London is Blue Dispatch #041

Boyhood Chelsea fan Alfie Gilchrist’s sweetly-thumped first senior goal capped a tremendous attacking display at Stamford Bridge, and befittingly helped the club inch closer to a few rather astounding milestones. That goal made it 61 in the PL this season. Should the present scoring rate continue until the end of the season, the Blues would finish with 75, one goal short of doubling the goal tally from last season (38).

75 goals would also be Chelsea’s second-best goal haul in a league season since the last time they won the league title in 16/17. Cole Palmer’s fourth goal on the night took him to 20, the same number Diego Costa finished with in that title winning season, the same tally Erling Haaland has notched up this season. He needs one more to triple the number of goals Chelsea’s top scorers managed in two of the last three seasons.

It wouldn’t be amiss to say that a performance like this one has been a long time coming. After spending most of the season as the 2^nd most wasteful side in the PL, the Blues have quickly gone from habitual xG underperformers to just about restoring parity. Chelsea finished the game scoring four of their six big chances and now sit at 99, looking to breach the three figure mark for the first time since 19/20. The 6-0 thumping was the eighth occasion this season in which Chelsea scored 4 goals or more. Last season, they managed zero. They’ve already done it more times this campaign than in any of the last five seasons. More encouragingly, this display of firepower was unleashed against both a team and a manger infamous for erecting the walls of Constantinople in front of their goal. For context, this was Sean Dyche’s heaviest defeat in 531 career games as manager. Everton conceded 12.5% of their goals conceded over 32 games in just one game.

So what changed? In the pre-match presser, Poch had highlighted difficulties in incorporating in-form players Cole Palmer and Noni Madueke in the same side, saying it was hard to fit two players that preferred the same position. Enzo’s absence via injury opened up the #10 slot for Palmer, who thrived in a free role – constantly dropping to become the spare man in buildup as Everton’s midfield man-marked Caicedo and Gallagher, and failed to push their CBs high into Chelsea’s defensive third. James Garner, Everton’s CM, picked up a yellow via a rash challenge made out of sheer frustration at Palmer’s constant Houdini-ing across phases. Palmer started the game with 4 goals and 4 assists from 7 games as a CAM; he finished it with 10 goals and 4 assists in 8.

Madueke’s stock has also been on the up since his injection as a sub in the Man United game helped overturn an inconceivable deficit in stoppage time. That was followed by a goal against Sheffield United before a bright display against the Toffees before a knock forced him off. Out of players in the PL with atleast 500 minutes of action under their belt, Madueke ranks 4^th for take-ons attempted, a funky 7.12 per 90.

Against Everton, Gusto often drifted inside, close to the CMs to offer passing support, forcing Dwight McNeil inside and isolating Madueke against Mykolenko. The result was the Madueke burning the young Ukrainian multiple times 1v1. On occasions Gusto held width, Madueke moved centrally, closer to the center forward. On Nicolas Jackson’s goal, Madueke was inches away from attacking Marc Cucurella’s cross from the byline, with Palmer playing the pre-assist over the defence from the left. It was the kind of fluidity one can ill-afford in the upcoming games against City and Arsenal, but against sides that came to frustrate, it proved mighty effective.

Next up are Man City in the FA Cup, and then Arsenal – two of the three best defences in the league. Chelsea were lucky to walk away with a point after City managed one goal from 31 shots. Arsenal were fortunate to be at the receiving end of a generous gift from Robert Sanchez to claw their way back to a draw. Despite managing a first cleansheet in 13 games, attack just might be the best form of defence as the Blues make a charge for the coveted European spots.