Unionjack

Chelsea v Newcastle: Staggering passing stats that suggest Blues could challenge Manchester City DEATH by passing. It’s a concept that has dominated Premier League tactical discussion since Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City revolution reshaped the landscape of the English game. But now a new pass master has arisen as Maurizio Sarri’s patented ‘Sarri-ball’ strategy begins to reap benefits at Chelsea, who overnight nabbed a 2-1 victory over Newcastle to continue their perfect start to the season. Ultimately, it wasn’t the most comfortable of wins, but a jaw dropping stat line has emerged to reveal the sheer supremacy the Blues enjoyed throughout the clash and underline a trend that looks set to characterise their season. Across 90 minutes at St James Park, Sarri’s men boasted a mammoth 82 per cent of possession, and completed 838 of their 913 passes. In Premier League history, only once has a team ever managed more successful passes in a single match – a statistical record that has been monopolised by Guardiola and City in recent times. Ironically, the top mark in that category was set by City against Chelsea, as the Premier League champions racked up a staggering 976 passes in a 1-0 win over Antonio Conte’s side in March. While City also occupy spots three and four in that category, it appears those records could soon be under fire as Sarri’s lauded philosophy ventures Chelsea into rarefied air. At the heart of their impressive ball-use exploits is metronomic midfielder – and new signing – Jorginho. The Italian international was the chief exponent of the strategy as Sarri’s Napoli wreaked havoc on the Serie A last season and, perhaps unsurprisingly, was one of City’s top transfer targets before he headed to Stamford Bridge. Against Newcastle, the burgeoning 26-year-old completed a whopping 158 passes. Rafa Benitez’s team managed just 131 across their entire team His enormous tally is the third most ever by a single player in a Premier League match, unsurprisingly coming in behind a pair of City midfielders – Ilkay Gundogan hit 167 in that passing exhibition against the Blues, while Fernandinho amassed 164 against Everton last season. Jorginho has settled into life in London almost instantly, and according to teammate Marcos Alonso he’s even helping the rest of the squad adapt to their new game style. “He is used to playing this way, and he is going to be a great help for everybody,” Alonso told Chelsea’s club website. “He is giving us tips to get used to this way of playing. “He moves very well on the pitch, he plays with confidence, and since day one he has looked good.” Under Conte, Chelsea averaged 559 passes per match last season, while in their first three outings in the Premier League with Sarri at the helm, that figure has increased massively to 763. To put that in perspective, Guardiola’s champions racked up 743 passes per match across the entirety of their triumphant campaign. So far the Blues have taken on Huddersfield, Arsenal and Newcastle, so those stats aren’t completely comparable – but it’s been a stunningly dominant start for the new-look Blues. However, according to Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp, the figures at St James’ Park may say more about the tactics of Toon boss Benitez. “It’s been hard to watch,” Redknapp said at half time. “It’s not football. It’s working, yeah, but it’s not football. “He’s the only manager in the Premier League who can get away with this, he’s made a living out of playing this way. “It’s hard to watch, it’s hard to sell to your own team.” In fact, Sarri even admitted his shock at his opposite number’s defensive approach to the clash. “I was surprised,” he said. “I have never seen in Italy Benitez with five defenders. So at the beginning I was really surprised.” Against top four rivals Arsenal, Sarri’s Chelsea managed 720 passes, in a suggestion that those inflated numbers are still a reflection a broader trend. “I have no doubts that Sarri is one of the best managers out there,” Guardiola gushed as the Italian was formally appointed at Stamford Bridge. “He achieved something incredible with Napoli. “His style of football is as good as a drink in the sun.” The pair will go head to head in the Premier League for the first time on December 9, and if Sarri’s rampant Blues continue their passing dominance, it shapes as an intriguing tactical clash between a pair of pass masters. Only time will tell whether Guardiola is so complimentary afterwards.

I'm being convinced!

Only the HG we will be without really. Cant see us getting too much for him. More likely a loan with us paying his wages! Gary Cahill’s time at Chelsea appears to have reached it’s end after Marina Granovskaia meets suitors https://www.chelsea-news.co/2018/08/gary-cahills-time-chelsea-appears-reached-end-marina-granovskaia-meets-suitors/

I said basically the same thing on Edens thread. With our posession,attacking,passing based game now we dont have to rely on him having to dribble his way into the box or his cutting into an already busy center of the field. Hes got to learn just like the rest of the lads

Can just see a Manure V Geordies game

A dilemma for sure mate. Mou isn't going to make Manure and they wont keep any form or momentum going but a win for Spuds will change their mindset. But I'll stick to the 0-0. Either a controversy full game or boring as hell.

