Lesley (parler): Ugochukwu vs Newcastle
Chelsea Twitter decided to have one, in the hugely frustrating 4-1 defeat to Newcastle.
8 goals in 2 games before the International break seemed to give postive signs that Chelsea was finally on the right track, mostly in terms of ability to put the ball into the net. However, the team is struggling to stay watertight for the duration of games. Chelsea Twitter is a polymorphous environment already saturated of futile and fickle $8 / month opinions that seemed to fix their never satiated expectations on player in particular: Lesley Ugochukwu.
“we want one six to sit” did they scream into the void all summer.
Context: First game after the international break, Caicedo is monitored after coming back late from the other side of the world. Lavia is still out injured.
Comes into the picture, backup midfielder Lesley Ugockukwu, strong of his 72 pro games, (and whose transfer was foreseen by your ITK’s favourite ITK)
Challenge: Be half competent in the air away at Newcastle United
Mauricio Pochettino picked the best lineup he had at disposal, taking into account this:
The rule of thumb is that you need 5 competent headers of the ball (more on that later)
This a 3D bar chart with the players’ height in relation to their position on the pre-game ceremony.
Purpose: Ugochukwu had decent/good game, especially out of possession.
Did a lot of things that don’t require tilting the TV upside down to notice, but require an informed eye to pick out as good pieces of defending.
If your mind is already made up, I suggest a better use of your time.
Otherwise, let’s look at Lesley’s (LU) involvement in chronological order.
How to piss off a Rennes native (which Ugochukwu is):
ask him if Nantes is in Brittany*.
associate him with anything Nantes.
Like a “petit LU”, the famous biscuit you need to crunch taking off all 4 corners first, if you’re not abnormal.
*: it’s not, thank you very much.
there’ll be other comments on game situations that might not involve LU directly, as I’m using this newsletter to highlight it
Enzo, we still have questions (on defensive coverage, calma)
Enzo’s defensive game need some more refining, positionally.
Getting drawn to one side of the ball is one thing
Second guessing wrongly on the cover and get beaten on a flick (stay between the ball and the goal, show wide so that central players can shuffle across and defend with the touchline) isn’t great
All these positional mistakes requires an extra effort from his team mates, notably Ugochukwu who needs to get across the pitch (and outlaps him) to make up.
Making sure players don’t have to clean up the coworker’s workspace as well as theirs is the best recipe to not have players being less composed at doing their initial job
How to handle runners beyond the defensive line
Defending is easy to coach, it answers to a playbook. There’s no improvisation
There’s a clear algorithm of decision making:
Fullback can pick the runner: he does
CB sees the runner: he picks the runner
CB doesn’t see the runner / or is commited already: CM (Lesley does)
Lesley checks his shoulder: sees Silva commited with Silva and Badiashile about to pick up Miley’s run in the channel.
Therefore stays in position
Enforcing your midfield enforcer
My very limited understanding of Ice Hockey is that there’s a player whose role is called “the enforcer” who’s role is to get into opponent players.
Any succesful football team has one, and it is only really about when coaches figure out when rather than if they’re gonna include one as well.
That’s a quick reaction time to a trigger: lame ass square pass, dinner is served
Knock Joelinton off the ball, notice how the right arm complements the tackle.
Arm half fold, therefore not a foul (at this level, Arsenal or not)
Something already covered in the Youssouf Fofanarticle
Track channel runners
For me that sequence is absolute madness, away at Newcastle and Sterling / Cucurella / Badiashile lunge in final third. Badiashile doesn’t connect with his interception-pass.
There should be composure that if you get drawn in final third, get the ball or the man. Don't let anything (or don't press final third)
Follow up on the previous sequence: CB / LB out of position.
Then the CM that is Lesley has to track the runner in the channel
Delaying (lateral footwork) whilst picking the farthest runner.
That’s good defensive behaviour and reading of the situation (he’s a “de facto” left back, with everyone out of position)
Same as the decision to spin and screen the pass, because the situation suggests to do so, and show Isak towards team mate.
Badiashile’s footwork is spot on too.
The situation is so that there’s a defensive rotation:
Badiashile is still CB, Ugochukwu is a makeshift situational left back.
An un-named individual, hard to notice on the following picture, has been let into the ground without a matchday ticket
Said oddly duckling, if he had any tactical awareness, would recognize that the defensive rotation brings him as having to do the “situational CM” duty in order to able to close down Bruno.
The problem with Cucurella is that, because he’s got no idea how to behave in defensive situations, team mates have no idea what kind of mess they need to clean up.
Play ends up as a token “lose ball recovery” by Cucurella, if you want any idea of how he scrounges his way to the top of spreadsheets.
Plays a give and go, carries for 20 yards and plays the ball to an opposition player, only missing Gallagher by a country mile.
Don’t serve me any of your self indulgent bullshit.
