team with so many mouths to feed.
Despite his performance in this game, Havertz had a few chances late in the game that he took so casually, it appeared downright lazy. It’s not, he’s just that good that he makes it look easy so his relaxed nature comes off as reticent. Few athletes really master making it look easy, one that comes to mind is Mike Powell, the Syracuse lacrosse attackman, who is regarded as probably one of the best three college lacrosse players ever. Powell had no weaknesses in his game and his smoothness and ease of play made it all the more frustrating because opponents sometimes got lulled into complacency by Powell’s casual approach. If Kai Havertz ever finds real footing and starts producing offensively, it damn sure will be due to his calm, relaxed, supremely technical skills. In this, probably his best game at Chelsea, we saw those skills on full display. He just needs to translate them into production.
After a shit weekend, Chelsea bounced back very well and took control again of their place in the Champions League next season. Who knows though; the next few weeks might prove that point moot if they can capitalize on their form in the current year of the competition and win it all. Chaos is a ladder and they’re climbing each rung on their way to the semi-finals. Hopefully, Liverpool make headway against Real Madrid because Liverpool seem so beatable and I’d salivate at the idea of seeing Ozan Kabak and Nat Phillips against this Chelsea front line that’s finally looking in form for the first time this season.
Bo's Gamut 