Chelsea travel to Valencia on Wednesday for Matchday five in the Champions League and the Blues can get one foot into the knockouts with a win. A draw would suffice for now but would heap all the pressure on the final group match in a few weeks. Manager Frank Lampard must guide his squad through these final two group games and into the last 16, which will be the first major victory he and the squad need. Thus, the Champions League is crucial for progress under Frank Lampard at Chelsea.
Champions League Vital for Chelsea Progress
Slow Start
Before the start of the season, Chelsea were an unknown quantity with an inexperienced manager leading a group of unproven youngsters with a transfer ban in place. Not a great formula to begin with. And they lived up to the hype, surrendering leads, dropping points, and losing games. That also included losing at home in the Champions League to Valencia on matchday 1.
But in October, they started to turn it around. They found a new system, substitutes starting making contributions, and tactically Lampard out-managed the opposition. In the group, Chelsea won at Lille and Ajax and drew with the Dutch side at home.
Many regarded Chelsea as favourites to advance out of the group before the year started, but more by default than on merit. They won the Europa League, they finished third in the Premier League. And they had a tremendously beneficial draw. But were they really the second-best or best team in the group with so many academy graduates and a manager with a year’s experience? Not at the beginning of the year.
In the past few months, though, Lampard and Chelsea have shown they belong and can compete in Europe, that this squad and these players do possess the talent to battle with Europe’s best. But they have to advance out of the group to really solidify that.
Tough Test At Valencia
Part of that path will be difficult, starting with a match at the Mestalla. Chelsea’s set-piece defending let them down in the reverse fixture as the Spanish side scored from a free-kick. Will the Blue’s Achilles heel hurt them again?
While Fikayo Tomori and Kurt Zouma have generally performed well, Tomori in particular, they are error-prone. With the pressure of needing at minimum a draw, but really pushing for a win, will they hold their nerve?
Will Reece James start or come as a super sub at halftime as has been the case in the last few matches? Out of Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic, and N’Golo Kante, do they all play in a 4-3-3 or who misses in a 4-2-3-1?
Chelsea and Lampard have tough decisions and a tough game ahead. But if they succeed, they’re within touching distance of the knockouts.
First Goal Reached
Qualification for the last 16 would be the first tangible win for Lampard and Chelsea this year. It’s by no means a trophy, although UCL knockout money vastly outweighs the winnings of the League Cup, but it is a mile marker along the path.
Progress through a Champions League group? Check. One of the best 16 on the continent, evidenced through their play and qualification. Winning five games on the spin is great, but you don’t check off a box with that. Nor do you by beating rotated Premier League squads and lower league sides in the Carabao Cup.
Moreover, Chelsea lost in the last 16 of the League Cup, so silverware can’t come until the spring at best. Moving on to the knockouts is the next best thing.
Chelsea must go for the win in Valencia and only settle for a draw. Three points will bring them to the precipice of qualifying and set them up perfectly for matchday 6 at home against Lille, the weakest team in the group.
The west London side have control over their destiny Wednesday and must put themselves in the best possible situation to advance by winning. And that would be the first big win of the season, the first goal reached, getting to the Champions League knockouts.
Confidence For The Future
That can then be the springboard for the team to have the belief they can compete for and win trophies against England’s and Europe’s best. And for a squad built with so many youngsters, that clear line of demarcation is important. With progress out of the Champions League, Chelsea will progress as a team, taking that proverbial next time.
This all starts with getting out of the group over the next two matchdays. Can Chelsea and Lampard rise to the occasion?
A few weeks ago, new Spurs manager Jose Mourinho was working as a pundit for Sky Sports and said he was worried that Chelsea didn’t perform in big games. He was worried about them as a team when they have to face the big moments. But, he also said in 2015 he’d never coach Spurs.
Maybe he’ll be wrong about Chelsea in big games this year as well.
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