SUMMARY:
After Tottenham and Arsenal lost to West Ham and Wolves respectively on the weekend, an opportunity presented itself for either Manchester United or Chelsea to make a convincing case for themselves to finalize a spot in the UEFA Champions League. The game started quickly and intensely for both teams, but United had the better of the chances when Lukaku seemed to be in one of those moods in which he was going to have his way with the Chelsea back-line. In the fourth minute, Lukaku created an early chance as his break-away chance was saved by Kepa at a tight angle.
First Goal (Manchester United):
United kept the pressure on until they broke through in the 11th minute through Juan Mata. Luke Shaw made a well timed run deep from the left-back position into the box and was found by a superb dink over the line by Lukaku. Shaw squared the ball to Mata who could tap in from ten yards out.
Jorginho:
A key to understanding this game tactically, is the role of Jorginho in the game and in most Chelsea games. Jorginho acts as the playmaker for Chelsea who looks to be the pivot and distribute the ball to the full-backs who are pushing forward or play direct balls through to the front-three.
Jorginho in defense:
Jorginho in attack:
The problem with this tactic for Chelsea, is that they are extremely reliant on the role of Jorginho. Manchester United nullified his presence by having one of their front three, usually Mata and McTominay later in the match, man mark Jorginho when Chelsea were in possession. It became difficult for Chelsea to create opportunities despite having marginally more possession than United in the first half. Manchester United looked very dangerous on the break as Marcus Rashford proved to be a real handful with his intelligent and well timed runs.
Second Goal (Chelsea):
The goal came when the apparent lack of options for Chelsea in possession led to their center-back, Antonio Rudiger, to take a more than 30 yard strike at goal. De Gea made a mess of holding onto the shot and let up a rebound into the path of Marcos Alonso who did well to finish it from the tight angle. Unfortunate for the Red Devils.
Second Half:
The second-half started with largely the same intensity that it ended with and it was a well-balanced back and forth game. As the half progressed, a multitude of injuries to both sets of players created long stoppages in the game and by the 75th minute the pace of the game had slowed considerably. The game ended with both teams having a clear cut chance each in stoppage time when Rojo’s header was cleared off the line by Pedro and De Gea blocked a shot from Higuain in which the whole stadium had assumed he was offside. It was a tightly run affair, but neither team were able to convincing stake their claim to the top four.
GOALKEEPERS:
David De Gea
Another tough night for De Gea. It is clear to me De Gea’s mistakes of late can be broken down technically, but to do so would miss the point completely. The Spaniard is not in the right state of mind as the mistakes all come from saves that he usually routinely makes. Any goalkeeper can tell you that they know exactly what he is going through, because it happens to every goalkeeper and it is a feeling exclusive to goalkeepers. Unless you are a goalkeeper, you cannot fully understand the feeling after making a mistake, but I will tell those who don’t know that it can only be described as isolating. You feel that you have let your team down, you feel that you have let yourself down, and you feel the humiliation of the opposing team begin to shoot from anywhere. I believe this feeling comes from an extreme level of wanting to do well and then letting yourself down in one moment and from feeling the expectations of your teammates to have done better. Each mistake leaves a mental scar on a goalkeeper forever. I cannot remember my best save ever, but I can certainly remember my worst mistake ever and I expect that this is true for all other ‘keepers. After one mistake, the human inclination the next time out is to avoid making mistakes. The problem with this, however, is that playing a game with the objective of not making a mistake is a great way to make one. Overthinking for a goalkeeper is fatal as your visions of making mistakes will surely turn into reality. I still believe that De Gea is one of the best in the world and maybe spending some time on the bench to reflect is not the worst thing for De Gea, this tactic worked earlier in his career to spring him onto being one of the best in the world, and I suspect he will be back.
Kepa Arrizabalaga
If you are a Kepa fan, perhaps this game can be interpreted as foreshadowing of the passing of the guard from De Gea in the Spanish National team in the near or the distant future. Despite his distribution lacking slightly in this game which is typically superb, Kepa had a solid game between the Chelsea sticks. Kepa has been a good replacement for Courtois and I believe that we are only seeing tip of the iceberg when it comes to his potential. I good sign of a great goalkeeper is controlling 1v1 situations and Kepa did that brilliantly to deny Lukaku in the fourth minute. Kepa narrowed the angle well and stayed on his feet to force Lukaku wide. Kepa then received aid from his defender cutting off one side allowing Kepa to sprawl to his right to the near-post and take the ball off the chest, very good goalkeeping. Their was very little that Kepa could have done about the goal as he came out and closed the angle on Shaw who was through, but he scared it to Mata who could then tap it in, Kepa was helpless. In the 50th minute the Spaniard made a save from a United free kick in which the top spin on the ball made it bounce directly before getting to Kepa. Kepa took one shuffle to his right and collapsed to hold onto the ball. He tracked the ball very well and did not give up a rebound, this seemed to be in stark contrast to the ball that De Gea had spilled that led to the goal at the other end. In the 76th minute Kepa took up a good angle against a driven cross from inside the box in which he set with his body square to the ball at his near-post. This allowed Kepa to cover the near post angle, but was also able to handle the cross that was hammered in well and, again, avoid the rebound. I am impressed with the young Kepa.
Safe Hands Review 