If Alex Matos (striker), and Josh Brooking can read a defensive situation (like any half decent academy player ought to), then so can the second most expensive left back in history after Kai Havertz.
One normal day of Barclays is all I ask
Chelsea find themselves in a 3v3, Sterling spreads wide, Palmer sort of looks on. Jackson’s left footed pass is lame, and the possession is turned over
Resulting in a counter, Trippier finds a good needle pass that goes around Enzo (that can happen)
But creates that very Barclays situation where the CM has to eat up space and handle a vast area
which is what competent PL CMs need to be able to do, now the goalposts have been moved back in place and Rice / Onana players are valued over players that don’t move the needle.
This time however, Lesley’s reaction time is a tad slow
Therefore is still at the second stage of
Sprint / slow down / footwork
When Miley is already on the third one
Separation / first touch / shift it
That’s definitely a situation where Rodri, Fernandinho just goes through, wave their hand and pick up their first foul out of 7 before refs even consider booking them.
Match up in midfield
For the most part of the first half, Chelsea’s defensive structure out of possession made sense. “matching up” against Newcastle’s midfield three and preventing potential receivers to get on the ball
Play continues with a Lascelles diagonal on Gordon
Lesley checks his shoulder and sees Silva tagging the runner
James goes through Gordon and wins the duel in the air
Bits of details, but the very point of this newsletter is to dispel the “Ugochukwu he’s uncooked for the level, see”
No he’s not, he’s doing what he should be doing in most situations.
Couple of moments later, Bobby Sanchez (he’ll be Robert or Rob when he’s a consistently serious goalie, until then Bob / Bobby will do) launches one
None of your 4 attackers are any decent in the air. Is it a concern?
Lesley is sprinting to eat up ground and get on the flash point
Slow down when Bruno is gathering control
Lesley changes direction and forces play backwards. Good stuff
With compliments of the Ugochukwhouse, after the pass is unleashed.
Side note: see how tactically intelligent roadrunner (one of this is wrong) Gallagher identifies that Ugochukwu is drawn closing down someone
Therefore screens Joelinton with one side step
No way to cross that line of zebras
What Chelsea found difficult was that Newcastle decided to defend with a flat narrow line of 5 to shut down intervals, force needle passes.
Tactical Zealots usually haven’t coached north of 600+ pro games like Edward John Frank Howe at only 45.
Football is a game of access to space. Prevent the opponent to access to dangerous zones; control the game.
(and access to dangerous zones yourself ofc).
Deep defensive line creating a gap behind midfield creates a different type of problem for Chelsea, familiar with some not great decisions after carries.
In other words: if Chelsea play through the screen, their current ability won’t turn that gap to their advantage as seen so far this season.
And putting a lot of emphasis on on Badiashile / Enzo finding needle passes.
Incidentally, for his first PL start in 6 months, and still jet-lagged respectively.
such as this play, Gallagher carries but the movement around is a little bit shit.
Sterling took himself out, Jackson’s not offering anything besides getting in the way, Palmer watches on
Gallagher has a go himself, it goes wide.
Who are ya
Pope sends a long goalkick, Joelinton at the drop point meets Ugochukwu
Palmer picks up the second ball.
Whatever that play is logged at (header, fell on his arse, second ball, tackle, or maybe nothing)
That’s 8’ of Lesley being generally in control of what he does in a PL away game, and sending Joelinton flying twice.
Something already underlined in the OG Ugochukwu article I thought nobody would ever read
Lesley tends to delay providing options, ball watching.
Take a yard off, back foot, Enzo, switch.
Tape, and starting meaningful games (as opposed as seeing out games to keep it ticking which he did for the majority of his Rennes outings at senior level)
Very vertical
That “very vertical” pass to Jackson is akin to what I liked from LU at Rennes
None of these fake diagonal progressive statpadding passes, that force fullbacks to play the ball back
Jackson makes it stick because Schär acknowledges the situation isn’t worth pursuing (nor a foul being commited).
That’s a good play, Chelsea play a serie of up-back to get out on opposite side through the press. One of the genuine satisfactions in the first half.
A play cocked up by Cucurella who then decides to play the ball in a different postcode straight onto Trippier, only missing Sterling’s back foot for a good 4 yards
Cucurella can pass, but he still can’t pass.
Players are the best judges for players.
You bet Almiron acknowledges the “affordance” that Joelinton is on.
However, he decides against this time, for whatever reason (lots of U, K and Ws)
Play a regista who can’t run, that’s a proper Barclays Barkley half turn reception to attack Thiago Silva’s backline having taken shelter below the midway line.
