On Sunday I had the privilege of attending Chelsea’s match against Crystal Palace as a member of the press, marking the final day of matchweek three. The match at Stamford Bridge pitted two teams with contrasting starts to the season against each other: Palace after two consecutive league defeats and Chelsea bouncing back from a defeat to champions Manchester City with a dominant win over Wolves.
Chelsea had beaten Palace in their last 14 meetings, making a victory for the Blues likely. Nicolas Jackson’s goal, arriving at the far post, is the result of a rapid transition. When I asked Oliver Glasner about this, he pointed out that Palace were “vulnerable in transition” and thanked Chelsea for capitalizing on that weakness. On the other hand, Eberechi Eze’s goal for Palace was a brilliant strike, although some argue that Chelsea’s inability to clear the ball, particularly at the end of a free kick, contributed to the goal.
The match and post-match reactions provided insight into the current state of Chelsea. As the international break approaches, it will be interesting to see how issues are addressed and explored.
Tactical Takeaways
Palmer plays deeper: Cole Palmer often dropped into deeper positions, especially in the second half, which saw Moises Caicedo move alongside Levi Colwill in the backline. While Palmer has created space for others by putting pressure on players like Cheick Doucouré, this has also highlighted issues as it negates his ability in the half-spaces and final third.
Absence of Lavia: The lack of a press-resistant midfielder like Roméo Lavia was felt. Lavia’s presence as a pivot could have provided more stability, particularly against Palace’s threatening cuts in the final third when they began to build into the game after their equalizer. Chelsea struggled to build effectively from deep in the second half, perhaps Lavia’s vertical pass would have been particularly beneficial.
Replacements: Joao Felix, who thrives in the half-spaces and between the lines, was less effective when playing as a touchline winger. This also applies to Christopher Nkunku, highlighting the need to use them perhaps in their preferred roles to maximize their impact.
Questions ahead for Chelsea
Enzo plays advanced: The experience of Enzo Fernandez playing in 10 raises questions. He struggled to hold onto the ball during the match and his first touch in advanced and tight spaces let him down. Some believe Enzo looks more effective when positioned deeper, moving the ball quickly and distributing passes all over the field. We will have to see how his performances develop and if his positioning changes in the future, as it is still unclear where he will be most effective in midfield.
Lack of clean sheets and set pieces in defense: Even though the central defender duo is gaining confidence, some concerns remain. After the match, Enzo Maresca called Eze’s goal “fantastic” and remarked that the save was “impossible for Rob (Sanchez)”. However, set pieces, especially in phase two, remain a problem as the goal is born from a lack of efficiency in these situations. Questions remain about consistency in these areas.
Will Sancho solve the left’s problem? There is an argument that Maresca’s preference for inverted wingers could make Jadon Sancho an ideal fit for the left wing. Sancho is good in tight spaces, but Maresca stressed that players have to fight for position, so immediate involvement is not guaranteed.
Is there a right-back problem? : Malo Gusto limped off the field in the 74th minute, due to what Maresca later described as a “muscle problem”. Caicedo moved to replace him at right-back. However, with Reece James suspended, will he be fit to return to action after suffering a minor hamstring injury?
Written by Abbie Jensen (@abbiiiiex)
Edited by Harrison Burridge (@hburridge2)
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