Chelsea were crowned Premier League champions for the 2014-15 season after defeating Crystal Palace 1-0 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. They...
Chelsea were crowned Premier League champions for the 2014-15 season after defeating Crystal Palace 1-0 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. They've managed the feat with three games to spare.
Here we take a look at four key tactical factors behind their success and discuss the major moments that defined Jose Mourinho's superlative season in west London
1. Pairing Cesc Fabregas with Diego Costa
It's tough to work out which of these two, individually, was a better summer signing for Chelsea, but one thing is clear: Jose Mourinho's decision to pair the two Spaniards at club level has proved to be a masterstroke.
Not only does Fabregas give the Blues the controlling, pass-happy presence owner Roman Abramovich clearly craves, but he also adds a helping of incisiveness from deep.
His cutting passes between the centre-back and full-back were on full display under Gerardo Martino at Barcelona—who favoured a more direct approach. At the 2014 FIFA World Cup, despite La Furia Roja's failures, one promising aspect was found in Costa and Fabregas' more direct mindsets.
Costa favours a particular run, just inside the full-back off the shoulder, and Cesc favours making that type of pass. Along with Costa's obvious predatory skills in the 18-yard box—another thing missing in 2013-14—his ability to carry, dribble and put a team on its heels with an early run has been key.
Cesc's ability to open up defences was proved in the first game of the season against Burnley as he sliced a beleaguered Clarets side in twain at Turf Moor. Costa's 19 goals from 23 starts, per WhoScored.com, allowed the Blues to crush opponents with one hand.
2. (Continued) Positional Aptitude
Despite the expansive play, Chelsea remained traditionally solid and defensively aware. Perhaps the most impressive part of their play was the remarkable positional aptitude shown by all of their players.
The system Mourinho has fostered, and his ability to convince his players to trust in it, has been key to so many victories. Each player understands his job, and the XI's ability to spread out and fill the space when off the ball has been a major factor in some strong defensive performances.
The 4-2-3-1 used is inherently lopsided, with Branislav Ivanovic tearing forward to provide natural and late-arriving width on the right, while Cesar Azpilicueta stays back on the left.
In order to allow some players, such as Fabregas and Eden Hazard, the freedom to do as they wish, he asks others, such as Nemanja Matic and Willian, to constantly fill the spaces they leave to balance the formation.
As Matic has tired this season, his role has been reduced to that of an almost pure cover one, sitting in and adjusting to provide a starting point deep in midfield. Ramires has come in to do the hard running, while Fabregas has moved forward. Oscar, earlier in the season, showed immense tactical astuteness, leading the press, creating turnovers and dropping in to cover gaps.
3. Marouane Fellaini, Meet Kurt Zouma
Chelsea may have opened up as a team and played some superb football before Christmas, but Jose Mourinho isn't afraid to rein it in and play big games carefully—even with a sizable lead at the top. In the win against Manchester United in April, he showed his roots.
The Red Devils arrived at Stamford Bridge on the back of a four-game winning streak, collecting maximum points from rivals Manchester City and Liverpool, in addition to Tottenham Hotspur and Tim Sherwood's Aston Villa. Fellaini had been playing monstrously, with no opponent able to deal with his physicality and aerial threat in the box.
Mourinho soon saw to that.
The Portuguese schemer played man-mountain Zouma out of position in midfield, asking him to man-mark Fellaini at times and stop the aerial supply to him. The Frenchman contested every ball sent to his opposite number and limited the effect he had on the game.
The Blues sat deep and refused to allow United any room to play, but also took away their wild card—the man they look to for a big moment when all seems lost. Chelsea won 1-0.
4. Realism Strikes
"Boring, boring Chelsea" chanted the Arsenal fans as the Blues ground out a 0-0 draw at the Emirates Stadium. John Terry put in a defensive clinic as the away side started without a recognised striker and sought just a solitary point to keep their rivals at arm's length.
It's exactly what they got.
The truth is, the boring claims are nonsensical. Chelsea played the best football in the Premier League this season in patches, and all Mourinho has done during the closing stages of the campaign is accept, and play on, the reality of his side's situation.
With a points gap ranging between 10 and 13 between themselves and the nearest challenger, the Blues strolled toward the finish line at their own pace. They're not playing expansive, risky football because they don't have to; Mourinho, a pragmatist at heart, is doing what needs to be done—and not a jot more.
The performances against United, Arsenal and, in some respects, Leicester City were indicative of the situation: Chelsea were closing in on the finish line, and they were doing so on their own terms. Within a whisker of a title, they reverted to hardworking type, played the hard-running Ramires for his energy levels and withdrew Cesar Azpilicueta into an even more defensive role.
They even played it safe on Sunday, edging out Crystal Palace, as Mourinho ensured his hands were on the trophy before opening the party drawer once again. They finished the game with Kurt Zouma, John Obi Mikel and Nemanja Matic screening the defenders. Even Filipe Luis made it on for a minute or so.
Jose eventually reverted to type, but only for the necessary tenth of the season.