Ugochukwu tagging him? Maybe not, let’s recycle and play Schär
Float on
Midfielders get around the pitch by navigating between positions of “cover” “balance” (and closing down when they’re involved as the nearest to the carrier)
Eye contact with James. Newcastle have Joelinton and Livramento in the half
**SPACE BETWEEN CENTRAL AND WIDE PLAYER THAT ONLY EXIST AGAINST A BACK FOUR TEAM**
Livramento and Joelinton interchange
And Lesley stays switched on to close Joelinton
Again, nothing spectacular. Just a CM doing his job, communicating and floating between different duties the situation demands
Joelinton plays another progressive pass to Jamal Lascelles
Triple team outside as an observer
A situation managed very differently (compared to the situations mentioned above, that look straightforward and common sense with Lesley, and that somehow stop when he’s not involved)
Miley gets beyond Enzo, who doesn’t really communicate.
Cucurella goes in without caring whether he’s got a runner beyond.
Badiashile is caught in between,
Badiashile makes the most of his excellent ability to defend down the channel (he’s 6ft4 and #SayNoToTacticos)
Our attention is drawn to Lesley, at the penalty spot, an uncharted territory for most bang average midfielders.
Because that’s one thing Ugochukwu does.
When looking at midfielders,
Tacticos rate shoulder deception, football fans like flashy boots.
Football coachs rate behaviour on defensive cutbacks.
Another poorly managed triple team out wide. Cucurella taking liberties with the concept of defensive footwork, whilst Enzo doesn’t really communicate (language barrier maybe)
Runner gets beyond
but who’s alive and kicking at the penalty spot?
What you gonna do when things go wrong?
What you gonna do when it all cracks up?
Lesley Ugochukwu: - “I’ll be at the penalty spot to defend the cutback”
Definitely not a footballing simple mind.
Breaking down the goal
For some reason, Lesley and Enzo switch on the next play.
Instruction? Adaptation?
Anyway that’s how you’d want this wide situation to unfold.
Whatever 1v2 or 2v3 is evened out by Lesley creating a 3v3
Closes down the carrier so that the left back picks up the overlap (as should)
Sterling joins in a couple yards below. That’s a 3v3.
Ugochukwu has a defensve footwork posture on toes.
Cucurella looks exhausted (so are we)
That being said, Sterling’s involvement stops at taking notes (the Hazard stance)
Problem is, 2v3 if you’re drawn there’s a free man.
and if you want to have a chance to prevent a quality pass, then close down the carrier.
It’s a lose lose situation
Cross is clipped at the far post despite Ugochukwu’s effort to block it
Gordon’s decision to let it fly over is either very clever, or James’ defending a bit suspect if we’re being honest. Bit of both
so is Palmer’s defending.
Situation is so that Ugochukwu, drawn at the corner flag, probably doesn’t rush out quickly enough to fill alongside Enzo
Miley receives possession, and it’s panic. Lesley should be closing down, Badiashile identifies someone should. 99% of players will shoot into a forest of players here.
Miley’s composure is exceptional, and reminiscent for a Ribéry assist for Bayern, where he faked to shoot and split the entire defence with a through pass.
Nevertheless
If Cucurella defends between the ball and his goal (what any debutant footballer is taught) and only closes down Almiron if
The ball is ACTUALLY moving towards Almiron (sprint, slow down, footwork)
His CB expressely tells him he’s redudant and his marker is taken care of
None of the conditions are met
Badiashile closing down is a decision
Close down the ball carrier to restrict time/space is correct emergency defensive behaviour. Covering players need to tuck in, that’s called the “defensive pyramid” which is frankly entry level defending 101
Cucurella decides to go take a walk in the adjacent park to the stadium in yet another disgraceful piece of defending at this level.
Put it differently
Ugochukwu should be able to close down better to restrict time and space. Badiashile marks Isak
Ugochukwu doesn’t close down, then Badiashile does
If Badiashile doesn’t, Miley carries and has the choice between playing Isak or shooting for himself. Again, most players shoot from there.
Why the fuck would Cucurella jump out of the structure (whilst playing everyone onside). Football, a weak link sport.
Adress your leaks first or you’ll be good at nothing as a team.
The more Cucurella starts over Colwill or Maatsen, the more we know where it comes from.
Winning headers in the trenches
Why would Ugochukwu start? because he wins headers.
Joelinton’s limb is, let’s say, spareheading.
Ugochukwu shows “bravery” (?) and wins the header
Lesley then chases Gordon’s square carry (which non space-eating midfielders hate, because they have to 1. run and 2. arc a run)
Some nudges to put Gordon off balance. Arms half fold, not a foul
To go to ground and win a solid clean tackle
Screening the back four
Team collective defensive gameplans are never relying on one individual (unless his name is N’Golo Kanté), there’s a succession of layers that generally need to:
Screen and show the ball into traps (strikers, usually)
Squeeze in and perform these pressing traps (midfielders, usually)
Get the ball back via tackle / interception / lose ball (defenders, usually)
There’s a risk management framework to picture this, called the “Swiss Cheese” model (James Reason).
