ONLY WAY IS UP

By
Ratul Ghosh
-
0
215
edouard mendy, antonio rudiger, kai havertz, n'golo kante

Chelsea are champions of Europe once more! The Blues came up clutch when they needed to and schooled Manchester City in their own game. Thomas Tuchel’s side were spectacularly set up in all divisions of the field, which allowed them to suffocate City right from the start. They scored just before halftime and in the second half, put up a defensive masterclass to keep wave after wave of attack at bay. 

 

https://twitter.com/FootTheBall/status/1398750962957783040?s=20

 

Pep Guardiola will get a lot of flak for overthinking his tactics (AGAIN!). Not starting with either Rodri or Fernandinho left everyone shocked while the usage of four wingers together did not have any effect. Even after his strikers and the Brazilian came on, there was little to be done. Chelsea were simply the better side on the night. The only way is up for Tuchel and co. from here with the number of positives they can take home from this clash.

 

THE FRONT FIVE WIN BIG

The final proved everything about how Chelsea are an unbeatable side on their day. The first half saw superlative displays from the attacking trio of Werner, Havertz, Mount in cahoots with the wing-backs were pressuring City’s defence time and again, forcing them to clear hastily. That pressure finally told with Havertz notching up his first Champions League goal just before halftime. 

 

 

He and Werner have been put through the wringer for their performances all throughout the season. This despite the fact that they both have been pretty good going forward. However, in the early stages of the match, Werner did miss some good chances which might have made the fans wonder it was going to be another long night. Though he returned strongly from them and made up by running at Guardiola’s defence all evening long.

 

 

N’Golo Kante was, once again, everywhere. The French international was mopping up everything in front of him, rendering Kevin De Bruyne utterly powerless. His interceptions and energy made sure that Chelsea’s backline had an additional layer of protection at all times. He harassed all of City’s attackers and was still running with the ball up the pitch in the last minutes of the game. 

 

 

Even Reece James and Ben Chilwell were supremely effective against Mahrez and Sterling. Using their body strength and guile, they constantly raided down the wings. This has been another hallmark of Tuchel’s time as he has deployed the right personnel against the right kind of players time and again which has resulted in many positive results. 

 

 

The general consensus is all of the front three will only get better next season. If they can hit the ground running, and Werner can stay onside more, there is no telling how many goals Chelsea can score with these young attackers. 

 

MEAN DEFENCE TO GET MEANER

The defensive turnaround under Tuchel has been monstrous. Chelsea have the tightest defence in the Premier League, but their form going into the final was sketchy. Having lost three of their last five matches while conceding four goals, there was legitimate cause for concern. However, those worries were quickly dispelled in one of the most dominant displays of shutting out ever in Europe.

 

 

The often criticised Antonio Rudiger and captain Cesar Azpilicueta were absolutely immense in the centre. They contested every ball on the ground and aerially, with City struggling to create chances. Their work was made slightly easier with Kante in front of them as well as the fact that Guardiola’s wingers were no match in terms of height. The duo was joined by first Thiago Silva, and then Andreas Christensen. The Dane, in particular, was superb, especially given the fact that he had not had a lot of first-team action recently.

 

 

Edouard Mendy became the first African goalkeeper to win the Champions League. He has been an upgrade from Kepa right from day one and has enjoyed a stellar second half of the season. Looking very assured with his handling, distribution and quick reflexes, Mendy poses a considerable threat to Ederson’s Golden Glove status in the near future.

 

 

This defence will go from strength to strength next season. With mostly the same players expected to be back, Tuchel’s side will be aiming to continue the good work. Opponents will find it an arduous task to score against these Blues as long as the German remains in charge.

 

PLAYERS TO JOIN?

Roman Abramovich has always been a big spender at the club. This summer, even with the aftereffects of the coronavirus pandemic, Chelsea will surely be testing the waters for players. Erling Haaland’s name has come up as a potential mega striker option along with of course Harry Kane. Kane is someone who has already been linked with Stamford Bridge, and it remains to be seen whether the Spurs striker can indeed join the Blues or even any other club for that matter. 

 

 

Former players Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukau have also been in the rumour mill. Hazard has had a less than an underwhelming season with Real Madrid and the club may be keen to sell him quickly. Lukaku, meanwhile, had one of the best seasons by a player in Europe this term with 24 goals and 11 assists in Serie A. However, with Antonio Conte’s sudden departure and Inter’s need to cut finances, he may be the one leaving San Siro.

 

CONSISTENCY NEEDED

Chelsea’s late-season wobble almost saw them miss out on the top four. Even though they were the superior side throughout tonight, Tuchel will be keen to have a consistent season next term. He studied Guardiola’s tactics brilliantly tonight, with Chelsea playing the kind of high tempo attacking game with solid defence that incidentally saw Manchester City win over PSG. This just goes to show how methodical and application-based the coach will be in future as well.

 


However, he knows he has to get off to a good start as Abramovich has a long history of firing coaches who do not perform well enough after winning silverware. They have a good team which can challenge for the title on a regular basis, and with the German coaching the side from the beginning, it can surely happen that the Blues end 2022 with the Premier League crown. 

Previous articleTWITTER ERUPTS!
Next articleWhat Now Pep?
Ratul Ghosh
Ratul Ghosh
His name means Red and a fan of devilish food, which equals to his favourite team being Manchester United. Can be found sleeping or in front of the TV otherwise. Hates waking up early but loves staying up late for football.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR