For Chelsea, there were six changes from the weekend and an integral midfield four who had not once before played together jointly. This would be the single most influential view of the crippled, and that lack of coherence was the most conducive factor to Watford ’ south atmospheric pressure early on vitamin a well as their goal .



Lukaku and Werner were on the bench, possibly because both were returning from injury but more likely because of our late finish scoring art without them. Regardless of the reasons, leaving them out may have been one of a few mistakes in the starting football team .
But the obvious issue was the midfield, made up of fourth- and fifth-choice ( or lower ) players. Neither Saúl Ñíguez nor Ruben Loftus-Cheek seemed up to tempo for the match. They were not helping to transition out of the back and were far besides frequently caught in possession, specially in our defensive third. typically, we have been able to play out of pressure against quality teams — that did not happen against Watford, and our excrete stats in general were miserably hapless relative to the perch of the season .



The movements to create the passing triangles that help us work the ball out from the back were not there, and Watford were stymying our forward momentum so much that even our defenders had to resort to clearances under sustain atmospheric pressure in our half.




Watford lined up 4-1-4-1 as they have done under ( former Chelsea coach ) Claudio Ranieri in pretty much every crippled since his appointment. The Tinkerman hasn ’ t tinkered besides much with this side and they have been basically understudy wins and losses .
unfortunately for us, Watford were astir to the challenge and we were not. Their weight-lift against our improvised midfield left us exposed, and, as the heat map distinctly shows, they were enjoying themselves quite a piece down our diminished defensive leave. Watford identified the obvious weak spot in the team ( i.e. Alonso and Saúl ) and not even the normally steadfast Rüdiger was able to stem the tide. Toni didn ’ t have a big crippled at all in fact, getting nutmegged doubly by Emmanuel Dennis to boot .



Adding to all that, our front three consisted of players who prefer to show for the ball rather than make acute runs, and that deep wall socket was overtly missing. Chelsea were forced much deeper than common under Tuchel, but were hesitant with our forward runs. On the occasions that we did make them, Watford were easily opened up — doubly leading to goals in fact .
Our first goal begins from what seems like an innocuous status. Alonso takes a throw-in, which is then cycled back to Rüdiger in space. Given a bit of time however, Rüdiger is able to pick out Alonso, who had created an clog on the leave fender, with a delightful chip .



Alonso times his run absolutely and brings the musket ball down just a well, but the employment is not however done. Though he is in behind, he ’ mho outside the 6-yard box and at a sharp slant. fortunately, he doesn ’ metric ton force out the shoot, and with both Kai Havertz and Mason Mount checking their runs as the Watford defenders crash down, he is alternatively able to pick out the erstwhile, who unselfishly makes the excess pass to the latter, who slots home with authoritative comfort .



Chelsea took the lead against the run of play, but the finish did not change that radiation pattern and out midfield continued to be a massive concern .
Saúl has not shown any inkling of the musician he once was — seems pretty clear why Atlético were enough to let him leave on loanword — and despite his huge know, he seems to be lacking some basic skills and abilities expected of a top tied actor. For case, a musician in his position has to have some spatial awareness. He needs to open up pockets of space to receive, ideally to turn, and to link play binding to front or at minimum keep open possession. There are countless of instances where his miss of all these qualities in truth pinned us back, but let ’ s look at one from the 15th moment in particular .



Rüdiger needs an exit die, but Saúl has left him stranded by making the same tend as the covering defender, allowing him to cut off the pass lane. Rüdiger ’ sulfur thus left without a simple option, but preferably than another adrift headroom, he calm slips a well-placed ball into the space … but Saúl ’ s not ready to take that on either. His initial failure to open and receive results in him having to foul in a dangerous place and take a yellow menu as well.

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It should go without saying that this is something that Jorginho does exceptionally well, at Ballon five hundred ’ Or levels in fact. We don ’ t need that flat of play from Saúl, but he didn ’ t come close and was once again removed at half-time. Tuchel afterwards admitted that he does not know where to go from here with Saúl, who was besides slated to be tried at left wing-back later in the game to give a break to Alonso, but did not death that hanker .

Saúl ’ s midfield partner, Ruben Loftus-Cheek didn ’ triiodothyronine precisely cover himself in glory either however. While he can normally retain self-control well, he does not constantly make bright decisions with the ball — one of which directly resulted in Watford ’ s equalizer. ( unusually, our first aside goal conceded from exposed play this season ! )
fair before half-time, Loftus-Cheek takes a hazardous decision to turn past a actor conclusion him down, rather of making the safe choice to play back to Rüdiger. While Ruben ’ s other pass options are cut off by the two advancing Watford forwards, he should be much more aware of the game-state and take the simple choice rather. ( This is, again, something that would not happen with Jorginho — sometimes the pass back is in fact the best option. )



Thiago Silva came on for Saúl at half-time, with Trevoh Chalobah getting shifted into midfield. We then proceed to have our best period of play — until Chalobah pulls a hamstring in the like play that sees Mendy do his best Manuel Neuer sweeper-keeper mental picture .

Watford v Chelsea - Premier League - Vicarage Road

A series of subs and tactical shifts followed. Tuchel dropped Loftus-Cheek into the deepest-lying midfield character and tasked both Mount and Hakim Ziyech, who came on for the injured Chalobah, to play in pockets beneath the strikers. not long after, in the 69th minute, Romelu Lukaku came on for César Azpilicueta and Pulisic became the nominal right wing-back, though with a well-defined send attacking brief .
Although the resulting play was nothing near the preciseness we have grown accustomed to from Chelsea, it did result in the gain finish.




With Chelsea in monomania, the free rein begins at ends with Ziyech, who shows for the ball, thus giving Christensen the pas that circumvents the half-court press and besides gives Loftus-Cheek the necessary outer space to make a crossfield switch to Alonso. Just like against Manchester United in the former game, Alonso heads a lovely first-time ball into the path of Mason Mount, who turns supplier with the perfect pass to Ziyech, who redirects it unerringly through the despairing hands of the goalkeeper and into the roof of the net. The political campaign of both Lukaku and Havertz pulled the Watford defenders deep, and opened up the space needed for Ziyech .



While there were threats to our goal throughout the game ascribable to sloppy play, reprieve can be found in knowing that once again we have secured necessary points by making tactically astute substitutions to remain on top of the postpone. It wasn ’ metric ton easy or pretty, but they say you learn more from defeat than from victory. Tuchel will surely be taking this game into consideration while sorting out what to do with a fracture police squad and with a grim schedule ahead. There are no better hands than his for this undertaking .
KTBFFH .