Date: 26th December 2018 at 9:20am
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A Blue Up North reviews Chelsea’s final UEFA Europa League group stage match.

Thursday this week saw the final group matches of this season’s UEFA Europa League. Chelsea, with 5 victories from their previous 5 group matches, headed to Hungary to play MOL Vidi at the Groupama Arena in Budapest.

With first place in the group already wrapped up by The Blues, manager Maurizio Sarri rested a number of his first team players and made wholesale changes to his starting line up. Only Willian remained in the starting line up from the big win over Manchester City on Saturday.

Alvaro Morata, Ross Barkley, Cesc Fabregas, Andreas Christensen and Ruben Loftus-Cheek all returned, while Callum Hudson-Odoi had another chance to impress after his goal scoring performance against PAOK Salonika in Chelsea’s previous Europa League match. Ethan Ampadu started instead of the injured Gary Cahill in central defence as Chelsea started with 2 players born in the year 2000. Sarri also named youth players keeper Jamie Cumming and midfielder George McEachran on the bench as the Italian showed again that he will give talented youngsters a chance to shine when the opportunity arises.

The reigning Hungarian champions were still in the hunt for qualifying for the knockout stages, but they needed to gain a better result than BATE Borisov in this final set of group fixtures. With this in mind, the hosts started more on the front foot than they had played earlier in the campaign at Stamford Bridge.

In a compelling opening to the match, Vidi tried their best to play on the front foot, but their play almost always broke down before reaching the danger area. They were organised and showed signs of being a useful side without the highest level of ability to trouble the Caballero’s goal.

Meanwhile Chelsea’s effectively B team were doing their best to play a Sarri style possession based style of play. There was patient passing between the keeper, the back 4 and Fabregas and Barkley in midfield. Loftus-Cheek, Willian and Hudson-Odoi were constantly on the move trying to create space, while Morata was willing to turn the home defence with his forward runs, but sadly all too often his movement was to where his colleagues could not find him.

Chelsea’s play was more dominant, but they struggled to create many outstanding opportunities. As their passes in the final third and corner count increased, The Blues were making progress up the pitch but the hosts were holding firm.

Then in the 30th minute, Willian won a free kick in a dangerous area and he dispatched his shot past an ill positioned keeper. However, just as thoughts turned to this being a potential platform for The Blues to inflict a comfortable victory, the home side were level. Their first corner of the match was whipped in with tremendous pace. Barkley was unable to clear at the front post and Ampadu was only able to head the ball into his own goal.

The simplicity of Vidi’s opening goal only served to highlight Chelsea’s toil. The Blues had already taken a handful of corners, all varied in their target and style, but they rarely caused mayhem within the home defence. Whereas Vidi’s first corner didn’t even need any of their own players to convert it in.

Then, just before half time, things turned worse for The Blues. Morata appeared to jar his knee as he landed after striking at goal and was unable to continue. Sarri had not only rested most of his first team, but part of the plan was to protect them from potential injuries. Not so for the striker. We will need to wait to see how long the Spaniard is absent for and, more importantly, how he reacts upon his return.

Then on 55 minutes the hosts suddenly found that top level of talent from both team and individual. A former Charlton Athletic player, Nego finished off a sweeping move by hitting a stunning volley past Caballero and Chelsea were staring at an unexpected defeat. Despite Vidi knowing their were heading out of the competition due to BATE Borisov leading in their match at PAOK Salonika, the Hungarians had continued in their efforts and a dream victory over one of Europe’s biggest clubs was now on the cards.

But Sarri’s back up side reacted well to being behind on the night. On 75 minutes, Morata’s replacement, Olivier Giroud, levelled the scores with a beautifully struck free kick. The pace and accuracy was so good that a defender who had retreated to protect that end of the goal could do nothing about it.

The draw managed to maintain Chelsea’s unbeaten run so far in the competition, but it wasn’t a strong commanding performance from a team full of individuals who were given an opportunity to impress and make a claim for more first team action.

Ethan Ampadu played well and plays with far more maturity than his age. The young Welshman also shows elements of fantastic leadership on the pitch and will become a commanding captain as long as his talent can force his way into the first team on a regular basis over the coming years. He was unfortunate to concede the goal and reacted well afterwards.

Callum Hudson-Odoi once again showed off his dribbling and attacking flair. The exciting youngster is clearly working on his attitude and end product. His crossing has improved and he was able to find teammates on a regular basis. The more opportunities these 2 receive to play for the first team, the better they will become and Sarri deserves plenty of credit for their continued improvement.

Ross Barkley and Ruben Loftus-Cheek played well but missed the chance to take the game by the scruff of the neck and demand from Sarri to start more regularly. Cesc Fabregas captained the side well and his passing was as solid as ever. He just never managed to split the home defence with his passing with any regularity.

Emerson Palmieri and Davide Zappacosta were solid in defence and eager to attack down their flanks. But again they did little on an extra level to become first choice in their positions.

So The Blues now can look forward to the knockout stages in the new year, but the focus for the manager and his squad will now be on the busy Christmas period of domestic football. Sarri knows his back up side contains plenty of talent and character. They can carry the club through against lesser teams but more work is required for a number of them to be first on the teamsheet on a regular basis.

Written by Jon Ellis, home and away season ticket holder. Follow him on Twitter @ClitheroeBlue

 

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