Three takeaways from Paris Saint-Germain’s win over Chelsea
By Ryan Wrenn
Chelsea reach into the past
Chelsea managed the loosest of grips on the game for the fifteen or twenty minutes just before Obi Mikel scored. Their midfielders doggedly closed down Thiago Motta in an attempt to break up PSG’s passing game, and it came close to working. If Costa had been able to score off his chance in the 23rd minute, it’s conceivable that Chelsea might have been able to hold on for at least a draw.
It was a style of play that was surprisingly reminiscent of Jose Mourinho’s pragmatism. This is the team he built, of course, so perhaps it shouldn’t be too shocking that they would find their best chances though a combination of shrewd defending and fast breaks. Were he still at the helm, perhaps they could have even pulled it off.
As it stood though it wasn’t nearly as incisive as it needed to be to catch PSG off guard. Costa, Willian and Baba all had their chances in forward areas, but both Eden Hazard and Pedro were curiously absent for much of the match. In a proper counter-attacking system, those latter two players’ speed and eye for goal should be instrumental. It appeared as if the fatigue that has characterized much of Chelsea’s lost season still lingered with the pair though. Hiddink might have been better off including Oscar or even relative novices like Kenedy or Bertrand Traore at the start of the match.