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#3 Christian Pulisic finds himself amongst the goals again
All Chelsea forwards were breathing fire today, but one player that both the fans and Tuchel wanted to get back in form, Christian Pulisic, had a stellar night. The American winger scored a goal on each side of the 45-minute break, both goals showing his ability to arrive at the right time and the right place in the box.
He also looked sharp while dribbling and weaving passes in the danger zone, linking up well with fellow forwards Kai Havertz and Mason Mount. Pulisic has now scored four goals in his last four games for club and country and it looks like the diminutive wide forward is getting back to his best after a torrid start to the campaign.
#4 Roy Hodgson's defensive tactics backfire in the first half
Roy Hodgson set up his Crystal Palace side in a familiar 4-4-2 formation, two low blocks of four behind the two strikers. The team essentially played with six defensive-minded players, with only Patrick Van Aanholt from defense allowed to venture forward.
This strategy was fully exploited by Chelsea in the first half hour of the game, their crisp passing and movement opening up the Crystal Palace defense with ease.
The midfield duo of Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic were given ample time on the ball in the middle of the park because of the 2 low blocks, which allowed them to pick their forward passes without any pressure. As a result, Crystal Palace lost the game inside just 30 minutes, conceding three goals to the Pensioners.
#5 Callum Hudson-Odoi has made the right wing-back role his own
The following stats highlight Callum Hudson-Odoi's contribution tonight- 1 assist, 57 accurate passes, 88% pass accuracy, 5 key passes, 2 shots and 6 chances created. Hudson-Odoi shuttled up and down the right flank, causing Patrick Van Aanholt all sorts of problems. At times, his execution wasn't perfect, but his intent and aggression were on full display today.
The England U-21 star also showcased his defensive awareness against Crystal Palace, recovering the ball nine times and registering a tackle and a clearance each. Thomas Tuchel has rotated academy graduates Callum Hudson-Odoi and Reece James for the right wing-back spot since the start of his tenure, but today's performance could help the former cement his place in the side for good.
Also Read: Real Madrid vs Barcelona — Combined XI | LaLiga 2020/21