The first layers are latent conditions, and the latter layers are “active failures”
A salad of big words, but mostly to underline that any task not completed succesfully will end up to the coworker’s desk one floor below.
Enzo is in a covering position to Ugochukwu
The ball is won by Lesley, but the second ball isn’t
A small moment of ball watching / dropping off means Enzo loses Miley
Which “exposes” Badiashile into having to prevent Miley to turn, the foul might not be necessary but also it’s just below the midway line so referees are never gonna book him for that.
Set piece defending
Usually, team who defend in a zonal line put their best headers at 2-3-4 from the opposite side.
Lesley finds himself here, to prevent against the far side switch that is more prevalent in English football.
On the second phase of the set piece, Lesley is a bit late to come out of the structure
Sets his footwork too late resulting of not squeezing in quickly enough.
Lesley, why?
The Moneyball (2011) sequence is funny, just as it’s often mis-interpreted in the discourse. In the movie, Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) is trying to “re-create” a player that left “on the aggregate” by considering conjointly three skillsets in what is frankly, a different sport (football is an individual sport played as a team, baseball ranks even lower on that).
Here, it’s not even about finding hidden value via the aggregate, but just designing a playing squad with the utmost basic fundamentals to perform in Premier League which is to be remotely competent in the air.
Which Ballack, Mikel, Matic, Bakayoko, Essien all were for Chelsea.
And Ugochukwu too, at the far post against one of the best headers in Premier League in Jamal Lascelles (career 3.5 aerial *won*, 67% success)
Obviously, if your left back is an absolute liability (and not even able to disrupt aerials like Azpilicueta did - career 2 aerial won per game, 60% success despite being 178cm - 5ft10, Cucurella is 1.72 and also just plain bad)
Then the second ball can’t be monitored because someone else is sucked into doing the fullback-who-can’t-win-a-header’s-job.
So, for sure, one or Enzo or Gallagher can be sucked into a deeper area that would just pile more pressure on Chelsea with numbers in their box and few outlets on the counter.
Tailoring the team to the lowest common denominator and worst player will never make a team any good.
None of this is new.
Field a bad player, expect the opposition to attack him at every opportunity.
A play followed up by yet another turnover at his own corner flag, and some vintage Cucurella: feet in cement, Almiron with no time to fuck around who just tilts him over.
As the play goes on, Ugochukwu stays focused to track Isak
With Badiashile forced to put out another fire by blocking the cross, stemming from a third man runner combination none of Cucurella / Enzo / Sterling / Palmer could disrupt
Float, Float, Float on
“Aries and my name is Lesley”
Eye contact with Badishile because Isak drops off the front
Gordon drops of the front, marking duties switched and he picks the runner to discourage Lascelles to play him.
Gordon exits his “zone”, Lesley’s focus goes back on his position
Lesley’s ability to perform a “mixed zonal” (not a big word, that’s just modern defensive structure: stay tight whithin a zone, or put it differently, man marking whithin a zone).
Preventing markers to turn is more important than perfect zonal distances, because there’s some absolue dragsters at the top level nowadays, not restricted to wide areas. And that players play games, not tactical systems.
Back at tracking Isak off the front.
None of this is rocket science, that’s just extending coache’s lifespan that their midfielder can pay attention and stay switched on off the ball.
This is something Lesley’s confortable with, as shown in detail here
https://seb4stien.substack.com/p/ef78bf4f-1c03-4e59-8dc9-2cf099da87a0
the link is broke, but the article can be found from the homepage
Shoulder deception, happy?
That Bob Sanchez pass is showboat, change my mind
Lesley has the change of gear to get away from a marker, but it doesn’t take away anything from the fact that if Newcastle cluster 5 players there, therefore there’s a back 5 for the taking on a long (first) ball or second ball.
But oh well
Lesley retains
Badiashile does “pausa” like he does since he’s 14, but because he didn’t play for De Zerbi nobody gives a shit.
Baits the pressure and finds Enzo who then opens up to Gallagher.
Another good instance of Chelsea playing through Newcastle’s press.
Following on the point mentioned before: Newcastle’s defensive strategy in mid-block (once the high press sequences were done) was meant to cut off access to players, as opposed to truly “mark them out”
because if ever the pass filters through, Chelsea turn the ball over when carrying in final third (for a variety of reasons)
Hounding your hound
On a throw in, forcing Joelinton into another progressive pass towards his CBs
Not everyone is gonna turn the arm wrestling challenge against Joelinton like Ugochukwu did against Newcastle
Seconds later, Lascelles is knocked off the ball by Jackson, Enzo plays Sterling first time who goes on to win the equalizing free kick.
