At 4 a.m. Beijing time on March 8, the second leg of this season's Champions League 1/8 final kicked off, with Chelsea, sitting at Stamford Bridge, beating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 to win the last eight.
The Hornets had a 1-0 win over the first leg, but the score was not enough to reflect the gap in recent form between the two teams, with the Blues going a six-game winless run in all competitions since a narrow win over Crystal Palace on 15 January, a three-game losing streak at the end of February, and even more bizarre enough, Porter's side scored just one goal throughout February. Despite the Blues' narrow 1-0 victory four days ago to give them a brief respite on the eve of the Champions League focus, few in this strong conversation are optimistic that the "fallen aristocracy" can reverse the "Young Guard".
The reason is very simple, since 2023, the Hornets have played triumph on all fronts, and they have had the last laugh in ten games, including RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen, and of course Chelsea. The Blues are ashamed of their attacking firepower, which is second highest in the Bundesliga (47 goals), with opponents scoring nearly twice as many goals, which, combined with fourth-in-four goals conceded in the Premier League, undoubtedly points to the weathervane of results.
See tricks and overcome difficulties
In this game, the Blues, who were trailing by an overall score, were naturally not conservative, and Porter's team struggled to win in the opening period, and it didn't take long for the scene to be controlled by the opponent. Perhaps Chelsea's coaching staff did not expect that, despite leading on aggregate, the Bundesliga powerhouse had no interest in defensive counter-attacks, preferring to attack instead of defending. They pressed from the midfield, using aggressive running and meticulous coordination to storm the Blues' backyard, with Enzo and Kovacic repeatedly isolated and the Hornets' wolves cutting off Chelsea's transport hub. Reus's free-kick was the result of the Hornets' advantage at this stage, but Kepa made a difficult save to keep the goal intact.
(Reuss free-kick risk)
The opponents were surprised and the Blues reacted a little late, but fortunately it was not too late. Felix's retreat alleviated a partial numerical disadvantage and added a stopover to the front, and his long-range connection with Sterling narrowly missed. On the other hand, Reece James and Ben Chilwell have opened up a wide corridor for the Blues, allowing them to find another way out when they are blocked in the middle. And Havertz's pseudo-number nine style solved the Blues' problem of switching from defense to attack, and Sterling's goal came from the German international's operation in the left rib of the front.
(Havertz instigates the attack)
As a result, Dortmund are dominantly possessed but difficult to control opponents from the scene, while the Blues, despite their compact formation, can pose a threat once they intercept the ball. Although Porter's team plays more like the leading side, the premise is that Dortmund see themselves as the backward side, and if you attack wildly, don't blame your opponent for hitting you back. For such a crucial battle, practicality is far more valuable than gorgeousness.
Objectively speaking, there was no shortage of luck for the Blues' turnaround, with Kai Kai Havertz scoring just seven minutes into the second half to help Chelsea win the overall scoreline. In the time since, the Blues have "stabilized", Gallagher replaced Felix and clearly held the signal, while in the face of the "Great Retreat" opponent, Dort, who prefers to attack, does not know where to start. It is clear that Terzic's team, while good at attacking, were outsiders in the attacking battle, and they failed to score until the final whistle blew and they were 22% ahead of the ball.
There is no doubt about the use of people, and teaching according to aptitude
Since the end of the World Cup, the call for "Porter to leave class" has never stopped, from the initial anticipation to the subsequent disappointment, the former Brighton manager has been labeled as a "parallel cargo", and his departure seems to be only a matter of time. Even after beating Leeds United last weekend, the wind did not turn a bit. Just two days ago, Manchester United veteran Paul Parker said: "Now is the perfect time to sack Porter..." and Parker is on the same side as many celebrities, journalists and fans.
This turnaround battle, although not enough to prove for Potter, at least released a trace of unknown information gap.
There are many kinds of criticisms of Porter, covering almost every level, but the most hotly debated is "cronyism." Admittedly, the performances of individual players under the boss are indeed bleak and in some cases terrible, and if you want to pick the representative figures, it is Kai Havertz, Kucurella and Loftus-Cheek.
Although Kai Havertz has scored seven goals this season and is the team's top scorer with Raheem Sterling, his weak confrontation and minimal impact have made him incompatible with the central forward position, and it is incomprehensible that Porter remains stubborn in this well-known situation.
But don't forget that there are only two full-fledged centre-forwards in the current Blues, one is Aubameyang who is getting weaker, not to mention now, he is not necessarily much stronger than Havertz at his peak, and the other is only 20-year-old Ivorian Fofana, counting on such a hairy boy who has only played in the Norwegian Premier League to make a contribution, the danger factor is no less than a big gamble. Havertz is not the best choice, but it is Potter's only choice at this moment, and if you want to blame, Porter should not be the first person responsible, after all, the introduction is not his final say.
But then again, even if there is a shortage of manpower, a good manager should use local materials, otherwise the peace talks are excellent? Perhaps Potter had never proven this before, but he did it that night. Havertz played 90 minutes in the game, contributed 1 goal and 1 assist, 3 attempts were successful, 32 passes were 28 successful, plus 2 key passes, the statistics are impeccable. The reason why the German has been rejuvenated in this game is the tactical change of "center retreat", leaving the box and coming to the midfield, he is like a fish into the sea, can bring, pass, shoot, the former pharmaceutical midfield genius has returned, and this is his original face.
Compared to Havertz, Kucurella's metamorphosis is even more amazing. With Thiago Silva injured and Badiasille missing a Champions League spot, the Blues' defence stretched thin and against the Hornets, Porter was forced to believe in Cucurella under pressure, only to shake his own military heart before they could fight. Not only was the comments section full of doubts about Porter, but just hours before the game, Blues legend William Gala blasted Cucurella: "Maybe Chelsea is too big for him, maybe he doesn't have the quality to play for the Blues. Just when public opinion thought that "bubble noodle head" would bring bad luck to Potter, the master and apprentice team up to fight back.
On this night, the deepest impression of Cucurella was the ubiquity, his range of activities is extremely wide, as a central defender, he not only dares to grab, but even can swim laterally, the left central defender plays the shadow of a "scavenger", and 4 successful breaks, which is enough to show his steadiness and efficiency.
On the other hand, Cucurella also activated his offensive attributes, playing bombardier many times, passing over crowded midfielders and transporting weapons directly to the enemy's hinterland, and he made 35 successful passes in the game, 17 more than Forfanardo and 14 more than Culibaly. With his unquestioned performance, Cucurella was awarded Player of the Match.
Seek truth from facts, know your way back
After talking about Porter's transformation of the players, I have to mention the Blues manager's sculpting of the formation.
Since Conte's era, three centre-backs have been Chelsea's home weapon, and it was with this formation that Tuchel won the Champions League, while Porter tried to quit the old and show his maverick with a back four.
In fact, Porter in the Seagulls era also started as a three-centre-back, and in the win over Manchester United at the beginning of the season, Brighton killed the Red Devils' 433 with 343. As for why Porter carried out reforms on a whim in the new owner, the reasons are debatable, but for whatever reason, the failure of the change is an indisputable fact.
Heading into March, Porter seemed to sense that the road was not working, and Chelsea, who were "driving in reverse", instead raised gear. Against Dort and Leeds United, the Blues regained their three-centre-back configuration in exchange for three times as many goals as last month and a clean sheet streak after four games, replacing their four-month winning streak.
Instead of being unconventional and acting on your own, seeking truth from facts and learning from each other's strengths is the wisdom and character that a wealthy manager should have.
(Supine Push-ups/Xu Yaojian)