Saw an interesting article on WhoScored this afternoon:

 

http://www.whoscored.com/Articles/3zcytsnyb0wrvueyhdgacg/Show/Team-Focus-Chelsea-Must-Go-Back-to-Basics-to-Rediscover-Defensive-Assurance

 

It highlighted some quite worrying stats:

 

- We've given away more shots on target than any other side in the league this season.

- We've given away more shots from corners than any other side in the league this season.

- Ivanovic and Fabregas are joint first for 'player dribbled past most times' this season.

 

It's probably also worth noting that we have conceded the second highest number of goals in the league so far (behind an utterly atrocious Sunderland).

 

 

What is worrying about this is that these are areas in which we are usually strong; in fact there's an argument to be made that it's what we have, in recent tradition at least, been best at. In addition, we have a manager who is renowned for his brilliance in shoring up his defences and bringing the best out of his defenders, as well as focusing on set pieces as key to both winning and not losing a game, which was particularly evident in the 2006/07 season. Even to the naked eye, it is particularly clear that we are quite frequently in a state of absolute panic at the back and are being given the run around even by players who are far from top class.

 

 

What do you all think the problem is?

 

Early jitters caused by poor fitness and form?

Individual players declining (e.g. Ivanovic, Terry, Matic)?

A natural consequence of a more expansive style of play?

An unfortunate consequence of playing two games with ten men and one game away against a Man City side who have started the season in rampant form?

 

 

I am interested in hearing your views.

Those stats are worrying, the one that strikes me the most is 'The player dribbled past most times' That pretty much tells us that Ivanovic is clearly in decline as that has rarely been the case in recent seasons. Fabregas pretty much gives Matic no help in screening the defence and with Matic poor form leaves us very much exposed. Most of our problems have been around these 3 who are probably the most important players in our team. The screen in front of the defence was key for our brilliant defence last season and just hasn't been there thus far, needs to be addressed.

For me it's a combination of a poorly constructed post/pre-season, a lack of fresh talent putting pressure on certain players, some players ages (Ivan, JT) and the fact we haven't fixed the problems of the prior season.

- Ivanovic and Fabregas are joint first for 'player dribbled past most times' this season.

Did anyone else laugh when they read that?

What do you all think the problem is?

Early jitters caused by poor fitness and form? - poor fitness and form maybe a little bit of it.

Individual players declining (e.g. Ivanovic, Terry, Matic)? - Ivan and JT possibly Matic is too young I would think to be declining but he is well off the pace of the game ATM.

A natural consequence of a more expansive style of play? No so much style as the players themselves - Cesc,Willian,Hazard just don't defend the back line is exposed often. Teams have learned to bypass Matic.

An unfortunate consequence of playing two games with ten men and one game away against a Man City side who have started the season in rampant form? Same thing happened the last part of last season very poor excuse. Both red cards were a direct result of our poor defending.

For me it's a combination of a poorly constructed post/pre-season, a lack of fresh talent putting pressure on certain players, some players ages (Ivan, JT) and the fact we haven't fixed the problems of the prior season.

Spot on

I think playing with 10 men didn't help matters in 2 of our games. 

 

Then I'd combine Matic being exposed or looking less sharp than last season.  I think this comes from a combination of Cesc's "lack" of defensive abilities, and Ivan's poor form.  A lot of stuff's coming down our right, and I've seen Cesc out there trying to help out; which in essence is leaving Matic a little more exposed in the middle.  I'm wondering if we'll resort to more of a 4.3.3 formation soon ?

We have always been vulnerable against speed so nothing new there in terms of waltzing past people.......and Ivan is never a RB, never should be playing there, he should be playing in the Centre or sat on the bench.....and for all of them....stop putting your f**king hands behind your back....the most stupidest thing in football right now; if the ref's can't work out ball to hand, as opposed hand to ball then they should not be officiating. 

We have always been vulnerable against speed so nothing new there in terms of waltzing past people.......and Ivan is never a RB, never should be playing there, he should be playing in the Centre or sat on the bench.....and for all of them....stop putting your f**king hands behind your back....the most stupidest thing in football right now; if the ref's can't work out ball to hand, as opposed hand to ball then they should not be officiating.

I think ball-to-hand still result in an indirect free kick? Or even a more wicked deflection than off the body. Makes sense to me to do it, body in the way, hands out of the way.

On topic, it's the corners that make me concerned. Our lack of pace at the back can't be blamed for that. We have a lot or big players, and some of the best strikers of the ball in world football. Why are we suddenly defending corners like a pub team, and rarely ever beating the near post with our own?

IMO you can't really make conclusions from statistics drawn from 3 games, far too small a pool to be significant. The 2 'easier' matches we played over 30 minutes with 10 men, the other match was away to the strongest attacking team in the division. I'd be surprised if we weren't under the cosh in those circumstances

 

Having said that, from just watching how we are playing we look far more open defensively than last year- the 2 red cards were both from lax defending, and against City we were cut open far too easily in the first half. However, let's see how we do over a long run of games before we jump to conclusions, José has time to settle things down, especially if Baba (and Stones?) are integrated well.

i think the issue is more with our mid than with our defence, specifically with cesc.

defensively he is no where near as good to play in a 2 man pivot. 

yes, i know our defence is real slow with a CB playing as a RB and an RB playing as a LB. sort those things out (azpi on right and baba on left) with zouma with GC/JT in the center, and we will be back to knocking off clean sheets every second match. right now, i feel the answers are there in our squad itself. jose needs to make some hard decisions to drop iva and maybe cesc to begin with.

Edited August 27, 201510 yr by didierforever

Lack of pressure on the ball. Our ability to protect JT and Cahill to do what they do well relies on pressure up the field. We're not hunting as a pack in my view. Fabregas is a turnstile and others further up aren't far behind.

JTs sending off is a great example if you watch back to when the ball was played in.

Matic simply needs a partner in midfield.