If Chelsea are to beat PSG, they’ll need strong performances from Cesc Fabregas, Eden Hazard and Willian.
During Chelsea’s match with Stoke City this weekend, it was clear the Blues had one eye on their 2nd leg tie with PSG in the Champions League. Now that it’s almost here, it’s important to consider the keys to the match for the Blues and which players will need to be at their best.
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In order for the Hiddink’s men to advance, they will need a 1-0 victory. It’s as simple as that. What’s likely to happen and often the case when these two sides meet, is that PSG will have the majority of the possession. Chelsea’s best chance will be to limit the amount of quality chances from the Parisians and look to hit them on the counter.
PSG’s defense has always been their weak point and Chelsea can exploit that if they can strike in transition with numbers. We shouldn’t expect the Blues to dominate possession and break them down. Rather, the Blues should be set up to absorb pressure and hit them on a quick counter attack.
This style of play makes the contributions of Chelsea’s midfield trio of Willian, Hazard, and Cesc Fabregas absolutely vital to success on Wednesday.
The Spaniard was rested for most of Saturday’s match so he should be fresh for Wednesday’s occasion.
Furthermore, since the last time the Blues played PSG, Hazard looks a much better player, contributing more to the team’s success, despite his failure to score in the Premier League. In order for the West Londoners to succeed at Stamford Bridge, they’ll need the Belgian to be firing on all cylinders, forcing the issue and asking questions of PSG’s defenders.
The Blues will also call for a big performance from their standout player this season, Willian. The Brazilian has been the most consistent attacking player, causing problems for defenses with his sheer pace and free kick ability. He also has quite the work rate defensively and can pitch in to help stall PSG’s attack.
The overall aim would be to see Willian, Hazard and Fabregas link up to create chances on the counterattack. Both Hazard and Fabregas have been known to receive the ball from a deep-lying position, pick their head up and pick out an incisive pass that puts Chelsea immediately on the front foot. This aspect of play will be vital for success.
Look for runners like Willian, Diego Costa, and perhaps Bertrand Traore, Oscar or Pedro to be taking off the second that Fabregas and Hazard get on the ball. It’ll only take one goal to send them through as long as they don’t concede. If Chelsea play their game, it’ll be in transition where they’ll find the most chances to score.
The major aspect to note is that this style of play is dangerous. It will only be successful if the Blues remain solid defensively. If they do concede, their job will be that much tougher. The biggest key to the Chelsea advancing is remaining perfect defensively.
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Overall, it’s an uphill battle, but one that’s extremely do-able. They did it two years ago and they are certainly capable of turning around the deficit on Wednesday. However, if they are to do so, it’ll likely be a result of strong performances from Chelsea’s midfield trio, Fabregas, Hazard and Willian.