Chelsea 2 Burnley 3 -- Interruptions and Adjustment

Pregame Notes & Formations

 

 

Chelsea: 3-4-3

  • Will Boga/Willian track back?
  • Is the Kante/Fabregas midfield enough to be effective versus opponents' five-man midfield, when considering outlets to Azpilicueta and Alonso?
  • Will David Luiz sweep forward?

Key: Willian's stamina. Wing play combination with outside forwards Willian/Boga. Fabregas'/Kante's ability to hold midfield form

Burnley: 4-5-1

  • Can Vokes hold up play, taking pressure off of the Burnley defense?
  • Can midfield break out from pressure-absorption and attack, given lack of wide play? If midfield does stay wide (Gudmundson, Brady spread wide), will the team be exposed to Kante/Fabregas to its detriment? 
  • Can Burnley cope with pace & speed -- for 90+ minutes?
  • Will Burnley ever break from cynically and attempt to turn the match? Will they have the chance to do so before Chelsea puts the game out of reach?

Key: Defending set pieces. Sticking firm in formation -- and upon doing so, neutralizing Chelsea's midfield threat. May need to concede wings to Azpilicueta and Alonso, condense themselves in the box/midfield in order to come away with points.

First Half 

Alonso cautioned, 2nd minute. Free kicks or a sending off are potential Burnley lifelines. Tactical certitude from Chelsea. Kante/Fabregas staying at home, not overcommitting forward. Kante/Fabregas playing as pseudo-holding midfielders, midfield "nodes" -- visualize the two stationed in a troika or a central tower, pivoting to fire in all directions, and the image of their play is presented. Defensive buffers and bastions of positive progress, Kante/Fabregas.

When play goes to the opposite side of the pitch, Chelsea's outside forward on the weak side moves underneath Batshuayi -- beautiful. A machine of codimensional gears, Chelsea, gears with duties, gears knowing of situational relevance and readiness. No panic. Contrast this with the "roleless" Liverpool team bent on capitalizing on an opponent's discord rather than creating positive chances. 

13th minute: Gary Cahill RED CARD (dangerous tackle). The captain, sent off. Azpilicueta now captain. CHANGE: Chelsea switches to back four of Az - Rüdiger - Luiz - Alonso for two minutes, until Christiansen replaces Boga. After Christiansen comes on, CHANGE back to back three (Rüdiger - Luiz - Christiansen). Azpilicueta and Alonso force forward on the wings, girding Kante and Fabregas. Willian now employed as an attacking midfielder behind Batshuayi. At issue now is Batshuayi's ability to hold up play until the midfield can link with him/Willian in attack.

Burnley, to their credit or detriment, have not changed strategy. The risk of a technical outclassing remains; overcommitting forward would compromise the match with regards to Burnley's chances.  Burnley can afford now, though, to counterattack/they now have more certainty in possession due to their numerical advantage. There is less panic in the Burnley midfield now. Cross in from the right -- a calm cross -- turned in by Vokes. Goal. 1-0 Burnley, 24th minute.

Burnley at risk of separation between top four and back six in their formation if they commit to a counterattacking strategy. Chelsea still venomous.  The midfield is thin/narrow for Chelsea now -- tempting for Burnley now to send FBs forward for sustained attacking pressure.

Chelsea formation remains consistent, strategy remains consistent, players still stay home within formation. Only formational change is Willian's dropping into CAM role, leaving Batshuayi up top. Luiz joining attack -- "nothing has changed" attitude. 

Ball from center, sent wide for Ward, who lashes it across goal at a tight angle after separating from Kante. Goal, Ward. 2-0 Burnley, 40th minute. Cross from 40 yards, right flank into the box. Vokes unmarked. Vokes header. Goal, Vokes. 3-0, Burnley, 43rd minute.

Halftime Needs

Chelsea issues: Down a man, their three-man defense stretched due to the need for Alonso/Az to push forward into attack after the loss of Cahill and the substitution of Boga and the need for Kante/Fabregas to force their way forward in attack after the substitution of Boga. They would not need to do this, necessarily, if their team were not down three goals -- the multi-goal deficit adds to Chelsea's dilemma, as they not only need to cope with being down a man, but they also need to be relentless moving forward.  Their midfield, for the same reason, is also stretched. Chelsea cannot worry, however, about overexertion. The task is nevertheless a straightforward one. Burnley will be stronger (have been stronger) down the flanks since the red card. If Burnley find the space to send a cross into the box, someone is bound to be unmarked due again to the numerical advantage and because of Chelsea's throwing men forward in order to pull back a goal. This occurred three times in the first half -- and Burnley converted each time. 

Chelsea need to push forward through the midfield with Kante/Fabregas. Alonso/Azpilicueta need to hold back and/or check their aggression, making runs but stopping before the attacking third in respect to the potential for a Burnley counter. The two must aid midfield play while ensuring that the defense does not get caught out. 

Burnley must wean the game away. Hold up play. Roll the ball into open areas. Keep the attack oiled. Stay firm in midfield, as Chelsea's only way back into the match is a Burnley red card or Burnley's ceding the ball and ossifying in the defensive third, content in playing a cynical, preventative game, one eye on the clock. 

Chelsea will need to bring Morata on for either Willian or Batshuayi. A strategy Chelsea could adopt: Concede the midfield. Push Kante/Fabregas forward and wide in midfield. Attack up the flanks with A/A and Kant/Fabregas, assuming Burnley will not/cannot penetrate the Rüdiger-Luiz-Christiansen back three when attacking from head-on (and that Burnley will not/cannot produce a long-range strike for a goal).

Key: Whatever Fabregas and Kante do.

 

Second Half

Alonso and Az being given license to cut in at 18-yard box's top, inverted winger-style. Alonso's strike to the top left corner (tipped over by Heaton) a result of his venturing into open space on left. Morata comes on for Batshuayi, 58th minute. Like-for-like switch. Willian and Morata drawing fouls. Willian possesses on the right corner of the 18-yard box, crosses to Morata. Glancing header. Goal, Morata, 69th minute. 3-1 Burnley.

Burnley back four solid; Burnley midfield sitting narrow and ball-hunting. Burnley double change, 74th minute: Walters, Arfield on  for Defour, Gudmundsson.

Chelsea running target practice. Burnley sitting back. Fabregas picks up second yellow for a late tackle on Cork, 81st minute (booked for dissent in first half). David Luiz, who had been coming forward in attack for much of the half, powers through the middle in the 88th minute. Mortal flicks the ball on to Luiz over the top of the defense. Goal, Luiz. 3-2 Burnley. Musonda on for Christiansen, 92nd minute. Game ends.

Postgame Points

  • The game turned on its head after the red card(s). Chelsea missing two players for upcoming matches. Burnley held structure well throughout.
  • Burnley did sit back and allow target practice for the last 30 minutes, though their advantage proved enough. Burnley hustled and stalled Chelsea out of the match. It was a physical match: Burnley stifled the undermanned Chelsea, drawing the Blues into a more Burnley-suited contest. Yet Chelsea were a deflection away from a draw. A loss. A Chelsea loss.

 

Iami WilliamChelsea, Burnley, Chelsea v. Burnley, red card, Premier League, Tactics, Match analysis