Maybe if Joelinton faces an opponent he believes he can brush off, he’ll try to roll him and keep the ball in final third. But that’s not what happened here
Free cookie: set a defensive wall, pick the tallest guy (if you have one at disposal) as “base man”, ie the second one from the outside, in line with the post and the ball.
Defending set pieces - by design and implementation
The reason why Colwill, then Ugochukwu get minutes still hasn’t really sunk in for majorities of the Chelsea fanbase.
The game is a whole, set pieces a part of it.
Any competent team needs 5 aerial markers, because the “default” attacking set up is:
1 taker, 2+2 outside the box and 5 attacking the box (or 4+1)
Defending with 4 headers / bodies exposes to the risk of leaving the 5th man unmarked.
Chelsea defend with 6 makers and 4 free men:
because Newcastle outright put 6 players in the box (3 outside + Trippier)
A quick look at the above figure evidences the constraints Chelsea are presented with, which is sort of a shit brain-teaser to solve: “Gallagher is good in the air but not tall” which plays a non negligible part, not only in the set piece design but starting lineups. Bruh, you made the sandwich. With what ingredients
(pickle have no place in a sandwich, change my mind)
Silva to challenge the ball, Sterling / Palmer on short corners and Jackson in the Drogba / Near post to clear the ball (because he’s tall, albeit not a good header)
The reason Chelsea need Silva in a free role (or if Silva asks for it) is that we consistently play two woeful aerial headers in Enzo and now Cucurella.
Gallagher pulls his weight but is “only” 6ft tall.
Part of the tussle on corner kicks includes getting a preferential position (basically have the arms above the opponent’s to prevent him to use them for balance for jumping / shielding yourself from getting put off balance)
Badiashile using his telekinetic ability to connect with headers on corners, has his hands on Isak’s elbows, gets the preferential position, timing… connects with that *attacking* header at the half hour mark
Back to our defending corner
There’s a lot to unpack there.
Reece James is 5ft11, Lascelles is 6ft3. Don’t need an essay to explain how Lascelles’ arm is attached to his body higher up, therefore harder to get the “upper hand of”
Cucurella tries to contain Isak. The Swede normally wins 28% of headers but doesn’t need to jump to win one here as he’s one head above Cucurella despite crouching.
"missing piece of the puzzle” what was the puzzle Graham may we askSchär does a screen to bump into Gallagher whose initial marking Joelinton can get a free run in the back of Ugochukwu.
Bruno just holds off Enzo so that they are an obstacle for Sanchez
Miley shoves Badiashile into Sanchez
Which results in a free header by Joelinton who should score
Screening from the front
Poch’s Chelsea defend in a 442-ish out of possession.
Palmer, having interchanged with Gallagher, finds himself humping from 10 to close down Schär
This is a typical “what happens now”. Who closes down the 6.
The difference between Palmer and Gallagher’s intelligence out of possession, is the diffence between a sharing of duties that keep players involved in their zone, and crisis managment having to pick out of two wrong options against a Newcastle team that now can definitely pop it about.
Ugochukwu arcs his run (as a C) to screen Joelinton, being aware that Livramento will play Bruno which he does
That’s a typical lose-lose situation once again
Stay with Joelinton, Bruno carries or switches and Joelinton peels of (finds separation) to receive
Close down Bruno, he gets away, Miley or Joelinton peel off and they’re free.
Domino effect puts Enzo in a large space problem to solve
Better off from Enzo moments later, runner (Miley) goes beyond and he tracks hiù.
Ugochukwu as “second blade” or “cover” then gets called upon
Also see Gallagher’s tactical intelligence to fill in the space on opposite side, as good 10-ish need to do in “4231”.
Then, as Bruno receives it, that none of Palmer, Jackson or Ugochukwu nab anything resonates with Pochettino’s post game comments. Too soft
Newcastle’s defensive rotation shuffled Chelsea’s left side, with Enzo as situational LB and Cucurella as situational CM
For all the bullshit that’s written about “complete puzzle solving footballers” being able to perform the uniquely unique role of “inverted fullback”
It’s amusing to see Cucurella displaying a complete lack of football IQ in any “live” problem solving situation (in defence or attack)
Cucurella’s situational role is CM here (picture above), but he somehow gets back into what he thinks is what he should be doing (left back), with not a care in the world for the live defensive structure “dealing with the situation”
Chelsea have two left backs and one CM, as opposed to 1 LB and 2 CMs
Cucurella was the “missing piece of the puzzle” according to Graham Potter.
Badiashile acknowledges there’s something wrong, Cucurella probably removes mud from his boots.
Joelinton’s separation movement is excellent, and Ugochukwu’s zig zag movement can’t prevent Bruno to connect nevertheless
Badiashile closes down the forward originating from his zone, then Cucurella, yet again showing no consideration whatsoever for his coworkers already cleaning his own shit, decides to do the same as Badiashile (and he’d notice if he checked his shoulder).
