Trying to actually analyse instead of hurling with the wolves

This is the thread I posted on Twitter about Chalobah’s first half in Chelsea’s 1-2 defeat to Brighton H&A on Saturday 15th of April.

Football is a game of opinions, anyone is entitled to his.
Some opinions happen to be wrong.

There’s a difference between casual fan banter “my winger roasted your fullback” and masquerading it as analysis.

There is no need to hurl with the wolves.

Yes, I don’t care *you* were at Stamford Bridge, not everything is about *you*

The general idea behind this breakdown is to offer an insight as to how professional player analysis works. What do people in the game look at, what are the easy to grasp coaching points to look at to evaluate how a player handled things he’s actually able to control.

Of course, there’s a spirit of redundancy in the situations presented here; because Chelsea’s central control meant that Brighton often found Mitoma in 1v1 isolation out wide.

This is very much my point to show how Chalobah did a good job by showing a consistent level of quality defending in a dozen of very similar (but not identical) plays.

He’s not a chancer, half guessing and tangling his own legs.

In terms of observation, there’s a level of second guessing that tends to disappear when you more or less know what to look at.

These are tweets copied / pasted (and lightly edited).

As for yungchalobah, Mitoma this that

Elite wingers are elite because they’ve got 50-70% dribble success

(not Pulisic’s 42%)

Savant points at the moon, don’t look at the finger

How double/triple team act is key.

Brighton expert at finding 3rd man

Chalobah did well today

[3′] Chalobah is facing a 1v2

Adopts the right posture, lowering his body, footwork

Points at requiring a double team who’d handle Mitoma Chalobah needs to pick up the deepest runner

That’s textbook fullback in crisis (1v2) situation Has a touch on the cross

[7′] Handle the double acceleration

Narrows down the distance

Lowers his body, gets on toes Mitoma is a piece of work, has the deadly “double acceleration” Only “does” Chalobah once he turns pace

Chalobah sligthly flat footed and caught Enzo initially double team, sleeping

[15′] Match up the double acceleration

Chalobah comes out, points at double team to have his back covered

Adopts right defensive posture – low on toes

yungchalobah is 192 -6ft4. Taller than Alonso / Ivanovic

Right turn of pace to catch up

Tackles

[18′] Show him inside for a change

Chalobah comes out, closes down standard But instead of showing him wide where he’s been on the line

Shows him inside because Zakaria is close

Good situational adaptation Mitoma lays back

Back in to MacAllister, draws a cheap foul

[19′] Delay, don’t lunge in

This one’s allright, footwork is okay. Dynamic, shoulders over toes, eyes on the ball Pulisic probably doesn’t close down well enough out of the double team on the passback

[20′] Poor team sync to pick runners

This one isn’t so great but more on the team sync than Trevoh per se

Not sure why Pulisic tracks that deep (does he want to play right back?)

Deepest defender ought to pick up farthest runner Should’ve been Chalobah if him, Zaka, Pulisic made contact

[23] (Not defensive management)

But I thought Chalobah did allright in the opposition half, nothing special. But still able to get involved in basic moves This one was decent, feed Sterling + Pulisic run in behind Cobham trained backup defender able to be decent at everything

[24] This is where I felt Chelsea was lacking Not application, not structure but intensity to be able to sustain something decent. Let’s be clear, it’s not good enough. But Pulisic, Zakaria (more minutes for

in 2023) were not sharp enough to get in position to triple team

[25] Trying to stop a counter

Zakaria often tangles his legs (right-right). Puts himself into trouble. No foul.

Chalobah decides to squeeze.

But too flat (Caicedo has 2 good options).

Fofana does bare minimum.

Mitoma does what dribblers should do: DIAGONAL run

Badiashile minimum too None tight enough.

[26] Don’t provide a clear angle in the box

Previous play wasn’t good Give ball back after stoppage is fair play But either shithouse + press charity turnover But don’t improvise a high press Thought Chalobah did well Very dynamic footwork without offering a clear option in or out. Mitoma gambled a toe poke, wide

This is good posture On toes to stay dynamic Body balance leaning forward (shoulders over toes) Arms to balance Eyes on the ball (and not on shoulder drops like bad defenders do) Quite isolated, so hasn’t a clear team mate to show toward for a trap So forces Mitoma to gamble

[30] Brana, is that you?

Rubbish it if you want, but one thing I like about Lampard is that – post Wolves presser – he doesn’t discard build up options

Big boy Chalobah up for a flick on goalkick like vintage Ivanovic Ends up with Sterling-Gallagher link up and decent delivery across the face of goal.

[31] Reading and recovery pace

Reading of the diagonal is slightly Mathieu Debuchy-esque (mis-timing drop point and direct route to get under) Trevoh quite off Mitoma on his first touch But good recovery pace, and good timing to make a good tackle with his left leg without a foul Keeps it in play

[37] Wide combination play

Interchange between Pulisic and Chalobah, to end up with Trevoh as “HaLf sPaCe oPeRaToR”

If that one pulls out, Pulisic goes through It doesn’t, Chalobah gets clattered (maybe not a good idea afterall) Brighton break away Zakaria should’ve slid across as cover/support

[39] Handle 1v1 + tag the run

Chalobah does well to squeeze in, and adopt the right posture

Somehow ends up sort of jumping out of the duel

But re “magnets”

himself to Mitoma’s run

Play recycled backwards Job done by Trevoh

[39] Invite him inside for a change

Chelsea drawn pressing high (why?); B&HA bypass with a chip for Mitoma

Trevoh once again inviting Mitoma inside

Defensive posture good: toes, balance leaning forward, shoulder over toes

Zakaria too late to double team inside “Good” reactive recovery effort by Enzo

The Manchester Stamford Bridge Pelé

Biggest “error” = Fofana’s footwork.

Mis-judging great delivery (Badiashile is excellent at it), defenders need to face the crosser (and the touchline)

Lock the (here) left leg on the 6 yard box Go up to challenge when cross is kicked

Trevok OK, can’t go through Welbeck

[42] Back post clearance

Not /much/ better than the goal previously But can’t fault Trevoh for closing at the back post like a commited Branislav Ivanovic (under-rated feature of fullbacks game) Fofana gets in the way here Chalobah possibly the one getting the flick to clear it, hard to see