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Being a Chelsea executive must be overwhelmingly bewildering at this moment. Despite investing $1 billion in acquiring young players, you are facing ridicule. In addition, the recent 1-0 loss in the Carabao Cup final against a group of Liverpool’s youth players has resulted in praise for them while adding to your confusion.
However, even at the end of the extended playing time, it appeared that Liverpool had resorted to using young players in their lineup, while Chelsea’s starting team had an average age 16 years lower than Jürgen Klopp’s. Despite this, Liverpool received praise for their belief in youth, while Chelsea faced criticism for their failure to capitalize on a promising opportunity. This exemplifies the difference between reacting to a pressing situation and having a loosely defined strategy in place. While Klopp was rightfully commended for having confidence in his young players, it was only due to injuries that he chose to utilize them.
Klopp didn’t want to resort to using three teenage players, but he ultimately accepted that it was necessary. He welcomed the situation and even brought them on before the 90 minutes were up. Showing trust in these young players can boost their confidence and is a key component of good management. Despite the emergency, Klopp turned it into a positive by fully utilizing their energy. Instead of using them begrudgingly, he made the most of their abilities. As a result, the momentum of the game shifted back in Liverpool’s favor after Chelsea had dominated towards the end of regular time.
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It is understandable to question why Mauricio Pochettino did not have a trusted option when Chelsea’s players were fatigued during extra-time. He was allowed to make six substitutions but only made four. This highlights the disparity between a team with a cohesive youth system that has been built over ten years and has a shared goal, resulting in a clear direction even with 11 injuries. On the other hand, Chelsea’s actions over the past two years have involved selling academy graduates, resulting in an unbalanced and inexperienced group of players.
There continues to be confusion about the nature of the Chelsea project. Despite Liverpool’s many injuries, it was surprising to hear so many people claim before kickoff that Chelsea were the favored team. Memories of their past and the recent Todd Boehly/Clearlake takeover may still impact perceptions, and the reality of their erratic spending may not have fully set in yet. Despite the constant drama and chaos that comes with having Roman Abramovich as an owner, Chelsea has somehow managed to succeed. However, it should be noted that they began the day 10 places lower and 25 points behind Liverpool in the Premier League standings.
Indeed, the data indicates that Chelsea’s league standing may not accurately reflect their performance. However, there is a limit to the significance of these figures. The discrepancy between their expected goals (xG) and actual goals scored could be attributed to their forwards being inefficient in scoring opportunities, while their defenders make costly errors in their own box. This tendency is to be expected from a young team, lacking the expertise to make optimal decisions. Moreover, the absence of experienced players to learn from may exacerbate this issue.
The age distribution of the two teams on the field at the end provides valuable insight. Each Chelsea player was between 20 and 26 years old, with eight of them falling in the age range of 21-24. In contrast, Liverpool had a 31-year-old, a 32-year-old, two 27-year-olds, and a 26-year-old who provided a framework, both tactical and emotional, for the three teenagers to thrive in. It’s possible that Thiago Silva was intended to be the leader, similar to Virgil van Dijk, but it’s a lot to ask of a 39-year-old who understandably needs protection from opponents who run directly at him.
Liverpool’s success can be attributed not only to their skills, but also to their compelling story and the emotional support they receive from fans. This kind of momentum cannot be bought, but must be earned over time. However, there are concerns that the team may struggle to maintain this level of emotional energy and handle the burden of multiple injuries. Despite these challenges, Liverpool currently holds momentum, with manager Jurgen Klopp potentially achieving a trophy in his last season and the club rallying behind him.
Chelsea is far from experiencing such a state of balance and determination.
Source: theguardian.com
