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EP 60: Matchday Review: Aston Villa
9 Plays19 days ago
Join Matt and Matt alone for this wonderful review against Villa!
3 goals for us and no goals conceded, it doesn't get much better than that.
So many strong performances from the boys this evening, but injury worries loom large too.
Host: Matt Blagdon
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Transcript
Chelsea's Crucial Victory Over Villa
00:00:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to the Daily Chelsea brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network. I'm your host Matt Blagdon and today I'm joined by you. You're the guest. Unfortunately no one else is here with me this evening just to discuss all things Villa and the superb 3-0 win that Chelsea had over the Midland rivals. ah There's so much to to discuss guys. There is so much in terms of the goods,
00:00:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
and not so much in the bad but there is a little bit ugly as well within all of this from the game.
Home vs Away Form: What's the Issue?
00:00:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
3-0 guys, 3-0, a huge huge result for Chelsea this season and a real statement win just because our home form has been lacking as of yet. I mean in terms of the waveform we are second just behind Liverpool in terms of where we would rank in the table.
00:01:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
but at home we are definitely within the mid-table brackets just because we've had you know very disappointing draws to Forrest and T'Villa and obviously you know losing to City.
Cole Palmer: Chelsea's Rising Star
00:01:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
would have hoped for better home form this season but it's coming up on the up and I think that's just because you know sort of Chelsea We're finding our form the players they're getting amongst, you know, sort of moriscus system and we heard from Cole Palmer after the match that you know, we're the players are really trusting the manager because he knows what he's doing and because of that the players will listen to him they'll buy into his philosophy and and it's very apt you know sort of to start off with farmer because he got a player of the match another 8.8 rating by foot mob fur for his performance a goal and an assist in today's game when you know there was a bit of chat about you know sort of is he a slightly out of form uh just because before this game he was out with a a goal or assist within the last three games and i guess he's just a victim of his own success within all of that but
00:02:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
putting those you know sort of any any hint of doubt and all those doubters or naysayers to bed once again very swiftly that's now he now has 47 goals and assists in 46 games it is pretty yeah unbelievable ah ah in terms of what he is able to do in that chelsea shirt and gosh you know that 40 million or 42 million nod that we bought him for from Manchester City really looks like gold dust now you know it looks like pennies compared to what of you know the performances that we're getting out of him despite all of that you know sort of he did have a quite average performance and he was giving the ball away a few uh one or two times you know sort of throughout the
00:02:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
throughout the game. And you know so if that was a little bit surprising, but um guess you know sort of that kind of sums up the caliber of the great players. A bit like Mo Salah at Liverpool, that you know they can miss a chance, they can fumble a couple of balls that you expect them to control. But when it comes up to delivering the
Could Chelsea Be Title Contenders?
00:03:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
goods, they really do deliver. And i mean my favorite stat from the weekend is that Cole Palmer now has 30 Premier League goals for Chelsea.
00:03:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
and the only player that has done it in a few amount of appearances is Jimmy Floyd Hasselback. Guys that is pretty remarkable because Jimmy Floyd Hasselman is a striker after all and that's what he's expected to do, score goals. so But Cole Palmer, we bought him never expecting him to be this gold machine, but more of you know a creative player, maybe potentially a winger. But he's just going from strength to strength, guys. And he he just doesn't look like he's bothered by any of the pressure that
00:03:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
he's getting you know sort He's signed a new bumper contract in the summer. People are now you know expecting more of him from his stellar first season with us last season, but he's just cracking on. It's almost just like you know another day in the office for him. And I think that's what all Chelsea fans love about him so much.
00:03:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know When you listen to his press conferences, his interviews with the pundits and the reporters and the commentators after the game or during the game, he's just so nonchalant. He's just saying what he thinks and and that's it. There's no PR training, there's no media training with him at all. It's just he thinks a thought and he says it and that's that. know It's quite refreshing actually when you see so many players being media trained and all you can't say this, all you can't say that.
