The Good and The Bad About The Chelsea 2010 Team

The 2010-2011 EPL season has just started, and yet people are already tipping Chelsea to retain its crown come the end of the season, and maybe discover the delights of Champions League victory. Indeed Chelsea have been very impressive, scoring 14 goals and conceding none in their first three EPL games of the season. However, this Chelsea team has barely changed, so what could be the key to their impressive start of season?

The number one factor is the newly found stability at the club. Carlo Ancelotti was brought in last year after the club experienced four different coaches in just about two years. Ancelotti has now been able to work with his team for a full year, get used to the players, and determine the best way to accommodate his tactical plans to best fit their attributes. A real balancing act. That was the case with Frank Lampard for example, when he realized he was not suited to lead the diamond formation, Carlo then reverted to the 4-3-3 formation he is still using today. However, he also molded some of the players into a slightly different role than they were used to. That's the case for Mikel for example, who is asked progressively to get more involved in the attacking game, and occupy more of a deep lying  playmaker role, "a la " Andrea Pirlo. Finally, the fact that the squad has barely changed makes it easier for these players to find each other. As a matter of fact, the starting 11 for all three games so far has featured no new player.

Another factor contributing to the Blues' current success is the tremendous passing game developed under Ancelotti. Abrahamovich was looking for an identity for his team, and I think Ancelotti has delivered. Chelsea doesn't only try to win games nowadays. Their impressive passing game makes them an attractive side to watch. On their day they look as good on the ball as Arsenal and Barcelona. Again this can be attributed to the fact that almost all these players have been playing together for several years now, and have adapted together to Carlo's system. Finally, Ancelotti's willingness to let his front line interchange positions is confusing oppositions. For example, you can see Drogba play set up man from his own half, to find Anelka or Malouda positioned as a central striker at times. This makes it very difficult for defenses to track their man. 

Stability over the past year has helped the team grow, however it also contributes to their weaknesses. Chelsea have been short on creative players for quite a while now. This shortage was clearly displayed during the Champions League matches vs. Inter last season. The team's passing game is great when they are leading and trying to preserve a result. However it's a system that does not always work against rigorously defensive sides such as Inter last year. I would have expected the club to pick up a world class creative and tricky player over the summer, but that was not the case. No wonder Chelsea had more problems against Stoke last Saturday than during their two previous games. Stoke was staying compact at the back and Chelsea lacked the type of players able to penetrate defenses on individual efforts. Malouda is the only player who looks likely to do so. But he is mainly efficient coming in from the left wing and crossing into the box. If he is well tracked by his opponents, Chelsea all of the sudden look flatter and have to show patience and trust in their passing game.

Chelsea 2010-2011 edition has a similar look and feel to the previous season, however their is something extra about the way players find each other, and interchange positions to perfection. Whether it be Anelka or Malouda playing upfront while Drogba drops back, or Essien covering the back 4 while Mikel steps up to move the ball forward, Ancelotti has developed a real team spirit. This will be the blues' greatest asset for this season. However, the blues are at their best when they are leading the game; otherwise, they do seem nervous at times, and their lack of creative and outstanding dribbler gets showcased. 

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