Chelsea takes revenge with a victory at Stamford Bridge after being defeated 4-1 by Newcastle in the first leg. Although the Londoners’ performance this season has been somewhat disappointing, sitting at 11th place in the table, they managed to offer their fans an interesting match full of memorable moments.
A Wave of Injuries
This game marks Marc Cucurella’s first appearance since his injury at the beginning of December, but the Blues are still hit by a wave of injuries, with Ben Chilwell, Levi Colwill, Reece James, and Christopher Nkunku still in recovery. For Newcastle, the only significant absence is that of Joellington, who has been dealing with a series of injuries since September.
Starting Formations
Chelsea starts the match in a formation characteristic of Pochettino, a 4-2-3-1 which he has used for most of the season, while Howe has opted for a 4-3-3 formation. The 4-2-3-1 splits the midfield into two defensive and three offensive parts, offering a balance between defense and attack, ideal for controlling the game. On the other hand, the 4-3-3 emphasizes offensive pressure, with three forwards and a midfield trio, favoring possession and quick attacks. Newcastle chose to leverage the advantages of the 4-3-3 formation through an aggressive play, employing a high press with 3 players right at the edge of Petrovic’s 16-yard box.
An even first half, dominated by aggressive pressing
The first half was marked by the aggressive pressing executed by Newcastle, with three players hunting the ball as soon as it was put into play by Petrovic. This tactic troubled the Londoners, which is clearly highlighted in the statistics, where Chelsea had a passing accuracy of only 78% compared to their average of 87%.
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