Chelsea Vs Bounley : The Win, The inspiration and The way forward.

It was important to see Chelsea Fc play the way they did yesterday expecially watching them play the type of football they played expecially in the first half. Seeing Diego Costa score the first goal was really good and perhaps very encouraging. He held his own very well . It was also good to see Andre Schurrle and iVanovic get on the score sheet. Drogba coming into the game provided the boys with a boost his age not withstanding. Thibaut Courtois had one very important save and his presence in the air considering his height was overwhelming and very intimidating. Three goals it produced and that was enough to cancel the first goal which came from the home side to produce an emphatic 1-3 victory setting the pace for what will be a very interesting season.

If you read my article yesterday which I titled Chelsea ten commandment for a healthy season-Lesson from last season you will find out that the first goal came because the team violated commandment number two which says Chelsea lose too much concentration in defence. Read that article on my blog.  The boys follow the ball not their man. If they do that all the time , they will concede more goals playing a team like Man City, Everton, Arsenal and the likes this season. They must 

Learn to follow the ball but above all, they must watch their man. Space marking will mean a team can get beaten like a baby even if they play good football.

That said. Yesterday, one player was outstanding. He provided the games inspiration for the team. Am sure you know the player am talking about. He won the games man of the Match, Cesc Fabregas. Fabregas provided the games inspiration. He made it super impossible to miss Frank Lampard even though both are great players in their own class. Fabregas yesterday provided the pass when needed and of course he provided the pass which led to Schurrle's goal, a goal that will stand as arguably the best assist of the season. For a while, I wondered after I heard Lampard left if we will get again, that Lampard who will be able to provide those passes. Fabregas did not waste time in filling that gap. Trust me, he made the Chelsea midfield solid and he gave the midfield the much needed mobility. Kudos to the new blues man.

However, without wanting to sound negative, Chelsea played yesterday what I call a give away football.  The team yesterday played a predictable game. The team cannot play such with a top class team like Man City. The way the ball was passed by the team was predictable. Play with the closest man was the style and hold on to the ball was the key. Am sure, the team played like that yesterday because of the confidence the coach has in his current midfielders. Cesc was there, matic was imposing and Hazard provided his super confidence to make the move upfront better as a great attacker of the ball. However, after the first half, once the Bournley coach gave his team the antidote in the dressing room, the game became tight in the second half. Chelsea, though played their game , they could not go past the defence. The simple antidote to what Chelsea played yesterday was, deny them the ball, close them up and crowd the midfield. Bounley did that in the second half and am sure you know the number of shots the team had on goal in the second half. No single goal came in the second half. The team was caged. If you noticed it yesterday, because of the style of passing, they wanted to dribble into the net. I am not sure I noticed any shot from outside the enghteen yard box except the two times Schurrle tried. Not taking those shots from outside the eighteen denied the team some goals yesterday. The team must watch this. Get more goals if you can because it may matter in the long run.

Going forward, Mourinho must be willing to approach every game with certain patterns the boys can switch to once he gives them a sign. They cannot afford to keep doing the same thing in a game. The second half showed that one pattern in a game may hinder you from scoring goals . But all in all, it was a good way to begin the season, winning was good but the game played must improve. Hey, it's only the beginning of the season, trust Mourinho to provide the surprises .