Chelsea Match Review
Chelsea 0 - 6 Manchester City I Premier League I 11/2/2019
Match Overview
On the back of a 5-0 thumping of bottom-of-the-table
Huddersfield, Chelsea entered this match on a positive note with talks of a
growing partnership between Hazard and Higuan and the team finding the
motivation to win and kill matches.
But in the space of 25 mins, all of this came crashing down
when Gundogan nets City’s fourth goal of the match in the first half. It did
not, however, started off badly. Chelsea started the game with energy and
vigour. There were sharp and incisive movements and the players came off the
blocks trying to find for a goal. But, within 4 minutes, after a flurry of
chances in the opening minutes from both sides, Raheem Sterling scored the
goal.
Raheem Sterling 4’ MC
1 - 0 CHE
A large reason for
the loss is in the style of play employed by Chelsea. Chelsea played with their
now distinctive slow build up play which was easily exploited by Manchester
City and before long, they have lost the plot in an embarrassing 6-0 loss.
Aguero’s first goal was sumptuous. Right after a howler where he mis
anticipated a brilliant cross across goal only to kick the ball wide off an
empty net, he scored a rocket from outside the box past Kepa’s outstretched
hand.
Aguero 13’ MC
2 – 0 CHE
Aguero’s second goal was the result of a really sloppy play
from Barkley. Barkley attempted to head back to Kepa for a goal kick but was
not aware that Aguero was still lurking behind the Chelsea’s defence. Being a
Chelsea header, he was not offside and thus easily scored his second goal of
this match.
Aguero 19’ MC
3 – 0 CHE
By now, it was certain that there are fundamental flaws in
Chelsea’s gameplay. Gundagon found himself some space just outside the box and
thus, as with the quality of Man City players, aimed a lethal accurate shot
beyond Kepa’s reach to make it an embarrassing 4-0.
Gundagon 25’ MC
4 – 0 CHE
When things seems like it could not get worse, Azpilicueta tripped
and conceded a foul in the penalty box. To be honest, Chelsea were closing the
gaps better in the second half, thus it felt like the match may just end 4 – 0,
which was bad enough. Unfortunately, the penalty came and Aguero wrong-footed
Kepa to make it 5 – 0 and a hattrick for the night.
Aguero 58’ MC 5 – 0 CHE
The last goal from Man City was not as spectacular as some
of their previous. Somehow, Sterling found space and thus duly shot and scored
from close range.
Sterling 80’ MC
6 – 0 CHE
Match Highlight
Chelsea opted for Sarri’s favoured 4-3-3. With the addition
of Higuan, Hazard could once again return to his favoured left winger position.
Other than the usual Kovacic-Barkley and Pedro-Willian selection dilemma,
Chelsea started with their regular first team squad. Only Hudson-Odoi and
Cahill were announced to have had some slight injuries although Cahill has, for
some time, not featured in Sarri’s Chelsea side. Hence, the disastrous
performance is all the more shocking as this is the reflection of Chelsea’s
best available side.
The first half was characterised by a ruthless clinical
display from Manchester City. Manchester City dominated the possession with
their usual passing and excellent pressing which forces Chelsea to give in
possession rather cheaply, particularly due to the slow build up nature of
Chelsea’s game which has come under many criticism. Sarri has a right to say
that the players were not playing his favoured style of play. To be honest, Sarri’s
Napoli were good and dominant precisely because of their fast passing and organisation
of the players. It is not their dominance or ability to retain possession that
won them games or admirers. Guardiola himself said that then-Napoli’s style of
play was even able to confound his Manchester City’s ultra-organised style of
play. This style of quick passing was not able to be replicated by the current
Chelsea squad. Instead, while some of the ‘symptoms’ of Sarriball is in place,
the objective was not met and what ensured was a slow passing, uncreative team
easily exploited by an organised opponent.
Man Of The Match
Gonzalo Higuan was in a weird point of view, Chelsea’s
Man-of-the-Match. It can be seen quite clearly now the quality of this striker.
He is no dribbler or passer like Morata, but he is what Chelsea has been
lacking, a brilliant shot-taker. His shots are powerful and curling. If just
given the right space, he will unleash an almost unstoppable shot only few
keepers can stop. Unfortunately, one of that keeper is Ederson who made such a
brilliant save which would have saved Chelsea’s blushes.
Unfortunately, despite Higuan’s rather tepid and average performance,
the other players were just too woeful to be considered to be the
Man-of-the-Match.
Player Ratings
-
Goalkeeper
Kepa Arizabalaga, 6
In all the goals, except for the penalty, he could not have
done any better. He was on full stretch for all the goals and reacted
brilliantly. Unfortunately, the shots were too brilliant for him.
-
Defenders
Marcos Alonso, 2
Awful display again. I have been talking about the overratedness
of Alonso since he signed for Chelsea and a need for a better leftback. Only
now are Chelsea faithfuls fully realising the liability he poses to our
defence. Unfortunately, I also doubt Emerson’s ability to fill this role. This
is a position Sarri needs to strengthen to keep his team forward.
Antonio Rudiger, 3
It is funny when you cannot find a fault in his play yet the
team concedes 6 goals. Unfortunately, Rudiger just does not possess that steel
or physicality like Arsenal’s Kolasinac, whom I highly rated.
David Luiz, 3
Similarly, he does not seem to have a fault in his play yet
the team still concedes 6 goals. It could be perhaps not be his individual
fault but the style of play Chelsea are currently playing which exposes such
lapses in defence.
Cesar Azpilicueta, 2
He has been quite absent in his play for some time. Not much
presence in defence nor attack.
(Sub) Emerson
Finally took off the awful Alonso but he did not contribute
much to the team to be honest.
-
Midfielders
Barkley, 1
Really terrible game he is having. To be fair, with the
dominance of Manchester City, Barkley’s strengths are just not accentuated.
Unfortunately, I really believe that Barkley is a huge reason for Sarriball not
being able to come off as he is just too slow with the ball and his passing and
ball control is just not good enough for such quick passing tactics.
Jorginho, 2
He is playing in a team vastly different from what he is
supposedly supposed to be playing like. His previous Napoli team could work off
in tandem with nicely synchronised passes that confound opponents but this team
rarely could string a couple of passes nicely together. Chelsea team has good
dribblers and individuals, not team players.
Kante, 5
He was to be honest, quite good, and probably the only
player able to disrupt some momentum in Manchester City’s tactical juggernaut.
Incredible player.
(Sub) Kovacic, 4
Why did he not start this match? Chelsea needed that just
little more ball retention and he could have provided for them. Instead, Sarri
opted for his long range shooter, Barkley, hoping to score that rare wonder
goals.
-
Forwards
Eden Hazard, 5
He is truly a world class player. His dribbling in the first
half at times almost beat the entire Manchester City defence. Unfortunately, he
cannot just do everything by himself. I actually have the suspicion that he is
just not made out for Sarriball due to the nature of his style of play. In some
of Sarri’s earlier games where Hazard was still recovering from his World Cup
exertions, Chelsea actually played a brilliant quick passing game between
Ppedro, Willian and Morata.
Higuan, 5
Excellent shooter. No chances. Wasteful night let down by entire
team.
Pedro, 3
Pedro seems way past his prime now. Dribbling still good.
Yet, he is no longer that player beater that he was. He was not able to cut in
nicely nor outrun most of the opponents defenders…
(Sub) Loftus-Cheek, 3
Actually, made more of an impact than Pedro. Unfortunately,
still did not find the missing piece of puzzle to unlock Manchester City or
salvage a respectful goal even.
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