EXPOSED IN DETAIL - DEFENSIVE MISTAKES AGAINST ARSENAL.
There is no getting away from the fact that we need to sort out our defensive problems. There is no point in sugar coating the weaknesses we...
https://www.chelseadaft.org/2011/11/exposed-in-detail-defensive-mistakes.html
There is no getting away from the fact that we need to sort out our defensive problems. There is no point in sugar coating the weaknesses we currently have at the back that are being exploited each week. For me conceding three was bad enough at Old Trafford but to ship FIVE at home last weekend was a real shock.
Now, I am not sure about the rest of you, but I really wanted to have a proper look at their five goals and why they ripped us open as easy as they did. Credit to Arsenal as we have to hold our hands up, they punished us but why was it so easy for them to do so?
I am doing this first to understand how it happened, and to expose the real problems we have had at the back lately.
I have had a long look at each goal and will go through what I believe are the reasons. Now as you know, using video footage of Premier League games is forbidden due to copyright infringements, so I will use still shots.
ARSENAL'S FIRST - Robin Van Persie.
Now looking at the build up to the Arsenal goal, we look OK here. Arteta has the ball and sees he has no options in front of him as our shape is good. Mikel is tracking across back into the middle, Sturridge has tucked inside next to Ramires and Lampard to force Arsenal either wide or backwards. Arteta passes back to Santos.
Santos has got the ball. Sturridge has drifted wide to stop him wide. Arteta has moved wide right and is keeping Bosingwa interested, Lampard is left in his position ball watching with Ramires and Mikel has spotted Gervinho dropping deep to come and get the ball in the gap behind Ramires and is rushing over to cover him. Santos spots Gervinho and is about to play the ball into his feet.
This is where our problems begin. Sturridge, Arteta, Ramires and Lampard are all in the same position as the ball reaches Gervinho. Ramires and Lampard are caught narrow. Ramsey has spotted the space in behind and has moved into position for anything played into him. Mikel makes the first mistake here. For some reason he decides to go to ground and make the challenge when Ramires and Lampard are already close enough to the ball to react and deal with. It looks like he has won it and nicked it off Gervinho, but his clearance only falls back to Santos here..
Now look at what has happened!. With Mikel losing the ball and Santos picking it up, Ramires, Lampard and Mikel are ALL caught narrow within about ten foot of each other. Mikel leaving the deeper role has created a space in behind which the other two aren't quick enough to react to. At this point, Ramsey has become the perfect ball in space with no one round him, Gervinho spots how flat we have now become and is about to make a run in behind our midfield into space.
Torres does his best now to challenge Santos but it's too late. Santos has played the ball into Ramsey and has turned Lampard. Mikel and Ramires have now been taken out of the game. Look at Gervinho now, he is on his bike and by the looks of things, Ivanovic has spotted his run and Bosingwa. Mata is thinking about getting back in and closing down Ramsey. Watch what happens.
Classic play from RVP up front. He has pulled wide after seeing Ramsey turn on the ball. Ramires and Mikel are too far out of position to get back and track the run of Gervinho. Lampard is doing his best but it's too late. Getting back to RVP, where he has pulled in between Bosingwa and Ivanovic he has created a major problem for Ivanovic. He has to decide if he covers the run of Gervinho as Terry looks to keep a high line. Bosingwa remains on the back foot ball watching and has made no attempt to get back and pick up RVP. Now watch..
As you can see by looking at Ashley Cole, it looks as though Chelsea are trying to play offside. Terry has no interest in following the run of Gervinho and has held a high line, same with Ivanovic and Bosingwa. The ball from Ramsey is perfect and takes all three out of the game..
Gervinho's touch takes him through on goal, leaves our back four standing and because of his touch through the gap, RVP keeps himself onside, unmarked and we know what happens!.
Look at Ashley Cole, he his hand up for Offside but no chance of it being given.
ARSENAL'S SECOND - Santos.
I have highlighted where the ball is in this instance. Chelsea took a throw down the left and lost the ball as Djourou has won it, turned inside and is heading infield with the ball. There are plenty of players around him in and condensed space so he opts to bring the ball further into the middle of the pitch.
