Three amigos fire Chelsea past bewildered Norwich
While the heavy midweek defeat of Nordsjaelland in the Champions League might not have told the whole story of a surprisingly tight game, Chelsea’s 4-1 victory against Norwich City was arguably flattering to the visitors.
The Blues ran the match from the first minute until the last, rarely looking in trouble and constantly driving forward in an effort to impose their will upon the game. The match was full of intelligent movement, excellent passing and sharp finishing. Once again the most eye-catching area of the team was the magical trio of Juan Mata, Oscar and Eden Hazard. With each passing game the understanding between the three of them takes a sizeable leap. It would not be a total surprise if we learnt that actual telepathy was at the heart of this relationship.
• Chelsea 4-1 Norwich: Blues cruise clear at top
• Lamps stamps unfamiliar mark on Blues
• Blog: Norwich paid for their impudence
Yet while each was full of flicks and invention, the most impressive aspect of their play against Norwich was their sense of team over the individual. Flair players, especially of the supreme calibre of this threesome, are regularly branded as self-indulgent egotists whose lack of defensive workrate is compensated by their output at the other end of the pitch. There is also the school of thought that diminutive foreign players will struggle with the physicality and pace of the Premier League, needing time to adjust. At Chelsea this season, there is no need for any trade off. Oscar spent as much time chasing down opponents and winning the ball back against Norwich as he did picking immaculate passes and carrying the ball effortlessly past defenders. Hazard has a centre of gravity that means he is very hard to knock off the ball, however stiff the challenge. Plus, his desire to regain possession when it is lost is honest and effective rather than simply a gesture to please the manager.
And Mata -- what else is there to say about him? The little Spaniard had a flat start to the season following excursions to Euro 2012 and the Olympic Games, but the rest afforded to him at the beginning of September has revitalised him. He contributes wherever he is on the pitch, with or without the ball. When he happens to be playing alongside the two other little guys, it is simply mesmerising.
Such is their ability that even when Norwich took an early lead, capitalising on the Chelsea defence being caught out of position with John Terry recovering from a knock, there were no alarm bells sounding around Stamford Bridge. The trio play with the fearlessness of youth and an innate self-belief that convinces them that any setback is merely an obstacle to be eventually overcome. Mata’s neat lay off to Branislav Ivanovic allowed Fernando Torres to equalise almost immediately, and his surging run and delicate through ball gave Hazard the easiest of chances to score his second goal of the season. Mata’s instinctive flick then teed up Chelsea’s fourth of the afternoon.
If there was a criticism of the performance, it was that they only found the back of the net on four occasions. Frank Lampard showcased a wonderful repertoire of passing and was equally as influential as the more youthful triumvirate in front of him. Torres probably should have had a hat-trick but his clever runs and all-round play was very encouraging to see.
By the end everyone was trying to get in on the act, with David Luiz playing more as an inside right attacker than a centre-back. The team was guilty of overplaying in the final stages but winning 4-1 in the dying minutes it was more exhibition than competition.
The Blues are growing week by week and the balance between attack and defence is reaching equilibrium. Tottenham and Manchester United are up next but there is no reason to be fearful of either of them. Especially when Oscar, Mata and Hazard are on the prowl.
Follow Phil Lythell on Twitter @PhilLythell
To comment, you must be a registered user. Please Sign In or Register