Thread by @m3ngMengz

Highlights Analysis: Chelsea 1-0 Zenit

Interesting game here. Again, the concept of this series is not watching the full game and seeing how much I can guess what actually happened in the full game from analysing the highlights only.

So, Chelsea played with their typical 3-4-3 formation with Mason Mount restored after missing their EPL game this week (which lost me FPL points btw, not salty at all.)

Zenit parked with a BIG 5-4-1 bus on the pitch and surprisingly, was not stopped by any authorities.

First highlight to talk about in the game is obviously Rudiger's marauding run from defence str8 through the Zenit's defence.

talk about a box-to-box defender.

I've seen Rudiger's ability to bring the ball out of the defence, but never to this extent.

In all honesty, I shouldn't have been surprised by this. His stats on fbref puts him in the top percentile when compared with other CBs.

Chelsea, what are you waiting for. Pay that man @ToniRuediger

The second highlight here is the one-two-three between James, Mount and Lukaku.

Lukaku outmuscles his defender to receive the ball and Reece James outmuscles his defender to get the ball in the penalty box to put a shot off target.

Imagine if they had Adama Traore as well. 🤯

Obviously, Chelsea had troubles breaking down Zenit's BIG YELLOW BUS on the pitch. But the next highlight showed a static Chelsea team on offense, not much movement to shift defenders around.

Unsure if it was the same throughout the rest of the game.

At the end of the day, a half-space cross from Azpi is found by Lukaku who uses his defender as a springboard to head the ball in.

Wonderful piece of individual brilliance to locate and head the ball in.

You can see from the replay how Zenit's defence was content to let them have the ball in the middle third to make their defending third compact and deny any passing lanes to their 3-top.

But maaaaaaaan, does @RomeluLukaku9 just score goals.

I wonder what are his goals in life?

Oh wait, he's scored everyone of them.

Again in the next highlight, you can see how the 9-at-the-back has frustrated the chelsea offence, not being able to get close to the opponent's goal, and finally just attempting a shot from just inside the penalty area.

This game really should've ended 1-1. If the last highlight was anything to show.

I'm guessing after going 1-0 down, Zenit started to push slightly more men forward. A long ball knocked down by Dzyuba (after manhandling Azpi) was picked up.

First potential chance could've gone back to him, after he was able to get a step ahead of Azpi. but Yerokhin couldn't find him, and instead sent the ball out wide.

Dzyuba has still got acres of space and the ball is crossed in for a supposedly simple tap-in, which was foiled by Mendy's interference.

once again, Super-Mendy saves the day.

couldn't tell a whole lot from this game. It wasn't a particularly informative highlight reel, which leads me to conclude it was a good defensive performance by Zenit and perhaps a slightly lacklustre performance by Chelsea.

Highlights available here if you wanna watch along:

Thank you @beINSPORTS_EN
data from @fbref

Do tell me if I missed anything!

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