Now look here. Terry has an eye on RVP, Ivanovic on Gervinho. Mikel on Ramsey, Ramires on Song and Lampard is just behind Mikel in this still shot about to leave his position and come forward to tackle Djourou. Look at Bosingwa compared to Ivanovic. Ivanovic has held his position his shape is good as he has Gervinho well in his sights and front him up and close him down if he has the ball played into him. Bosingwa thinks he needs to get across on the cover so vacates the space he is in and comes too narrow. Now look...
Lampard has slid in and won the ball and nicked it away from Djourou but straight towards Song. Ramires reacts to it and is about to close down Song who flicks the ball between his legs and turns Ramires and takes him and Lampard out of the game. Look at Santos and Sturridge, Santos has gambled on the ball being played wide left into the space Bosingwa has left and Sturridge has reacted too late and is trying to get back and cover.
Song has now turned Ramires, spotted the run of Santos and has played the ball to him. Gervinho dropped deep towards Song to provide him with the option and with that, Bosingwa has decided to follow him. As the ball is played, Bosingwa is turned and out of position. Ivanovic remains in the same position he was earlier. Sturridge has been taken out of the game.
Santos takes a touch and is in on goal. Sturridge is desperately trying to get back as is Bosingwa but Santos has time to compose himself and beats Cech as the ball slides under his leg to make it 2-2. Cech should have done better there.
ARSENALS THIRD - Theo Walcott.
What a mess this is!. There is a quick free kick out wide right taken by RVP and Walcott. Walcott at pace then runs at our midfield.
You can see Cole coming inside to close him down, Terry also aware, Lampard trying to get back and Mikel getting sucked across. Ivanovic has also decided to leave his man Ramsey and is ALSO moving towards Walcott to close him down!.
Cole makes an attempt to tackle Walcott who appears to get his legs in a twist and forces himself to stumble. Lampard, Mikel and Cole are all in close quarters to the ball and themselves. Terry and Ivanovic are holding their positions.
Now Walcott is on the floor but momentum has taken Cole and Mikel into each other. Lampard is out of the game now. Terry AND Ivanovic notice Walcott still has the ball and is about to get back to his feet free of the two who have bumped into each other. Watch what happens...
Walcott is up and sees Terry and Ivanovic come towards him but spots the gap in between them. Mikel and Cole are now also taken out of the game. Terry and Ivanovic are caught too square and it's easy pickings for Walcott.
He flicks the ball past them and Walcott is away. Look at how many Chelsea shirts have been sucked towards the ball in the space of 3 seconds and 15 foot diameter of the pitch, you counted right FIVE Chelsea players taken out of the game and Walcott has a free run on goal. Cech comes out but again, gets beaten at his near post..
There is an argument that Walcott hit the ball with such power he never had a chance. I say the golden rule that keepers live by is to never get beaten inside your near post!.
ARSENALS FOURTH - Robin Van Persie.
Terry got the stick for it, but Malouda's pass was shocking!.
So you can just about see that Ashley Cole has passed the ball back to Malouda. Song is a good 15 yards away from him. Terry is an option to pass back to and just behind Song, 15 yards further back is Fernando Torres dropping deep to come and show as an option for Malouda to pass to. RVP is on the half way line.
Rather than play the ball first time, Malouda has taken an extra touch which has allowed Song to close him down. Seeing that Malouda has been closed down, RVP has found himself attracted to the ball and away from his man. Unmarked, he begins to move forward to try and close the pass back to JT down.
Malouda decides to flick the ball backwards between his legs, turns and passes the ball into an area he believes is where JT is!. Look at JT, he isn't expecting it and is caught flat footed as RVP is well on his bike now!. The pass is awful from Malouda and is six foot away from Terry..
Terry, now on the backfoot, turns to retrieve the situation and begins to loose his footing. See what I mean, the pass is six yards away from him and he doesn't have a chance of controlling it. RVP is already at full speed and more or less passed JT and onto the back pass like a flash.
Notice how Torres has been ignored again by Malouda?.
Terry slips, and RVP is through on goal with time to think about taking the ball around Cech. Cech comes out, and the Dutchman skips passed him and slots the ball into an empty net to make it 4-3 Arsenal.
ARSENAL'S FIFTH - Robin Van Persie.
We have to remember we were chasing the game here and had pushed plenty of players forward but mistakes were still made!.
Juan Mata swings a cross into the box late on chasing the game.
