Chelsea\u2019s defense against Everton was an absolute mess with\nall three goals a direct consequence of the team\u2019s collective inability to\neither stop long balls into the box or a simple inability to deal with them\nwhen they did come in. It was an amateurish, naive, and diabolical defensive\ndisplay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For a team harboring intentions of finishing in the top\nfour, Chelsea now has the worst overall defensive record in the top half of the\ntable with 24 goals conceded, as well as the worst away defense in the league.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Against 18th placed Everton, who had just lost 5-2 to\narchrivals Liverpool last time out, Chelsea did not even make their opponents\nwork for the three goals they scored. The first was a consequence of poor marking\nin the area when a simple cross was enough to leave Kurt Zouma stranded and\nAndreas Christensen hapless as Richarlison exploited the huge gap in between\nthe two center backs to smash home his header past a helpless Kepa\nArrizabalaga.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The second was a collective defensive mishap as Zouma\u2019s poor\ninitial contact with the ball lofted it up into the air at the edge of the box.\nIn the subsequent confusion, with Christensen confused as to how and to whom\nthe ball was to be dealt with, their puzzling, collective inability to deal\nwith a simple high ball allowed Dominic Calvert-Lewin to once more dart into\nthe space between the two center backs and finish with aplomb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Michael Johnmary<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"