00:04:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's lovely that Kohana literally just speaks his mind. Interestingly as well on that, after the game he was asked, you know, are Chelsea now title challenges? Because we're on the same points as Arsenal, we've scored the same number of goals, we've conceded the same number of goals, we're literally level pegging.
00:04:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Arsenal. The only thing that separates us is that their team starts with A and our team starts with C and so we're separated alphabetically. Never think I've ever come across this before and think it's something you know sort of to to shout in the comments to us guys you know if and this is a big if I'm not expecting this to happen in this season but maybe in a future season Arsenal and Chelsea are going for the title.
00:05:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
and it comes to the last day and you know we're level on points, we've scored the same amount of goals, we've conceded the amount of goals and then we're separated on who you know sort of alphabetically. Surely that's not okay, surely I'm missing something here guys and if you know what that is, please do let me know because you know so win to lose out on the title just because our club begins with not B or A, you know, would just be ridiculous, atrocious, as in I can't think of a worse reason, really, for a title to be split other than that. But, you know, so I guess we'll cross that bridge if we come to it whenever that may be in the future. Cole Palmer, obviously, stealing a lot of the headlines here, guys. But there were so many more good performances across the board. And we'll talk about them after this break.
Kukarela and Jackson Shine
00:06:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Welcome back. We are talking all things Chelsea against Villa guys. And we've just, you know, raised all the plaudits for Cole Palmer. I'm sure everyone else is going to be doing something similar. But there were so many good performances against Villa on the weekend. And I'm going to start off with Kukarela. He's, you know, sort of got a solid 7.6 out of 10 for his his performance. And he just kept winning his one on ones.
00:07:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
and he never stopped running, and he totally pocketed Villa's wingers, you know, sort of Bailey, who else, you know, sort of, they just couldn't get by him. And he has been an absolute revelation um the last season. You know, he's had such a resurgence since he first signed for us. And, you know, sort of, I think a lot of credit of that has to go to Maresca with many other players as well. But Cucarella, I mean, you can really see why we played paid 60 million.
00:07:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah To Brighton for him and his qualities, you know, so we saw that in the euros as well with him doing a stellar display for Spain but honestly, we are really seeing such maturity coming through from him such intelligence with his runs and His his defensive play so about two seasons ago He looked a shadow of what he is now and almost scared to defend but now looks super comfortable whether he's you know, sort of Bombing down the left, like we saw him against Leicester, or he's you know fitting into a three-centre-back partnership with Fafana and Colwill against Villa. He's so comfortable, so versatile. and you know So if he can even invert as well, like we've seen earlier in the season, um alongside Quesado or Enzo or Lavia.
00:08:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Whatever that is, um he's just looking a stellar, stellar player. And, you know, we absolutely ah ah love having him. course, you know, sort of Jackson and Enzo Fernandez were on the score sheet against Filla. That takes Jackson to eight goals this season, out of 13 games. And that is world-class stuff, guys. that is That is what we want. That is what every top, top team wants from their striker, that kind of consistency with the goals.
00:08:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think people are getting off Jackson's back a bit now. They really are sort of actually, you know, sort of not getting on his back because I guess everyone is comparing their strikers to Harland and to to sort of Salah in terms of the numbers of output that they're putting out. But we've got to remember, guys, Jackson is only 23 and adapting to the Premier League from the Spanish League can be really difficult for some players.
Enzo Fernandez's Impactful Adjustments
00:09:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know way back when when Spurs signed Soledado from Valencia he was great in the Spanish league just absolutely could not cut it in the Premier League and so I think you know we've got to give Jackson a bit of praise a bit of grace um know sort of by the way that he's and adapting and you know sort of really sort of drumming up a strong connection particularly with Parma but with everyone else I do you feel though that he is still in that sort of rough diamond form because he took his finish incredibly well from Kukarela's cross and he's just a bit of a handful in terms of you know getting in the defense's faces and um you know sort of pressuring them well he almost you know sort of caught out Martinez in the first half when he had a bad touch just a little bit unlucky in that so scenario but there were one or two chances in the second half where you know so if he's clean through him go and he just blazes it over and
00:10:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think those are the moments that he really really needs is just to you know finesse his finishing and really be hitting the target consistently because if he starts taking those chances you know sort of with three and a lot way earlier in the game way more comfortable and we could even potentially have a couple more goals from him Throughout the game because as we just mentioned at the start of the of the podcast goal difference is very very crucial when it comes to the top of the Premier League and particularly between Arsenal and ourselves And so Fernandez he looks almost like a slightly new player revolutions the last couple of weeks got a go against Leicester and now against Villa and He's got that hunger clearly from being left out of the Premier League games this season and almost not, I guess, say relegated but moved to the Europa Conference in terms of starts for this season. And it now looks like Marescu's been able to finally fit him into the team.