It’s Badiashile’s zone, he’s quicker and closer. Therefore fucking think.
Cleaning in progress, keep your muddy boots out of the way until it’s dry.
Situation is still not sorted, Chelsea still have two left backs, one CM (Lesley) who tracked Bruno.
It takes Palmer finally taking the hump to nick the ball.
Left wing highway
Sterling and Palmer have said “nah cba” (the Eden Hazard stance)
Therefore Lesley finds himself in an inbalance, which is a 1v2, 1v3 or 3v4 depending how you decide to look at it.
Does well to delay, show wide, stay on toes, screen access to the goal.
Miley gets beyond Cucurella, LU tracks him
Miley’s run being a clear decoy, LU has the nous to stop his run (access to goal isn more important)
Arcs his run so that he can screen the channel and not be flat.
Good stuff.
Forces Bruno to spread wide to Trippier
with Cucurella taking more time to close down the crosser than he’d take to fuck off back to Brighton by foot.
On this one, Ugochukwu tracks Miley in the channel, pushing up to pin a Chelsea player.
Cucurella closes down, which makes sense here as he doesn’t have a marker and Ugochukwu is goalside.
Lesley continues his run
And finds himself screening Joelinton’s pass for a third man flick.
Good positioning, good job by players involved
Arc run
Guimaraes finds an exquisite outside of the boot to Trippier under the watchful eye of Chelsea’s attacking left side
Lesley spins
Lesley’s defending is just textbook:
protect the line between the ball and the goal
to close down forward, the C run is just what you’d expect from a good double team. 19 year old transfer or not. Good stuff
Triple team
On this one, Lesley gets a bit baited by Almiron dropping off, and opens up the pass that Tripper manipulated with a couple of shoulder drops.
Badiashile as safety net prevents Miley to turn
Get stuck in
Chelsea twitter decided to get on Lesley’s case. I don’t know.
Give me that, you peroxyded wrecking ball on legs
Again, how many will send Joelinton flying on his own yard this season remains to be seen.
Brace yourself
Subsequent play, Pope sends a long goalkick, and Lesley makes it hard for himself as he’s backtracking to the drop point
Joelinton gets the better of him
The coaching point here is to face the ball when heading it, so taking a step back, start running towards the drop point from the ball’s apex (highest point)
That also avoide getting a head knock
Seconds later, the ball is cleared
Enzo wins the header vs Miley who he sends flying
Ugochukwu took cover (even if he walks Joelinton)
Joelinton decides to shove Ugochukwu’s legs when he’s in the air (which is not something to do) in front of the ref, but doesn’t prevent LU to head clear
Funnel counters
An important aspect of “crisis management” for Premier League central midfielders, due to the fact teams commit bodies in attack (Chelsea with 4 out of position).
There’s some backtracking / funneling, to delay and show carriers into less dangerous positions.
The requirement for competent Premier League CMs is very much this, ahead of “shoulder deception” and “registability”
Skipping left (beow)
Opening shoulders to show wide, that’s good delaying whilst Jackson gets back under the ball
Speaking of PL newcomers, Joelinton has no issues spinning and brushing off Jackson’s challenge. Which puts into perspective the “Lesley ain’t levels” we could read aplenty
Wide box
Most defensive situations inside a team’s own half involve dealing with a situational defensive underload (more attackers than defenders), unless everyone gets back under the ball.
Newcastle’s 3 is countered by Chelsea’s 4, that’s an occurence of it, with Palmer (20) cutting off the return pass inside.
Normally, 3 v 3 (CB LB CM) are good enough to handle RB RW CM regardless of the rotations.
Habla spanish?
Example of succesful comunication between Enzo and Cucurella wrt Miley’s decoy run.
Enzo isn’t dragged out of position. Good stuff
Ugochukwu is tasked with keeping in check Isak dropping off the front.
Gallagher has tucked in to fill up the space
Speaking of (relative) lack of inexperience
Lesley has 72 pro games at 19, Jorginho finally racked 72 top flight games at 25
Isak plays a give and go, and Lesley could’ve done a half foul, staying in the way and pretend he’s the one knocked over, leaving the arm in the way (chest or belly) or disrupt Isak’s run.
This is not even about “being nice” but just doing what most get away with, as long as it’s gamemanship and not violent.
Ball ends up recovered by Gallagher, then Chelsea play through Newcastle’s press which is one of the true satisfactions of the first half.
Crossing the zebra wall (2)
Another instance of Chelsea struggling to solve the problem set by Newcastle:
we’re filtering passes, (and if you play through you’ll turn it over with a bad carry/decision)
Barclays counter and that foul on Gordon
Gallagher doesn’t succeed at going the long way around Livramento
That’s 4 players out of position, welcome to the Barclays
Lesley isn’t carried by momentum, slows down for a couple of steps (so that Livramento doesn’t split Enzo - Lesley
Which creates an angle to force play outside to Gordon
Silva knows, deepest defender picks up the runner (that’s defending 101)
Ugochukwu sets his footwork, which is by no mean an easy task after 40 yards of backtracking.