Chelsea have plenty of the big guns forward and there are plenty of Arsenal midfielders in and around the box to protect their back four. The cross is headed away.
You have to hold your hands up and say to their credit as the ball drops outside the box, four Arsenal players go towards the ball to close it down. Raul Meireles is now stuck between a rock and a hard place as he waits for the ball to come down knowing he is being put under pressure.
He makes the WRONG decision. Rather than jump and head the ball forward back into the box, he decides to try and kick it over his head but Rosicky jumps and beats him to it. Song then heads he ball forward after the rebound from Rosicky bounced into the air..RVP is watching in plenty of space.
Arsenal counter attack us with three men forward to support RVP. Bosingwa and Cole are the defensive line with, to his credit, Malouda doing his best to get back. Rosicky plays the ball square to Arteta.
Arteta plays the ball wide to RVP but look at our back line now. We are looking OK!. Malouda has got back in and covered Rosicky, Cole has covered the run of Ramsey and Bosingwa is showing RVP outside as Terry also gets back now. Chelsea don't exactly look over run now.
RVP takes a touch and from there you would expect Cech to be comfortable. If anything he could have done with his position being about a foot to his left. Bosingwa doesn't do anything wrong as he can't dive in to make a challenge as RVP is inside the box.
RVP tries his luck after the game he has had so far and beats Cech again at his near post. Cech gets a hand to it but is unable to stop it. He gets his hat trick and Arsenal win 5-3.
There ARE plenty of defensive issues we are suffering with at the moment and it's something that needs to be addressed. For me, individual errors cost us in this game along with defensive mistakes. Cech was beaten THREE times at his near post in the one game and it isn't acceptable.
I really hope that we can start to put things right on Saturday against Blackburn but I don' think any of us are thinking we will keep a clean sheet.
I know the Arsenal game was a week ago and is done and dusted but for my own peace of mind, I wanted to see where it all went wrong to try and understand it. Hopefully this post has made some sense of it all.
KTBFFH
I'm taking part in Movember this month, please donate!
Check out my blog posts on the Official Chelsea Website - http://bit.ly/mRUOqw
Follow me and my blog on Twitter - http://bit.ly/gP9Dwt
Follow the blog on Facebook - http://on.fb.me/i5OTbj
Grab my RSS Feed - http://bit.ly/ijgiIT
Sign up to my email updates - http://bit.ly/eTEVrt
My YouTube Channel - http://bit.ly/giLSqr
Grab your Chelsea FC Fan App on Android.
Now, I am not sure about the rest of you, but I really wanted to have a proper look at their five goals and why they ripped us open as easy as they did. Credit to Arsenal as we have to hold our hands up, they punished us but why was it so easy for them to do so?
I am doing this first to understand how it happened, and to expose the real problems we have had at the back lately.
I have had a long look at each goal and will go through what I believe are the reasons. Now as you know, using video footage of Premier League games is forbidden due to copyright infringements, so I will use still shots.
ARSENAL'S FIRST - Robin Van Persie.
Now looking at the build up to the Arsenal goal, we look OK here. Arteta has the ball and sees he has no options in front of him as our shape is good. Mikel is tracking across back into the middle, Sturridge has tucked inside next to Ramires and Lampard to force Arsenal either wide or backwards. Arteta passes back to Santos.
Santos has got the ball. Sturridge has drifted wide to stop him wide. Arteta has moved wide right and is keeping Bosingwa interested, Lampard is left in his position ball watching with Ramires and Mikel has spotted Gervinho dropping deep to come and get the ball in the gap behind Ramires and is rushing over to cover him. Santos spots Gervinho and is about to play the ball into his feet.
This is where our problems begin. Sturridge, Arteta, Ramires and Lampard are all in the same position as the ball reaches Gervinho. Ramires and Lampard are caught narrow. Ramsey has spotted the space in behind and has moved into position for anything played into him. Mikel makes the first mistake here. For some reason he decides to go to ground and make the challenge when Ramires and Lampard are already close enough to the ball to react and deal with. It looks like he has won it and nicked it off Gervinho, but his clearance only falls back to Santos here..
Now look at what has happened!. With Mikel losing the ball and Santos picking it up, Ramires, Lampard and Mikel are ALL caught narrow within about ten foot of each other. Mikel leaving the deeper role has created a space in behind which the other two aren't quick enough to react to. At this point, Ramsey has become the perfect ball in space with no one round him, Gervinho spots how flat we have now become and is about to make a run in behind our midfield into space.