00:11:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
i think that was one of the biggest things that all chose fans thoughts when we saw the starting lineup because there was obviously no gusto no ruse james um the starting lineup and thankfully gusto's back um his illness but ruse james another you know sort of really gutting to see him out again apparently it's a new injury altogether i'm not whether this really sure if that's positive or negative anyway we'll come back to to that later but kaiseido at right back these sorts of changes, it makes me just really delight that we have a manager like Mareska because he is willing just to completely change a lineup or the tactics per opponent and he's just not
Mareska's Tactical Flexibility
00:11:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
scared to try things. We saw him, you know, put Ruth James at left back, ah ah sorry, Gustav at left back against Liverpool and even then James at left back other games in the season.
00:12:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm not sure whether that really worked out, but most of this one game alone, Caesado at right back, looked like an absolute delight. You know, Lavia and Fernando's in front of him, then Neto, Parma and Sancho, and then Jackson up top. You know, how it really works, guys, is there was, you know, sort of that just brilliant fluidity to go from four, two, three, one, so then to then, to a three, one, five, one,
00:12:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
and everything in between we were really able to dominate that midfield element whilst sort of stretching Villa's defensive line with Sancho Aneto and Jackson as well and it was just a brilliant fluidity it's it's one of those things that I'm sure is incredibly hard to coach and to really translate and communicate to the players but once you get it done and once they understand it and how to just be a fluid almost you know working together like water and just sort of when when one player steps out of position another player comes into that position and and and so supports him it was just a fluid fluid machine and i think that is just where we really see the best of Enzo Fernandez because there has been a lot of debate and chosen fans have probably some have got tired of him just because when we had played that double pivot between
00:13:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Kaisado and Lavia that was definitely the best pairing and when we brought Enzo into that he was just getting muscled off the ball too much but under this new formation where when we're in possession we can effectively have Kaisado in the deep and then Lavia and Fernandez and Palmer all sort of like juggling in in in the middle and then pushing up together that just gives Enzo and Palmer those little Pockets in between the midfield and the defense to really flourish and to really control the ball ah Get their head up and you know sort of make a killer pass but for both Palmer and Enzo in this game actually score an absolute wonder goal and And it's just something that, you know, we want to see more and more of. Both Enzo and Kaiseido really looking like they are the hundred million plus pound players that we bought them for. Kaiseido, you know, sort of absolute stroke of genius genius to put him in that right back and invert him.
00:14:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
and you know it just shows how versatile he is and why so many clubs were after him for someone that we bought him and why you know Liverpool were so desperate to get him because he just does offer so much I think on Carcedo you know 88% pass completion he created three chances and he won all his aerial duels so an absolute stellar game for Carcedo 8.1 out of 10 for him and 8.1 for Enzo Fernandez as well really really wonderful game for everyone And, maybe most surprisingly as well, Robert Sanchez.
