The Chelsea truth: Basic ball taking to opponent’s side troubles Chelsea in this phase of project- Basic aspects of football are lacking at Chelsea
Srećko Šijaković 
It is time to discuss Chelsea football and the problems confronting the club. It is time to confront Maresca with a clear argument over his Chelsea play and leadership abilities.
It is time to outline the basic problems Chelsea is facing on the field, and to be clear that Maresca is saving the team with substitutions. But why is he constantly coming into situations where he has to overturn things around with substitutes? He chooses his lineup and always makes mistakes, like today, where he made a clear mistake with three of four defenders.
He has a strong bench, with good summer signings. He has many good options on the bench.
The bad starting XI will cost Chelsea very much. It costs them today and will also in the future.
We explained a few months back, Chelsea’s tactics last season — Maresca was using Madueke, Jackson, and Cole Palmer to take the ball on the opposite side. They were great at the opposite box and were also scoring a lot.
They were attacking with Jackson in the opposite box. Madueke was attacking, running, dribbling and shooting — everything on the right side of the pitch. Palmer was connecting the lines, and Chelsea had no issues taking the ball forward on the opposite side. It was always in front of Madueke, Palmer or Jackson.
Nicolas Jackson was scoring and missing, but he was a constant threat to opponents’ defences in the Premier League. Chelsea misses Nicolas Jackson very much now. He was a real threat and a striker who was attacking the opponent’s goal. He was a striker who was striking, not like Joao Pedro
Jackson was distancing and receiving the ball, while he was so aggressive and was always in dangerous positions.
Chelsea’s offensive blade — Palmer–Madueke–Jackson — has been terrorising opponents, and Chelsea has been easily taking the ball on the opposite side.
The ball was on the opposite side and in the box, and it was going deep.
You can read this analysis, in which Maresca’s tactics from last season have been explained to you and also analysed. You can read that analysis here; it is called “Why Enzo Maresca is a genius?”
The Chelsea, the reality– the truth
The truth of Chelsea has to be said, the situation in which every game Enzo Maresca saves his team with a substitution is seen so many times now. The summer market and players that arrived have ensured him that. It will not and can not work every time for sure.
Chelsea’s real problem named:
As was seen tonight in the Chelsea defeat at Leeds United, Chelsea has a huge problem taking the ball on the opposite side. The problem is clear: there is no more Madueke and Neto and Estevão Willian, and depending on the balls they get at their feet, they can open themselves and go towards the lines, but ball transition is Chelsea’s problem.
Ball transition is very weak with the team, and this is a problem a great problem. With many position rotations, it is not clear who is transferring the ball to the opponent’s side. Since Gusto is now more right back oriented and Cuccurella’s position in the middle goes on the feet of central defenders. who are not doing that well. The team cannot destroy pressure and quickly pass the ball, and construct an attack.
Chelsea does not have a system for who is responsible for ball transition – due to many rotations, and without Reece James and Caicedo, the midfield has looked critical.
Andrey Santos was hideous, and there was no composure on the pitch. Just like the Sunderland defeat, Chelsea had three defenders transferring the ball in front, just like the Sunderland game. They were weak and slow in combination, and Leeds United had no difficulty defending since they were slow with passes and had weak game control. Also, like against Sunderland, they had time to compose themselves in defensive positions. The game tempo was very slow and weak, and Leeds United had no problem defending.
The work with Garnacho is to make him dribble past the defenders and then cross or shoot, but it is not a team effort — that is Maresca’s tactic with Garnacho to be dangerous on the left side. It also goes at worst because the team efforts are making the difference at this time of the season.
So Estevão, Neto are depending on the ball, but the ball is behind the legs of Chalobah, Tosin, and Badiashile.
Pedro Neto had to start the game tonight, but was on the bench at the decision of Maseca
So Chelsea has a serious problem with play construction, dictating the match rhythm, and at this stage. Chelsea is struggling badly with taking the ball into the opposite box and creating attacks.
They can dominate Liverpool with good positioning, crossing and creating, but they have a real problem in the football matches that are considered less important when their team needs to control the rhythm, and the central defenders Chelsea has are not good enough to create. They do not have enough knowledge of the ball. They hold the ball very long, and then the ball is missing in dangerous positions.
There is no more Jackson and Madueke, and there is trouble. Chelsea is struggling with a basic problem — transferring the ball and game construction. It is all individual with Garnacho.
These problems were known at Chelsea in the time of Thomas Tuchel at Stamford Bridge, who did not have a clear idea of how to take the ball to the opposite side of the pitch.
His 3:4:3 system was not working on ball transition on the opponent’s side.
Chelsea is great, everyone says, but a basic thing has not been bypassed by Enzo Maresca in his second season at the club. This is really problematic for the club. This is a basic football aspect we are talking about. One of the basic football aspects.
Tosin and Badiashile are not good enough for this level. João Pedro is destroying everything and has put Bounanotte forgettable, but not with good goals and assists and good play.
Robert Sánchez is not good for the level Chelsea is playing. He is to blame for all three goals and was responsible for the goal in the second half when it was offside. He can be improved; he can be a Chelsea player, but his quality is lacking. He will never have the quality for Chelsea.
The importance of defence
Chelsea needs to play like every team, with its strongest central back on the pitch. He cannot be changing the defence every game. He needs to have a pair of strong central defenders. Quality defenders, not like Tosin.
Maresca has to decide on his central-back position and how it can give a team security and defensive composure. He can build everything from a good, solid and calm defence and central defenders who are positioning very well and closing opponents.
Maybe it could work with Wesley Fofana and Trevoh Chalobah. Chalobah is the least worst on the left central-back position.
The central-back pair is very important, especially in the Premier League. The pair of secure central defenders can do everything for the team. We will remember Levi Colwill from last season with Chalobah.
Disasi and Colwill, in a pair, almost made Mauricio Pochettino successful at Chelsea.
Gabriel–Saliba were giving Arsenal the strength to enter a perfect streak.
I am not saying Badiashile is bad — I am saying he has been injured and needs to catch his form and rhythm. Currently, he is not on that level.
The main conclusion concerning Chelsea’s central back is that Wesley Fofana has to play. If Chelsea is serious, Fofana has to be on the pitch.
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