Alejandro Garnacho
**
In a recent Premier League clash, Chelsea faced a narrow 1-0 defeat against Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge. The match saw a critical moment when Tino Livramento successfully threaded a pass to Jacob Murphy, who then set up Anthony Gordon for the winning goal. This incident has sparked a debate on Chelsea’s defensive tactics, particularly focusing on Alejandro Garnacho’s pressing approach.
Thierry Henry said: “The way he went to put pressure there Garnacho, it’s very important that we’re going to talk about it. At that particular moment you have the info yourself that Chalobah was maybe going there [stepping forward], but you know he’s stopped and Livramento is alone. So at that particular moment you know you’re going to make a little turn or arc your run to make sure that the ball doesn’t go in, and then they play on Malick Thiaw here. That can happen what you just explain if you bend your run and that’s going to have a massive impact on what can happen straight after because it allows that ball to go inside and that’s exactly what you don’t want and he allowed that to happen.”
Henry further critiqued the lack of on-field leadership, pointing to Reece James as a potential leader who failed to rectify the situation.
Henry added: “So the first mistake is don’t allow the ball inside (like Garnacho did), correct it after, but the leader on the field (points to Reece James) didn’t make it happen, right? So since you talked about players do not react or they liked to be coached or the coach likes to maybe not give them that freedom, then coach it because there is a mistake. He’s not coaching it on the field, and unfortunately, I said to you that I’ve been there, but he’s not even looking at what is happening. Goal. Do you understand what I’m saying, it’s not easy. That’s what they need to deal with and they didn’t.”
In response to the goal, Liam Rosenior, the former Strasbourg manager, acknowledged a tactical flaw in Chelsea’s pressing strategy, which he believes could be detrimental to their Champions League qualification hopes.
Liam Rosenior explained: “Yeah, there’s a tactical issue. We press in a different way to most teams. It’s a new way of pressing. We don’t step on the press and we don’t cover in a position that we should have done. Mistakes happen. They had nothing. They had nothing in the game and we gave them a goal. We talk about the press. I think the press was the reason Newcastle had to kick long balls back to us and we controlled the game.”
The analysis highlights a broader issue within Chelsea’s tactical setup, particularly in their pressing game. As the team aims for a top-four finish, such defensive lapses could prove costly. The incident underscores the importance of effective communication and leadership on the field, which Chelsea will need to address moving forward.
About The Author