Sanchez's Performance: A Mixed Bag
00:14:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Robert Sanchez is getting an 8.5 out of 10, according to FootMob. You know, he did keep Watkins and Duran out during the game, both in the first and second half. So, you know, there are plauders there, absolutely. I think every Chelsea fan does have question marks around him just because his distribution can be a bit flaky, but
00:15:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know when called upon on Sunday against fella He really did deliver and you know, so all we can do is applaud the man and I think Mariska's has been playing all of this very very well in terms of Jorgensen super super young probably not, you know quite mature enough to come into a regular Premier League Starting 11 and the Europa conference is really perfect for him to just get his confidence up was also sort of having that further experience within Europe and just to You know, it's a whole emotional and physical task, you know, sort of flying out to Europe as well, guys, sort of what everyone's been on holiday, but to, you know, fly out then actually have to perform. course, you know, it's what we say. They're paid loads of money, but, you know, they are human at the end of the day, guys. So so I think it's a perfect balance between Jorgensen and and Robert Sanchez at the moment. And, you know, if Sanchez was dropped, that would just absolutely ruin his confidence. And then if Jorgensen has a couple of bad games, then Sanchez is brought back in.
00:16:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
It just models it all up. And, you know, ultimately we want that chemistry um throughout the squad because that allows the fluidity to work so well. Anyway, loads of positives in there guys. unfortunately a little few negatives that we've got to address coming up after this break.
Fofana's Injuries: A Concern for Defence
00:16:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Welcome back. So guys, we talked about the goods and the spectacular from Parma, but some of the frustrations and real disappointments against Villa. Firstly, we've got to talk about Fafana. So Wesley Fafana, we know ever since we signed him for 70 million pounds, that's right, from Leicester, he's effectively been out injured. Even in the 22-23 season, he came back for a bit, just really not consistent at all though. And As much as our fluids play has been brilliant for controlling the game and it's beautiful to watch and it's just amazing to see so many of these top top players work well together and not be rigid and we see Enzo Mareska's you know sort of ideas and dreams come to life on the pitch.
00:17:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
I do you think our system it does leave our centre backs exposed just because of the amount of the the high line that we're trying to up with just to really force the opponent back to really control that midfield. It makes a lot of sense going ahead and it is know really effective when we capitalize on it and we do take our chances but you know the the play that led up to Fafana's injury was you know sort of ball coming over a slight missed control him stepping on the ball and then you know slipping on it to then pull his hamstring thankfully you know sort of the the danger was petered out by Sanchez
00:18:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
But, you know, from that, he's now pulled his hamstring and he's likely to be out for at least four or five games. And over this really b busy, busy Christmas period is kind of the last thing we really needed. We're definitely not going to see him back before the new year. January is definitely the earliest that we're going to see him.
00:18:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know as much as it's really disappointing and he's been drawing up such a good partnership with coel and the chemistry really is there know he's got the pace also to you know sort of fill in at right back like we saw against west ham earlier in the season You know, so of I think it's one of those things that because he has been out for so long, this was almost actually expected to come at some point during the season that his body is still adjusting just to full full fitness. And, you know, after this setback, it will probably take, you know, the rest of the season for him to get to real fully match fitness because of what his body's been through. And unfortunately, that is, you know, just some players, at the unfortunately, you know, sort of they're a bit more injury prone than the rest of us. So that is a downer.
00:19:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Toss-in coming in, Tassasi coming in or actually it's probably Baddi Ashilay which is first on the list but based off recent weeks and you know him starting against Leicester things like that where Baddi Ashilay sort of technically is probably our next best defender it's just there's been a lot of lapses in concentration from him and silly mistakes which has been really really disappointing to see but Hopefully that he's had time to just sort of mull over that, get over that, work within the team under training. And I can really see Badia Shilleh and Cole Will starting against and just trying to draw up a partnership that way. I mean, Badia Shilleh looks so comfortable in terms of transitioning to a back three as well. I think that's what I really love about our defense, that they really understand that that's what's going to happen. And whether it's the left back and the centre back shifting to that or the right back and the and the two centre backs shifting to the back three,
00:20:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's really flexible and we've got the players that are able to do it.
Defensive Depth vs Creativity Issues
00:20:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
I do think going ahead though, this does raise some sort of questions around Gusto just because Gusto isn't necessarily the most creative player compared to Caesado filling it right back.
