Just rewatching the game. They surprised us very badly on corners. We assumed they will try to cross the ball into the box, but they executed many short passes on corners and worked the flank in wild superiority scenarios.
Both the 1st goal and the goal that was disallowed early on for hand ball came from short corners and working 3 vs 2 overloads. Too many people in the box marking nobody.
This is first disallowed goal, 3rd minute or so. Short corner, we overcomit bodies in the box while Chelsea build wild superiority on the flank. I mean I don't understand this. Maresca is one of Pep's students and Pep often played corners short. How didn't we see this coming?
Funny thing is Cucurella is placed exactly as he is on the first goal. Onside as well, asking the ball unmarked by anyone. In this play, Neto crossed instead.
This is the 1st goal. Nearly identical. Neto, Estevao and Cucurella doing what they want following a short corner. While we assume they will play like a typical EPL side and smash a cross while putting bodies in the box. Didn't do enough studying of Chelsea apparently.
Fermin and De Jong both rush towards Neto. Another stupid thing.
One triggers the press, and one cuts the best pass option. Neither cuts the pass to Cucurella. Both approach Neto on the wrong trajectory and fail to close a simple but very dangerous pass. If they assume he will be in offside, that's even worse.
Normally, Fermin does the press to block Neto (and should not be a full press, should be just a press to lock him from advancing, not a press to dispossess him, which is another tactical issue for us), and De Jong immediately closes the pass channel to Cucurella. Then Neto most likely passes the ball back to Estevao. Problem solved.
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