Chelsea analysis: Maurizio Sarri living up to a cliché, Callum Hudson-Odoi must start against Tottenham

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Simon Johnson19 January 2019

Chelsea's top-four hopes were hit as Arsenal ran out deserved winners at the Emirates Stadium.

A toothless display saw the Blues register one attempt on target, which came in the dying moments of the game.

The victory, only Arsenal's third at home in the league against Chelsea in 10 years, left Chelsea in fourth but Tottenham can open up a four-point gap to third with victory over Fulham on Sunday.

Simon Johnson was in attendance to assess the key talking points...

AFP/Getty Images

Sarri is living up to a cliché

It is often said that the definition of madness is trying the same thing and expecting different results - that certainly applies to Sarri right now.

Despite Chelsea being mediocre for some time in a 4-3-3 system with Eden Hazard as a false nine, the former Napoli coach keeps using it. Not only that, but by and large he uses a midfield trio of Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante – fast becoming one of the least creative trios in the League.

Sarri insisted ahead of this London derby once again that he would not consider changing his formation. You could say that he has the courage of his convictions on one hand, or just being plain stubborn on the other. You can bet Unai Emery would have been preparing all week to face this Chelsea line-up.

Meanwhile, Olivier Giroud was named on the bench and stayed there for far too long. When Chelsea needed a goal to get back into the contest, Sarri sent the same 11 players that had underwhelmed in the first half out again.

Even his first substitution was predictable – the underwhelming Mateo Kovacic for Ross Barkley just after the hour mark. The latter didn’t deserve to stay on but Giroud should have been on at the start of the second.

The France international made his long-awaited return to the Emirates pitch with 22 minutes to go but it was too little, too late from Sarri.

EPA

Chelsea are paying the price for dithering over Higuain

Since Sarri arrived in the summer, the Italian has made it pretty clear that he wanted a new striker and that his choice for the role was Higuain.

But the Blues ignored his request and hoped Alvaro Morata would come good, despite a very mediocre debut season at the club.

In fairness, as the Spaniard cost £58m, the club were under pressure to show a little patience.

Still, here we are in January and for the best part of the last two months, Sarri has been playing with Hazard out of position as a false nine.

Now Morata is finally set to go and Higuain is going to replace him, but this is a decision that should have been taken from the outset.

Even negotiations for Higuain this transfer window have been long and protracted. It isn’t the easiest deal to complete because it involves the Argentine’s parent club Juventus and AC Milan, who acquired him on a season-long loan.

But it was something that Chelsea, if they really wanted to, could have tried to trigger from January 1, rather than in the second half of the month.

As Sarri explained yesterday, he told Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia his opinion on transfer matters two weeks ago, yet the only arrival has been Christian Pulisic and he won’t be joining until the close season.

Action Images via Reuters

Questions have to be asked about Chelsea’s mentality

This is the second big London derby away from home in the League season that Chelsea have failed to turn up for.

Back in November, the Blues were outplayed from the outset as Tottenham overwhelmed Sarri’s men from the kick-off.

As much as Mauricio Pochettino deserved praise for using a diamond midfield to negate Jorginho, Chelsea contributed to their downfall back then with a listless display.

One would have thought lessons would have been learned from that day and that Chelsea would make sure they began this huge fixture on the front foot.

But just as Spurs took advantage of sloppiness from the Blues to open the scoring to take an early lead, Arsenal did the same.

In fact they could have been a couple of goals ahead before Alexandre Lacazette beat Kepa Arrizabalaga at the near post.

Chelsea had all week to prepare for the contest, but they were caught napping. The defending for Arsenal’s second summed it up – five Chelsea defenders surrounded Laurent Koscielny but it was the Frenchman who was on hand to convert the cross.

On Thursday Chelsea face Spurs in the second leg of their EFL League Cup semi-final – they will have to play a lot better to have a chance of turning the tie around.

Getty Images

What has happened to Marcos Alonso?

There has always been a section of Chelsea fans that have needed some convincing as far as Alonso is concerned, but the vast majority were happy to see him sign a new contract earlier in the campaign.

But since agreeing a significant pay-rise, Alonso has failed to be value for money both defensively and in the final third.

Opposition fans have been targeting him for abuse over a car accident that took place back when he was in Spain many years ago and that appeared to start the decline.

But there seems more to it than that as the left back puts in one disappointing performance after another.

There were always a few question marks about him at the back, but his forays into the final third would make up for a lot of that.

However, he doesn’t even look a threat in the opposition area any more or from set pieces. Perhaps Sarri should use back-up Emerson a bit more so Alonso can have a rest.

AFP/Getty Images

Hudson-Odoi must be in the first XI against Spurs

Forget selecting him as part of a ploy to convince the teenager to ignore a move to Bayern Munich, Chelsea need Hudson-Odoi’s infectious enthusiasm right now on the pitch anyway.

He came on as a late substitute against Arsenal, but it was not enough time to repair the damage already inflicted.

Willian has played more games than any other Chelsea squad member this term and it shows.

Hudson-Odoi looked lively in the first leg and Sarri should unleash him for the return match at Stamford Bridge this Thursday.

With Chelsea running out of ideas, someone with Hudson-Odoi’s pace and trickery is exactly what they need.

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