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Chelsea may be undefeated in nine games in a row now (not counting a penalty shootout), but throughout that entire run, we’ve spent much of that run looking for the right balance between attack and defense. When the first was working, the second was in ruins, and when we discovered that the second, the first disappeared.
But in the last two games, we started to show signs that we could be working things out. Of course, Krasnodar is a Russian Premier League team in the middle of the table right now and Burnley still haven’t won a game all season, but we could have slipped as easy as when we conceded three goals to West Brom and Southampton.
The 4-0 scoreline in Krasnodar belies the team’s defensive effort, with Chelsea holding on to a 1-0 lead for most of the match. Similarly, today, Chelsea was able to make a one-goal lead stick, this time with dominating midfield work, before securing points in the second half.
Overall, there is a lot to be happy about, both for the fans and for the players and the head coach.
“I thought it was a very complete performance.
“It’s a difficult place to come here and play, they make it very difficult. You know that you have to defend your box well, you have to be very strong with the first and second balls. I wanted that to be one approach and the other to continue to develop the way we play with the ball. That’s what really pleased me today.
“Some of the passing and movement in the team from minute one to the end of the game was very good. […] I really enjoyed […] At some of the angles we were doing, getting the balls through the lines and it was more positive and aggressive in our forward passing style. I think it’s part of the process and the job. It is a good step forward and we have to continue ”.
Offense is the best form of defense, as they say, although sometimes defense is the best form of defense, especially in the Premier League where every team has the quality to hurt you. We were probably lucky that Ashley Barnes couldn’t bring down Édouard Mendy early on, when Kurt Zouma misplayed a high ball; on the other hand, lifting the ball over Stretch isn’t exactly easy, but otherwise it was a solid display on the back and even better higher up.
“There was certainly balance there today and we worked on that. […] I don’t want to jump to conclusions in the end and say that our balance is done, as you have to keep working on that. But when you have a clean sheet, when you score goals, you’re going in the right direction. “
Of course, it is one thing to know where the balance is and how to find it, and quite another is to continue setting our marks, maintain consistency behind, control midfield and continue creating opportunities up front. We will have tougher opposition to face, so the work and constant improvement of everyone involved must continue if we are to fulfill our ambitions.
“It feels like a good step forward. I keep talking about the work we have to do, we’re nowhere near the end of the road with that, so the performance was a really solid victory. “
“[…] Clean goals are a great sign of the backbone of the team, Thiago and Edouard Mendy have helped enormously to that, but the group, the way we are defending with the mentality, today was really positive with the ball. I’m not going to jump up and down after a win like this, but it was a very positive day. “
-Frank Lampard; source: Football.London
Certainly something that will bring us some joy as the rest of the world around us plunges into the latest political and pandemic drama.