Stops to spin and adjust to Gordon shifting to the opposite direction.
That’s where Lesley’s footing is a little bit too wide, and lose, and right foot lands flat.
This is micro detail, which by no mean say the player does “badly”, that’s just an average-good handling of the situation (that works out most weeks and nobody notices)
A better use of the arms to keep balance would help, especially left to not get carried by momentum
skipping on the right again, flat (bad), arms are of no use
arms are back in function again, left step on toes (good)
that’s the same right step that puts Lesley in the mud, ideally that would be on toes under the right shoulder
Beaten, then takes the booking
Probably not the dumbest outcome (best would’ve been a more dynamic jockeying on toes) considering that play was 3v2 if he was beaten
Small TL;DR for clarity
Facing a 6ft winger driving diagonally after 40 yards of backtracking, in an open counter is by no mean easy
Lesley does alright-ish (there’s players that won’t be named here that would be chasing shadows already) which would let him get away with it against most teams.
A little more dynamism could’ve helped him to keep narrow steps, bent knees and weight (“centre of gravity”) properly over the feet to unfold one or the other leg at need (and not end up doing the splits)
Lesley’s centre of gravity is somewhere on his chest, none of his feet are in the same “cone”
It’s still important to have tall dudes at disposal, because you’d expect to use one as base man (guy between ball and near post) whilst keeping reasonably good enough headers for markings.
Tripper is a great FK taker, but if he played the ball at the far post; the box would actually be defended by:
Tall and competent in the air: Badiashile
Medium sized and competent in the air: Silva and Gallagher
Tall, small and bad in the air or Marc Cucurella: Palmer Cucurella, Sterling
Lesley and Jackson weren’t un-necessary to force Tripper to shot over them
Not the kind of defensive packing nerds rate
Lascelles decides to volley the ball in a door hinge
and finds a cluster of Chelsea defenders disrupted by Joelinton’s constant up and back movement to crash the back line
Play would continue, with Lesley filling it at CB, Badiashile at situational CM
Both players recovering their position seamlessly, unlike the rest of the midfield (Enzo, Gallagher, bit all over the place)
Filling in at CB
With Silva dragged in the channel, Lesley fills in at CB
Reacting on turnover
When James decides to turn the ball over
Lesley is the first one to react to force Joelinton play backwards
Attacking half recovery
Eating up ground to track Gordon deep in his half
Pairing with Gallagher, that’s a high recovery leading to Jackson’s situation
Possession is still in Newcastle’s defensive third
With Lesley forcing Joelinton to tangle his legs and concede a throw in
Screen the back four
Trippier sends a half field pass to Isak
Getting dispossesed by Lesley
who tried a first time channel ball which didn’t connect (Jackson with a very modern “into feet into space” movement young strikers do nowadays)
Lascelles’ goal
Lesley’s position is at the end of the chain
gets taken on by Gordon, with good defensive footwork albeit a tad to far away
Gallagher’s small mis-jugement sees him dragged away by Joelinton’s decoy run, should’ve let J go and double team inside
Dafuq happened on the goal
Zonal defence on set pieces aims at:
Covering the dangerous zone with the good headers (Ugochukwu, James, Silva, Badiashile on the far side of the chain)
Getting the counter attacking outlets already in position
Problem, when the free kick is played short, at one point does the team get back from “the zonal line” to “the open play defensive structure”
As Gordon is about to receive, the team is still very much zonal-ish
Especially when it comes to Enzo, still next to Badiashile
Newcastle let people think they’d switch to the far side - where Chelsea packed their best headers (LU RJ TS BB).
Moving it quickly, they transform Chelsea’s initial near side, in their weak side as the far side from Gordon’s cross (from the other wing)
At this point, that smells trouble as Enzo / Cucurella are caught with 3 of Newcastle’s best headers ready to crash the far post
Lascelles especially escapes Badiashile’s supervision
Isak moes across and gets tagged by Badiashile
Lascelles finds himself unmarked
The player closest to goal is probably more dangerous than the far side one, but that’s another issue here.
My opinion:
Defend zonally free kicks (above the height of th box) isn’t the problem, doing so in a straight line is.
Chelsea have a line of 6 + 4 (Jackson mini-wall, Cucurella on Almiron and Sterling / Palmer out - the worst headers)
Enzo’s role is unclear as to whether he needs to stick to his position in the chain or get out when the ball is played and goes live short.
