Ultimately, it’s a result game and Chelsea’s 100% win record after four games is something that should please fans. Working in a new system, results can go haywire early on. The fact that Chelsea is yet to drop any points orders well for the future.
Before this season, Chelsea has won their first four games on five occasions. On four of them, the Blues have gone on to win the title. This statistic is sure to light up the eyes of Chelsea fans. Along with a history of winning the title in a manager’s first season, there might be few people starting to dream at Stamford Bridge
However, it might be too early to make any such conclusion for a side that finished 30 points behind the last year’s champions. Unlike two seasons back, Liverpool and Manchester are two teams playing at the top of their potential right now. Also, when Europa League football kicks in, Chelsea would get a better idea of where they stand with a congested fixture list.
However, what the club now know is, they are on the right track. The fanbase can sleep peacefully knowing under Maurizio Sarri, the club is the right hands. Also, it’s visibly a team that knows how to win. Against Arsenal, Newcastle, and Bournemouth, the match-winning goal have come late in the game. Despite dominating possession, Chelsea’s patience has come under test. But each time the goal has come. If there is a quality that stands out about great teams, it is the ability to find a way to win in such moments.
This summer, Chelsea did not just change their head coach but in the process also the style of play. Maurizio Sarri’s philosophy of football is in completely different to Antonio Conte. The Chelsea team is going through a complete makeover in the way they play.
The early signs suggest Chelsea are adapting well to the process of integrating into Maurizio Sarri’s attacking ideology. So far in the four games, Chelsea have kept 62%, 63%, 81%, and 73% possession. Quite clearly, Chelsea is already dominating and taking control of games unlike the previous year’s when more often than not, the club’s football has been pragmatic and reactive.
Against Newcastle with 913 passes, Chelsea set a record for third most passes ever in a Premier League game. So far, this season, Chelsea lead the passing chart of the league with 2996 passes. Jorgino’s 417 passes are the most by any player across the League this year. David Luiz and Antonio Rudiger with 349 and 337 are third and fourth on the list respectively.
While Possession and passing stats count for nothing if the team does not win, it does show the team’s way of playing. For Chelsea, these numbers are extremely encouraging as they exhibit Maruzio Sarri’s success in implementing his ideas on the pitch.