00:20:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
or Kukarela and so potentially you know sort of he may get a bit less game time unless we really see Gusto used like a bombing right wing right back like Kukarela was on the left against Leicester but then again I might be completely wrong and to be honest we probably will see Gusto play a considerable amount of games just because the games are coming thick and fast and so you know Mariska loves to tinker the the the first 11 and the squads to be absolutely right for the opponent and I think this is great for so many reasons guys because we're no we're no longer predictable in terms of two seasons ago we were just absolutely dreadful and teams knew that so they knew they were going to get a result against us but
00:21:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now I think they're thinking about so many possibilities of what we're going to do. Are we going to have Caesado at right back? Or are we going to have Tossim at right back? Or Fafana? Or Gusto? And who are we going to play in the middle? Are we going to have La Villa, Fernandez and Parma and Caesado?
00:21:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Or are we going to have two of those and you know sort of on the wings? We've got a lot of depth as well on the right wing definitely Netto and Madaweike You know Netto is definitely better on the right wing and he's really giving Madaweike a run for his money on that on that side But for absolutely, you know sort of displacing him in the starting 11 against Villa It's the first time Madaweike has been you know dropped out at the starting 11 All season, so I think that is a big statement there and also sanchez, you know back from illness Great to see him on the pitch and he does, you know, sort of just give that other element of control and skill That you know, he does have those twinkle toes feet to just try and get into those Little spaces that matter like he probably struggles to do. more so I would just love to see sanchez And I think he will do just growing confidence just to you know Take on his band a little bit more and you know back his pace a bit more just because I think he wants to do everything
00:22:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
neat and tidy a little bit too often. having said that, you know, Sancho Jackson just before they were both substituted, know, Sancho, he goes for a shot. It gets deflected out for a corner. Him and Jackson are having a bit back and backed forth. But it was great to see sort of him tell sort of Jackson like as much as like, you know, you're complaining like you've got to go for the ball. And I think he's absolutely right that I get the sense that Jackson, you know saw for all his goods, there are probably moments where a chance doesn't go quite his way, and he acts slightly little childishly about that, but um think there's a good core of players around him to you know sort of pull him up on those moments.
00:22:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
And you know guys we do have such a young squad you know sort of average age under 23 years. Definitely performing you know way older than or way more than than we would expect. I guess it does you know sort of ask the beg the question like do we need to bring any other players that are more experienced into the sides.
00:23:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
to maybe add a bit more leadership, maybe a bit more experience. You know, maybe, maybe not. Because the players that we have, we do have a World Cup winner in Enzo Fernandez. And most of the players will be playing for their international respective sides.
00:23:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
And so, in in some cases, is age just a number? Maybe so, maybe so with Chelsea, just because the talent we have, we definitely look together again. We definitely look like the old Chelsea that we're used to seeing, that are winning consistently, that we're actually going against expecting
Team Spirit: Chelsea's Secret Weapon
00:23:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
to get the win now. I mean, two years ago, four flipping heck. I mean, even last season, it was a bit of a flip of the coin.
00:23:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
and there was a lot of Cole Palmer to the rescue for us last season particularly against Manchester United in that epic 4-3 win but you can just see it after the full-time whistle with players like Cole Will and Sancho and everyone in between that they're like brothers in arms and you know sort of that is so much more than just the team guys and I think that is the biggest thing that puts a smile on my face at the moment. so Just knowing that we've got a great atmosphere and a great dressing room. There's no sort of frustrate like underlying frustration or bitterness to one another. But you can really see that the players buy into Mariska's system that they really understand what
00:24:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know he expects us of them and that you know if they want to play they've got to perform and so in the europe league when we see mudrick you know hitting top bins that's exactly what we want to see and he knows he's got to produce that because he can and if he wants to play regularly in the premier league he's really going to have to step up to that level ah guys, we're out of time, I'm afraid. Thank you so much for listening. This has been the Daily Chelsea. I've been Matt. Thank you so much for putting up for me for these last 25 minutes. But up the Chelsea, keep the blue flag flying high, guys. It's another big win. 3-0, a clean sheet as well. And it looks like that top four hope that we had at the start of the season is slowly but surely becoming a reality. Are we in a title race?
00:25:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't think so, but strange things have happened. Watch the space guys and see you on the next one.