An issue Pochettino’s Spurs faced in the 2015 League Cup final (which is the second last domestic Cup Chelsea won before Antonio Conte’s 2018 FA Cup)
On indirect free kicks (and especially on deep ones), losing the header means a chance. Winning the header creates a second ball, which would be informed to care for with more players as a second line (especially to recover an open play structure when the ball is played live)
Hospital pass
Cucurella, who’s attacking shortcomings might be worse than his defence
Can’t even find an angle to receive a diagonal pass from Badiashile
Square pass means trouble the pass after and the one after, EVERY SINGLE TIME
Cucurella plays the ball back vaguely inside, as if a (second consecutive) square pass progresses ball more than a channel pass.
Lesley’s turn is a bit lose, and gets away with a chop and foul
Lesley receives a pass from Gallagher, under pressure
of course, if Lesley was any good, and “pressure resistant”, he could do that
instead, he does this:
Control witl the (left) back foot
Spin and chop with the right, for a quick release to James
Subbed at 67’
Conclusion:
Picking on Lesley Ugochukwu on that game in particular was not the brightest thing Chelsea Twitter came up with.
Not because he’s the subject of a parasocial relationship, with a very confident Player FC merry band trying to convince us about the potential use of talent, which would hypothetically translate into actual ability to impact game.
That only members of the merry band would able to see.
This breakdown was done on purpose, dissecting every play to a decent level of depth, which is what every player should be subjected to on the occasion.
Hopefully some of the plays (none are groundbreaking “wow” things) will look clearer.
Because Ugochukwu
Defensive movement was spot on, alive and filling in every zone he had to: covering Enzo, covering the channel, making up as a situational CB or fullback, closing down opponents, preventive marking, crosses, cutbacks… It is alright to spend the first half doomscrolling / shitposting, but claiming “he isn’t levels” or “hasn’t been seen” just displays a critical lack of attention to the actual game (or understanding as to what happens) - plastering a poor pre-empted fan/hate fiction doesn’t work if one doesn’t have a clue.
It won’t fit. Like the Chelsea jersey on a giraffe (unless it’s a talented giraffe)Displayed a skillset that Chelsea have been crying out for in midfield, and it is unfair to pick on Denis Zakaria’s okay-ish loan. Legs, winning tackles and headers, covering ground and paying attention to markers and runners.
That is when the main man (Kanté) would be out. Decent deputizing.Relied on that skillset pretty efficiently for one hour for a strong second start in the Premier League at 19, with the few approximations being not only less problematic than some of the garbage the Jovacic pivot served (as much in and out of possession) but easy to fix, and only exposed because Chelsea faced some very good players in Gordon.
Crashed into Joelinton all game long in his own backyard, which very few midfielders will do this season let alone at 19 for their second start.
This matchup in particular was put a lid on, partly hence why Newcastle’s Miley caught the spotlight.
There’s been a stark difference in his presence down the channel, especially on the left hand side (compared to Enzo)
Badiashile had to put out a lot of fires, sometimes set by the pyromanic £62 million left back.
Ugochukwu’s game in possession was nothing spectacular, which results of
his actual senior level experience limited to see games out at Rennes, keep the ball and not take risks
being paired with Enzo who’s one of the best best passers in the league, if he’s in condition to play (now a parent, and involved every international break in a wild run of fixtures with Argentina
Chelsea struggling to make it stick resulting of Gallagher, Palmer and Jackson having fairly anonymous displays with not enough succesful combinations, movements to disrupt for a below average defensive contribution (not outright terrible, never good enough)
Chelsea’s squad building makes Ugochukwu the best (tall) header not being a defender, which certainly raises some questions when thinking of the design of other 100 points teams.
Caicedo and Gallagher are excellent, they’re also barely 6ft.
Both are super good players, but a giraffe laying their hands to prevent them to jump will always be an issue on set pieces.
Try again with the gigantic Benwa Badiashile.
Roméo Lavia’s inclusion will offer more solutions in possession to rotate Enzo
And incidentally reduce the creative burden on whoever plays next to him: Gallagher, Caicedo or Ugochukwu.
Lavia is a dribbling box to box, who can control the tempo with a quick short sharp distribution or an ability to put the foot on the ball (both are rare, that’s why he was coveted).
Defensively, he needs to top his game with more activity, some more accuracy on double teams. Won’t compete in the air having done so 13 times all season.
Ugochukwu is necessary, but also needs minutes.
We’ll see what happens with Gallagher in January (not holding my breath, as the Oshimen briefs are already out through the usual influencer channels).
Enzo / Lavia are one, Caicedo / Ugochukwu are another CM spot.
Gallagher has been the best performer this season and Nkunku is the long awaited decision maker, that Chelsea Twitter sees as a CF (he’s not, he’s a connecting playmaker).
Nkunku hardly improving Chelsea’s aerial endeavours by the way (but which isn’t a problem per se, but probably would’ve been sorted by having 6ft4 Amadou Onana as nailed on starter).
mood:
