Chelsea overcame their usual struggles to defeat Crystal Palace on Saturday. Now they must apply what they learned to extend their usual success against Barcelona in the Champions League.
Chelsea put in a solid performance against Crystal Palace, scoring two goals in the first half and creating plenty of chances. However, once the second half started and the opposition brought on Wilfried Zaha, the Blues looked uneasy. Here are five things Antonio Conte should take to heart as he puts the finishing touches on his preparation for Barcelona and continues the Premier League run-in.
1. A striker is a must to win games
Chelsea’s offensive tactics are highly reliant on a striker being on the field. During his entire outing against Crystal Palace, Olivier Giroud’s role was vital and he made the Blues dangerous. Having a striker on the field also helped Eden Hazard and Willian run with the ball and take on defenders.
The difference was crystal clear. Antonio Conte’s men had a total of 27 shots with 11 on target. And although Hazard can play the false-nine role and Conte has shown his preference for it in some situations, the contrast of having a “real nine” is undeniable.
Chelsea need to keep winning games week in and week out. Therefore, to score more goals and get the right results, they need a striker on the field. On top of that, Chelsea are trailing one away goal against Barcelona. Barcelona is almost certain to score on their home ground, so to move to the next round, the Blues need goals. The only lingering question at this point is who will it be: Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud?
2. N’Golo Kante makes all the difference
Kante was absent against Manchester City, and with the defensive tactics Antonio Conte implemented, the game could have been a different one had he been healthy. However, he was back against Crystal Palace, and was lively and kept the midfield in his back pocket. The French international is key to stopping the opposition’s build-up and counter-attacks. Against Barcelona, Kante will have a major role to play.
Furthermore, Cesc Fabregas, Danny Drinkwater and Tiemoue Bakayoko simply are not fast players. Kante provides Chelsea with speed on the breakaway. Once he presses the opposition and gains the ball, it does not take much from him to run forward and make a pass. This type of movement allows the attackers to do their job and keep the defense on their heels.
3. Eden Hazard needs to pull the trigger
Chelsea created plenty of chances on Sunday and Eden Hazard was a big part of that. However, Hazard seemed too unselfish at times. Although he is Chelsea’s top goal scorer this season, there is no doubt he should have added to his tally against Palace.
Too often the Belgian waits for the perfect opportunity to take his shot. But a gap in the defense is enough for someone of his caliber to score. If anyone should score against Barcelona on Wednesday, it is Hazard. Chelsea will need him as sharp and deadly as possible.
4. The defense still needs some work
The Blues almost had a perfect game on their hands. However, the team conceded a goal in the second half on another individual error.
Although the back line looked solid for the majority of the match, it only takes a second to throw everything out the window. The defense needs to be assertive for the remainder of the season and pay attention to the details. But more importantly, it must not panic under pressure to avoid childish mistakes.
5. Alvaro Morata lacks mental composure
Although Alvaro Morata was only on the field for a short period of time, the Spaniard earned yet another yellow card. Equally concerning, he did not have much of an impact and did not scare the opposition’s defense in any way. And if that wasn’t all, Morata was lucky to stay on the field after slapping the linesman’s flag off of his hand.
If Morata wants to earn his spot back in the team, he needs to keep his cool and focus on the game, not arguing.
Chelsea travel to the Camp Nou on Wednesday for their biggest game of the season so far. The Blues need a perfect performance from every aspect. But if all goes according to plan, Antonio Conte’s men have every chance to beat Barcelona in their own house and move to the next round of the Champions League.
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