London is Blue Dispatch #010

[Editor’s Note: Before you read Sam’s latest Dispatch, we’d humbly ask for your vote for London is Blue in the “Football Content Award” in the Best Podcast (Premier League) and Best Club Content Creator (Premier League) categories! Nominations are open now until September 3^rd and you can vote on this page. Thank you as always for your continued support! – Dan]

Hammered, In Time

In the end, a rusty challenge by Moises Caicedo that led to a penalty didn’t feel as catastrophic as it might have. Perhaps it was the lingering air of resignation from last season, a pervasive feeling of impending collapse — whether it was an injury to a promising player, failing to score against ten men for 30 minutes and then conceding in the final moments, or a combination of both. Whatever transpired last season has left an indelible mark that refuses to fade.

Meltdown

Consider, for example, the world's best manager deciding that Man City would play with four center-backs and Rodri (who played as a CB for Spain) in the Champions League final. This choice completed their trophy case. Yet, the mere alignment of 3 center-backs and a left-back on the wing against West Ham evoked strong memories for many. However, most didn’t realize it was still a modified 4-2-3-1. Pochettino accurately predicted the game flow: We'd dominate possession, while West Ham would try to connect with Antonio or Bowen on counterattacks and exploit James Ward-Prowse's precise set pieces. In their match against a robust Bournemouth, West Ham won 64.4% of their aerial duels and almost netted a goal from a corner, only for Billing to clear it just in time.

The Plan

The game plan worked well in the first half. West Ham retreated into a 5-4-1 Byzantine barricade. At times it was a 5-5-0 sapping space everywhere. The result was that they managed only 96 passes in the first half. Between the 20^th and 24^th minute, the Blues fired four shots. A rattled West Ham immediately tried to press the next goal kick, which resulted in Sanchez picking out Sterling with a long ball, who almost slipped Jackson through on goal.

Chilwell, singled out pre-game for stealing a winger’s slot, delivered a delicious cross for Jackson in the 14^th minute, which the Senegalese headed over. Twice, he made superb runs in front of Coufal, with a header in the 24^th minute at the far post narrowly going wide. Out of possession, he doubled up on West Ham’s right, coordinating with Colwill to ensure Bowen was marshaled tightly. When Carney Chukwuemeka was being treated for his injury, Aguerd and Coufal were having an animated, almost heated discussion, the latter visibly frazzled. The difference between what was good on the field and what looked on the scoreboard was Enzo’s penalty.

Second half, West Ham came to play. Paqueta man-marked Gallagher in the build up. Disasi, who had delivered a strong half before picking up a yellow, was lucky to get away with a foul when Antonio turned him on the wing just three minutes in. Two minutes later, he miss hit a pass to Gallagher which was intercepted and quickly turned into a Bowen shot. Two minutes after that, his next mistake. It proved fatal.

Cause and Effect

The second half was textbook young, newly assembled squad under a new manager. Preseason training was full of low cutbacks for Jackson and the far-side winger to run on to. The game finished with us delivering 34 crosses against Nayef Aguerd, Kurt Zouma, Angelo Ogbonna and Tomas Soucek. In search for the equalizer, the Blues moved from a stable 3-2-5 to a volatile 3-1-6, with Caicedo anchoring a shaky Disasi, Colwill and Silva. Caicedo, who hadn’t played for three weeks due to his push for a move away, could barely keep pace and West Ham sensed it. Paqueta turned pickpaqueta, stealing a win.

Is a gameplan bad if it doesn’t work? It’s a good question. A game of two halves showed just how fine the line can be. The good news is that there are many positives over the first two games. Jackson is running the frontline better than any center-forward since Diego Costa, turning Aguerd from hero to villain thanks to his part in the yellows. After an indifferent first season and preseason, Sterling was unplayable. We’ve managed the highest progressive passing distance, 2^nd best touches in the penalty box, the 2^nd best win % and our non-penalty xG stands above Arsenal and City (yes, I know, two games.)

The bad news is that we are still shy shooters, managing only 26 (14^th best) with only two goals to show for those efforts. We’ve also missed 5 out of our 6 big chances, the joint highest in the league, a problem from last season and a reflection of the raw nature of our attack. There will be better days for certain, but there will be ones like yesterday too, maybe even worse. The words “Trust the Process” summon nausea these days, so I don’t know, “Keep Faith in the Metamorphosis,” if that works for you. The title of Poch’s biography is quite poignantly titled ‘Brave New World.’ He should play to that. Set-pieces and two mistakes are slaps from destiny, not reflective of inadequacy. Mudryk, Maatsen, Madueke, as tactically raw and inexperienced they may be, won’t improve either of those issues on the bench. Play with courage, lose valiantly, and you might just quell the discontent.