You can see just how happy the move to such an amazing club has made T'Boa. Hes sitting just grinding his teeth happy at the thought of being so close to his children! And luckily for him he might have the chance to sit there for awhile as Nevas isn't just going to go away! Makes you feel all warm and happy for him! Thibaut Courtois told by Real Madrid fans to get used to sitting on bench as they praise Keylor Navas The Belgian goalkeeper has still to make his debut after arriving at the club from Chelsea this summer https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/real-madrid-fans-tell-thibaut-13145440

Who do we want to win tonight? Which would be the better for us? While I would dearly love Manure to get slaughtered I really dont want Spuds to win neither. So I suppose a 0-0 with loads of fights and bookings would be best lol

I think that we are getting bogged down in the middle of the pitch. Both Eden and Kovacic are used to be the ball carriers but for a Sarri team to work proper it revolves around off the ball movements to release those third player runs. And its not as important for Eden to do his long dribbles. Its quicker to do a pass. Both Eden and Kovacic can do the same job but they are going to run into each other specially with Eden and his cutting into the center of the pitch. But because we have been a continuous team that counter attacks and we have relied heavily on Edens dribbling to get past men but when we are having so much posession Edens got to change his game too He has to remember we aren’t a defensive team anymore and play on his left side like he did with Mou’s first half of the season’s 2014/2015.

Maybe now some peeps will realize why Sarri was looking at CBs What have we done to make you even consider us swapping him out for Cahill? That would put evolution back years! What surprises me is why so many of us ARE surprised about his brainfarts. Hes always done exactly the same thing defense wise. He loses all sense of where hes at and loses all sight of the guy hes supposed to be marking. And this is the normal outcome. Hes just what we need going forward but hes going to fuck up like this and the question is can Andreas step up now?

All these 'pundits' and articles comparing him to Pirlo

I'm feeling like I did when Diego and Cescy joined us and the Don changed us to a 3 man back. This isn't just a team changing strategy its a club changing evolution.

Or if we go with her evaluating players strategy it makes us worth @ £3 Bill

And thats after Pep and Klopp have been building and working with their teams now for ages. The longer we keep at it the better we will get all over the pitch. Those numbers will get higher!!

Apparently hes going to carry on with the rebuild!! FFS make yer minds up. He cant be selling the place and rebuild us. Unless of course hes just a really nice chap wanting to do us a favor and that wouldnt keep his money long! Sources pointed out that the Sunday Times has claimed that Abramovich rejected an offer for a minority stake from an American private equity firm called Silver Lake Partners.

I'm totally positive that the wee baldy man will be excellent higher up and have said so often since we bought him. And once the team learn how to press/defend together and get their passes off quicker I personally think that he could be used as a B2B and not just keep him on the right side up top. We know that our defense could be stronger and against teams that are quicker will be causing us a ton of grief. Its in the teams best interest to give them some help when needed. Not to stay there.

I think that MAYBE Eden is just confused. We went thru Mou playing his defend at all cost first policy which absolutley took all of the attackers primal instincts from them then a year of the Don who said come on lets take it to them then a year of hmmm lets think twice before we go for goal. And now we have a manager who says we need to score loads goals because we might let a few in and its the way we are goimg to win I just think he needs to be taking more shots and doesn't always need to dribble into the box or cut inside. But its good just seeing him not moping around with his hands om his hips. Sarris giving him his swag back

I know that once we are defending and pressing as ome and our passing becomes quicker we shall mot look as bad in defense but right now I think the wee baldy man is being used wrong. Up on the right wing most of the time just isn;t working right now. Whether Pedro or Willians there he still didn;t fit.

Thought Edem was taking flying lessons when Gayle cropped him. Must have gone 4 foot in the air!

We weren't playing at dirty bastards at the same time to mate. But it did show the spirit in the lads right now. They have it in them to beat these teams even at this early stage. We have to take the best out of these results

Love this

They took lessons from us in the Mou years!