Torres does his best now to challenge Santos but it's too late. Santos has played the ball into Ramsey and has turned Lampard. Mikel and Ramires have now been taken out of the game. Look at Gervinho now, he is on his bike and by the looks of things, Ivanovic has spotted his run and Bosingwa. Mata is thinking about getting back in and closing down Ramsey. Watch what happens.
Classic play from RVP up front. He has pulled wide after seeing Ramsey turn on the ball. Ramires and Mikel are too far out of position to get back and track the run of Gervinho. Lampard is doing his best but it's too late. Getting back to RVP, where he has pulled in between Bosingwa and Ivanovic he has created a major problem for Ivanovic. He has to decide if he covers the run of Gervinho as Terry looks to keep a high line. Bosingwa remains on the back foot ball watching and has made no attempt to get back and pick up RVP. Now watch..
As you can see by looking at Ashley Cole, it looks as though Chelsea are trying to play offside. Terry has no interest in following the run of Gervinho and has held a high line, same with Ivanovic and Bosingwa. The ball from Ramsey is perfect and takes all three out of the game..
Gervinho's touch takes him through on goal, leaves our back four standing and because of his touch through the gap, RVP keeps himself onside, unmarked and we know what happens!.
Look at Ashley Cole, he his hand up for Offside but no chance of it being given.
ARSENAL'S SECOND - Santos.
I have highlighted where the ball is in this instance. Chelsea took a throw down the left and lost the ball as Djourou has won it, turned inside and is heading infield with the ball. There are plenty of players around him in and condensed space so he opts to bring the ball further into the middle of the pitch.
Now look here. Terry has an eye on RVP, Ivanovic on Gervinho. Mikel on Ramsey, Ramires on Song and Lampard is just behind Mikel in this still shot about to leave his position and come forward to tackle Djourou. Look at Bosingwa compared to Ivanovic. Ivanovic has held his position his shape is good as he has Gervinho well in his sights and front him up and close him down if he has the ball played into him. Bosingwa thinks he needs to get across on the cover so vacates the space he is in and comes too narrow. Now look...
Lampard has slid in and won the ball and nicked it away from Djourou but straight towards Song. Ramires reacts to it and is about to close down Song who flicks the ball between his legs and turns Ramires and takes him and Lampard out of the game. Look at Santos and Sturridge, Santos has gambled on the ball being played wide left into the space Bosingwa has left and Sturridge has reacted too late and is trying to get back and cover.
Song has now turned Ramires, spotted the run of Santos and has played the ball to him. Gervinho dropped deep towards Song to provide him with the option and with that, Bosingwa has decided to follow him. As the ball is played, Bosingwa is turned and out of position. Ivanovic remains in the same position he was earlier. Sturridge has been taken out of the game.
Santos takes a touch and is in on goal. Sturridge is desperately trying to get back as is Bosingwa but Santos has time to compose himself and beats Cech as the ball slides under his leg to make it 2-2. Cech should have done better there.
ARSENALS THIRD - Theo Walcott.
What a mess this is!. There is a quick free kick out wide right taken by RVP and Walcott. Walcott at pace then runs at our midfield.
You can see Cole coming inside to close him down, Terry also aware, Lampard trying to get back and Mikel getting sucked across. Ivanovic has also decided to leave his man Ramsey and is ALSO moving towards Walcott to close him down!.
Cole makes an attempt to tackle Walcott who appears to get his legs in a twist and forces himself to stumble. Lampard, Mikel and Cole are all in close quarters to the ball and themselves. Terry and Ivanovic are holding their positions.
Now Walcott is on the floor but momentum has taken Cole and Mikel into each other. Lampard is out of the game now. Terry AND Ivanovic notice Walcott still has the ball and is about to get back to his feet free of the two who have bumped into each other. Watch what happens...
Walcott is up and sees Terry and Ivanovic come towards him but spots the gap in between them. Mikel and Cole are now also taken out of the game. Terry and Ivanovic are caught too square and it's easy pickings for Walcott.
He flicks the ball past them and Walcott is away. Look at how many Chelsea shirts have been sucked towards the ball in the space of 3 seconds and 15 foot diameter of the pitch, you counted right FIVE Chelsea players taken out of the game and Walcott has a free run on goal. Cech comes out but again, gets beaten at his near post..
