With two games played, Chelsea has tasted both victory and defeat in their title defense attempt. The defeat that the champions suffered was shocking, but the victory was a big relief to the manager who saw his side beat a side that finished second on the log in the previous season. Despite winning against Tottenham Hotspurs, the defending champions were the weaker side who were lucky to get two goals with only two shots on target. This article will explore the driving powers that bring success to the West London outfits.
Set-pieces lethargy
The squad is loaded with clinical free-kick takers who can score goals when they get fouls in front of their opponent's goal, at whatever angle.
Marcos Alonso, a left-footed wing scored one of the glorious free-kick against the experienced Spurs keeper, Hugo Lloris beating the wide human wall shielding the goal. The brace that the former Real Madrid player scored took his total tally to eight goals in Chelsea shirt. Alonso had also scored another free-kick in the previous season after several close attempts.
Another free-kick master is Willian. The Brazilan can curl set-pieces that are on the right side of the opposition's goal. The last goal he scored via free-kick was against the Spurs at Wembley Stadium where his goal was the opener, and later on, he earned his brace in the FA Cup Semi-final game that Chelsea won 4-2. David Luiz who has also found himself on the score sheet this season is also a strong candidate for fruitful free-kicks.
The last set-piece that David Luiz scored was in the 1-1 draw that he scored from several yards away from catching the unprepared Liverpool keeper, Simon Mignolet unaware. The goal was counted amidst protest from the Liverpool players.
Cesc Fabregas who is known for the assist he makes is another brilliant dead ball specialist.
The former Arsenal player can make a corner-kick much dangerous than a free-kick as most corner-kicks that he takes end up becoming goals.
Speed is vital
The pace at which Conte's side press forward is swift and most times find their opponents unaware thus realizing goals. Chelsea attackers that consist of Eden Hazard, Willian, Pedro, and Kennedy are good sprinters and always out-pace their makers whenever Chelsea is on a break.
The attacking wingers also get support from Marcos Alonso and Victor Moses who often overlap from their wing-back positions.
Versatility
The only player that has a sole position at Chelsea is the goalkeeper, other players can play at least two other positions when called upon to the task. David Luiz, for instance, can play a central defender and at the same time as a defensive midfielder. The trio of Hazard, Willian and Pedro can attack successfully from any flank.
The defenders at Chelsea exhibit the true versatility that helps in yielding goals. The assistant captain, Cesar Azplicueta can play any position on defense. The Nigerian winger, Victor Moses has been turned into a wingback, and he plays it really well.
There's no need of mentioning Marcos Alonso's name here because his versatility is widely known, but I'll add Kennedy's name as he attacks the same way he can defend.
Teamwork spirit
The success of Chelsea last season didn't depend only on the skills and the talent of its players, but also on the teamwork. A player like N'golo Kante isn't massively talented, but the role he plays at the center of the park of shielding the back three and aiding the attack is obvious. The instance of teamwork was evident in the opening fixture that the defending champions went down 3-0 before the break, but the team fought hard in the second half and were on the brink of drawing despite finishing the game with nine men.
