My 3 Thoughts on Chelsea 2, Lille 0
My 3 Thoughts on Chelsea 2, Lille 0
In the UEFA Champions League, Christian Pulisic Scores A Goal and Comes Off to a Stamford Bridge Standing Ovation
Chelsea beat Lille 2-0 in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Leg 1 on Wednesday, with Christian Pulisic and Kai Havertz scoring the goals. Here are my three thoughts on the game:
• Pulisic deserved his standing O and was dangerous throughout. The American started on the left wing of a front line with Havertz and Hakim Ziyech—Coach Thomas Tuchel sat Romelu Lukaku—and Pulisic showed why he’s more effective when he’s playing his preferred position as opposed to wingback, false-nine or No. 10 role. When Pulisic got on the ball, he unbalanced defenders, sent smart passes and created opportunities, capped by a terrific finish on the break in the 63rd minute that gives Chelsea a two-goal advantage heading into the return leg. (The less said the better about Pulisic’s attempted Griddy celly lol.) In what has been an up-and-down season for Pulisic at Chelsea, anything that can spike his confidence is a good thing, and this game most definitely was a good performance. The only thing I can’t help laughing about is UEFA’s insistence on using all the Croatian diacritical marks on Pulisic’s surname when he doesn’t pronounce it the way those marks would instruct you to do (pool-uh-SHITCH). UEFA is funny.
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• It’s only one game, but Chelsea’s Lukaku-less front line was buzzing. Look, I think Lukaku is a fantastic player, and Chelsea’s lack of goal-scoring punch at times isn’t just down to him. But Lukaku does have only two goals in his last 14 league games, and he’s coming off having just seven touches in the entire game against Crystal Palace over the weekend. Playing in Lukaku’s spot, Havertz was a menace from the opening whistle and scored on a nice header in the eighth minute. Tuchel said after the game that he felt like Lukaku needed a break, and he’ll certainly be back in the lineup soon. But enough has happened this season that the question needs to be asked if Lukaku is the right fit for this Chelsea. I think it’s likely that we’ll see more important games in which he starts on the bench.
• Thiago Silva is still very, very good. I’ll raise my hand on this one: I thought the 37-year-old Brazilian, one of the great centerbacks of the past two decades, was past it when Chelsea signed him on a free transfer before last season. But the man has proved me wrong again and again, and he was terrific again in this game. Silva’s positioning is almost never wrong, and he has an ability to step in and break up plays that remains near the top of the sport. I remember interviewing Paolo Maldini a few years ago, and he lamented that there were fewer truly transcendent centerbacks in the game these days. He’s right, but Thiago Silva deserves to have his career looked at that way, and he’s still adding to it.
What were your thoughts on the game? You can share them in the comments below.
I think that this goal and receiving the ovation following just might be exactly the tonic for CP'S mental hurdle. Expect great things from him in next WC qualifying window. And I agree that he belongs on left-side.
Great on all levels, Grant. Lukaku in this Chelsea side is like the big basketball center clogging the lane. You’re absolutely right about the front 3 ALL having really good games in his absence. Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not. Pulisic sure played freeer. Could’ve been just playing Lille, though, who are 11th in Ligue 1.
Any word on Weston’s ankle?