There is an argument that Walcott hit the ball with such power he never had a chance. I say the golden rule that keepers live by is to never get beaten inside your near post!.
ARSENALS FOURTH - Robin Van Persie.
Terry got the stick for it, but Malouda's pass was shocking!.
So you can just about see that Ashley Cole has passed the ball back to Malouda. Song is a good 15 yards away from him. Terry is an option to pass back to and just behind Song, 15 yards further back is Fernando Torres dropping deep to come and show as an option for Malouda to pass to. RVP is on the half way line.
Rather than play the ball first time, Malouda has taken an extra touch which has allowed Song to close him down. Seeing that Malouda has been closed down, RVP has found himself attracted to the ball and away from his man. Unmarked, he begins to move forward to try and close the pass back to JT down.
Malouda decides to flick the ball backwards between his legs, turns and passes the ball into an area he believes is where JT is!. Look at JT, he isn't expecting it and is caught flat footed as RVP is well on his bike now!. The pass is awful from Malouda and is six foot away from Terry..
Terry, now on the backfoot, turns to retrieve the situation and begins to loose his footing. See what I mean, the pass is six yards away from him and he doesn't have a chance of controlling it. RVP is already at full speed and more or less passed JT and onto the back pass like a flash.
Notice how Torres has been ignored again by Malouda?.
Terry slips, and RVP is through on goal with time to think about taking the ball around Cech. Cech comes out, and the Dutchman skips passed him and slots the ball into an empty net to make it 4-3 Arsenal.
ARSENAL'S FIFTH - Robin Van Persie.
We have to remember we were chasing the game here and had pushed plenty of players forward but mistakes were still made!.
Juan Mata swings a cross into the box late on chasing the game.
Chelsea have plenty of the big guns forward and there are plenty of Arsenal midfielders in and around the box to protect their back four. The cross is headed away.
You have to hold your hands up and say to their credit as the ball drops outside the box, four Arsenal players go towards the ball to close it down. Raul Meireles is now stuck between a rock and a hard place as he waits for the ball to come down knowing he is being put under pressure.
He makes the WRONG decision. Rather than jump and head the ball forward back into the box, he decides to try and kick it over his head but Rosicky jumps and beats him to it. Song then heads he ball forward after the rebound from Rosicky bounced into the air..RVP is watching in plenty of space.
Arsenal counter attack us with three men forward to support RVP. Bosingwa and Cole are the defensive line with, to his credit, Malouda doing his best to get back. Rosicky plays the ball square to Arteta.
Arteta plays the ball wide to RVP but look at our back line now. We are looking OK!. Malouda has got back in and covered Rosicky, Cole has covered the run of Ramsey and Bosingwa is showing RVP outside as Terry also gets back now. Chelsea don't exactly look over run now.
RVP takes a touch and from there you would expect Cech to be comfortable. If anything he could have done with his position being about a foot to his left. Bosingwa doesn't do anything wrong as he can't dive in to make a challenge as RVP is inside the box.
RVP tries his luck after the game he has had so far and beats Cech again at his near post. Cech gets a hand to it but is unable to stop it. He gets his hat trick and Arsenal win 5-3.
There ARE plenty of defensive issues we are suffering with at the moment and it's something that needs to be addressed. For me, individual errors cost us in this game along with defensive mistakes. Cech was beaten THREE times at his near post in the one game and it isn't acceptable.
I really hope that we can start to put things right on Saturday against Blackburn but I don' think any of us are thinking we will keep a clean sheet.
I know the Arsenal game was a week ago and is done and dusted but for my own peace of mind, I wanted to see where it all went wrong to try and understand it. Hopefully this post has made some sense of it all.
KTBFFH
I'm taking part in Movember this month, please donate!
Check out my blog posts on the Official Chelsea Website - http://bit.ly/mRUOqw
Follow me and my blog on Twitter - http://bit.ly/gP9Dwt
Follow the blog on Facebook - http://on.fb.me/i5OTbj
Grab my RSS Feed - http://bit.ly/ijgiIT
Sign up to my email updates - http://bit.ly/eTEVrt
My YouTube Channel - http://bit.ly/giLSqr
Grab your Chelsea FC Fan App on Android.
