Will Chelsea's defensive deficiencies come back to haunt them at the business end of the season?

Chelsea may have made life unnecessarily difficult for themselves in the Champions league this season but are, nonetheless, through to the round of 16 at the cost of Ajax, finishing second behind Valencia in their group. One thing that would continue to give their manager Frank Lampard sleepless nights will be their shambolic defending. Chelsea have messed up many games which were otherwise considered a cakewalk for them, considering the quality they possess.

Chelsea teams over the past two decades were built on a strong defensive core. Antonio Conte's Chelsea side are a testament to that, as are Jose Mourinho's Chelsea over his two stints. Even Maurizio Sarri paid much attention to defensive details despite implementing a more open, possession-based attacking system.

Gaps surfacing

It's during this period only that Chelsea enhanced their reputation as a top European club. However the situation has drastically changed this season. Clean sheets and Chelsea are two words that go no more go hand in hand. Many a times its their sloppiness rather than opposition brilliance that has costed them goals.

Whether its 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1, Chelsea's defensive structure looked bleak through out this season. Lampard urges his team to press high and aggressively to win the ball. They also stretch themselves to open vertical passing lines. While doing so, Chelsea commit large numbers of players forward, with Jorginho sitting at the base. Chelsea's lack of compactness means they leave behind spaces once they lose the ball making them vulnerable to counter-attacks.

While Lampard deserves credit for effectively using N'Golo Kante's dynamism and Mateo Kovacic's ball carrying capacity to devastating effects in attack, the same cannot be said about the duo's defensive contributions. Though Jorginho greatly improved on his defensive attributes, he is often an isolated figure when caught in transitions. His lacks of athleticism meant he had to commit a lot of mandatory fouls, accumulating a number of yellow cards in the process.

Chelsea are not shot of talents in midfield

Lampard initially employed a zonal marking strategy for defending set pieces, only to realize his defenders don't have the tactical awareness and composure to carry out the same. He then implemented a man-marking system, where he prioritized covering individuals rather than space. Though we witnessed considerable improvements, the situation is still far from perfect. It's sure that Chelsea's historic comeback against Ajax in Champions league will be talked about for years. But their woeful defending in that game, especially from dead-ball situations, would appear relevant to none. Sometimes, ecstasy obscures reality.

Goalkeeping issues

It would be harsh to place the blame solely on the shoulders of Kepa Arrizabalaga for Chelsea's defensive crisis. However, the young Spaniard hasn’t been consistent by any means. We are just two games to the halfway mark in Premier league this season and Kepa has just kept 3 clean sheets so far. He concedes 1.5 goals per game in all competitions, and about 40% percentage of the shots he faces end up in goal.

These are alarming stats for a goal keeper playing for a top-four Premier League club. It looks like a element of complacency has hit him as he lacks a quality competitor to challenge for his spot. His ball distribution has been poor to say the least. The defensive line in front of him hasn't helped his case either.

Looking at Chelsea's defensive options, they are all talented, but the term world-class suits none. Roughly, for every 5 goals they score, Chelsea let in 4 goals. Gone are those days in which Stamford bridge was considered a fortress. Their home record this season is far worse compared to away record.

Finding the right formation

Lampard is yet to figure out a solid centre back partnership. Kurt Zouma - Fikayo Tomori partnership did flourish for bits, yet there are still lapses. Either of them lose possession at least 10 times per game. Although the duo boast decent passing accuracy, tackle success rate Zouma and Tomori are 61.5% and 52% respectively.

Andreas Christensen didn't make most of the opportunities he got. He boasts a tackle success rate of just 35% and he lost nearly 50% of aerial duels in which he was involved. His lack of awareness and physicality are issues which need addressing. Antonio Rudiger's absence definitely added sour to Chelsea's wounds and his return from injury will be seen as a real boost.

Solving the full back conundrum is again an uphill task for Lampard. Cesar Azpilicueta never seems like someone who could thrive in a possession based system.

His crossing accuracy of 34% does not compare with the Premier League elites. He is starting to decline as his performances are starting to show. Young Reece James looked solid whenever called upon, but he needs to work on his defensive positioning and awareness before starting on a regular basis.

Emerson had a bright start to the season until he suffered an injury. His performances post injury has certainly been below par. Alonso was largely a peripheral figure and could be on his way out in January.

Real test ahead

Well it appears the honeymoon phase is over. Winter is finally here and congested fixtures will provide Lampard with a real acid test. And once the snow melts, a potential showdown against a European giant is on the cards in Champions league round of sixteen as well as tough Premier League matches. He may have to use all the experience he gained during his playing and managerial career to overturn the defensive crisis at Chelsea. With the transfer ban overturned, one or two quality signings may bring significant improvements to this Chelsea side.

As Sir Alex Ferguson stated some years back "Attack wins you games,defence wins you titles."

If Chelsea don't overcome their defensive frailties soon, it will definitely come to haunt them at the end of the season.

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