Here are 4 lessons learned as Chelsea win convincingly against Wolves at the Bridge.
✓ KEPA shuts way back in for Mendy :
Since being afforded the chance to man the post again for Chelsea, the most expensive goal-keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has showed renewed confidence in his play.
Keeping out established goalies has always been the toughest decision for coaches to make but Kepa has no doubt quenched every atom of doubt that may have risen in the mind of Potter and his coaching staffs.
His command of the penalty area and passing ability have caught the eye since his return to the goal post for Chelsea and here against Wolves, Kepa proved his efficacy as a “sweeper” keeper with his wide range of passing and the speed at which he comes off his line to snuff out danger.
Kepa showed his passing range with 4 of his 7 long balls meeting their targets while boasting of an 88% accuracy with his passes from the back.
Now with consecutive clean-sheets, Kepa has a strong-hold on the number one position for Graham Potter.
✓ Inefficiency in Front Of Goal Remains :
For a team that constantly spends to improve her attack, it is a point of frustration for on-looking Chelsea fans to see the amount of chances that keeps going to waste. Here against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Chelsea swamped all over the visitors (4 big chances, and 20 attempts), but for wasteful finishing, the Blues should have put the game to bed in the first 45 minutes with chance after chance created most especially down the right for the blues.
Eventual goal-scorer, Christian Pulisic was guilty of missing some gilt-edge chances before finally getting himself on the scoresheet with a beautiful finish after a brilliant interchange with Mason Mount. If Potter and Chelsea are to go far in achieving their objectives this season, the team has got to improve her finishing in front of goal with profligacy often responsible for too many dropped points for the blues in the last three seasons.
✓ Mount As The Number “10” Shows Promise :
Despite many calls from “fans” for the England international to be dropped, Mason Mount keeps showing reasons why he’s been a stable and consistent member of the Senior team at Chelsea since his breakthrough season under Frank Lampard. It is no coincidence that every manager that has walked in since Lampard left has trusted Mount and kept him as an integral member.
Playing here against Wolves as an “Hybrid” number 10, Mount had the freedom to roam and pick out the spaces behind the Wolves midfield to wreak havoc. Mount’s intelligent sense and use of “space” meant his influence grew on the game as he took hold of proceedings and all of Chelsea’s attacking play went through him and Caesar Azpilicueta.
Mount had a brilliant game dictating most of Chelsea’s attacking play and his return of 2 assists showed how much of a positive influence the Cobham graduate had on the game.
His 5 chances created were the most in the game and considering he only played 72 minutes, that is how much of an impact the 23-year old had.
Mount will be looking to continue his good form as Potter and Chelsea march on in the 2022/2023 football season.
✓ Conor Gallagher’s best Game in a Chelsea Shirt;
A boyhood Chelsea fan, it is with huge pride that Conor Gallagher takes to the pitch at Stamford bridge. After a rather poor start to his Senior Chelsea career with a red card against Leicester City, Gallagher has taken new strides since being pushed further up the pitch under Graham Potter.
Playing a “Hybrid” position of an attacking “8” on the right hand side for Chelsea this evening, Gallagher showed the most promise in a Chelsea shirt with an astounding display at the Bridge, most definitely in the presence of his family.
Creating the second most chances with 3 while linking up with Azpilicueta down the right, Gallagher showed both sides of his game as he recorded the most tackles with 4.
Gallagher recovered the ball an astonishing 10 times with a performance reminiscent of an active N’golo Kante and his 1 big chance created meant he didn’t fail to deliver on his attacking duties. There are plenty positives to take from his game today and Conor Gallagher will hope he continues in this vein of good form.
Man of The Match; Mason Mount 9/10.
Chelsea come up against AC Milan in her next game on Tuesday in the UCL.
