There was nobody happier with Chelsea’s win last night than Conor Gallagher. He’s an academy boy as well, but also he got the goal to open the scoring, and he spoke to Chelsea TV after the game. At times like this it’s amazing to think he was up for sale for £50m in the previous windows.
He presses like a machine even in games where the rest of the team don’t look interested, so it was interesting to hear his opinion on why we looked so much more effective at it yesterday than in previous games:
“We’re a pressing team and that’s where we’re at our best. I thought today we picked our moments to press… we countered well. I think it was a really professional performance and we played as a team.”
He also noted how “everyone wanted it so bad,” and that his midfield partners were “great.”
You can see the Chelsea midfielder speaking in the clip embedded here:
Gallagher has worked his tail off in nearly every match, but one man does not a “press†make!
You either press as a team or you’re really just wasting energy. And too often this year his energy has been wasted because the rest of the squad either aren’t on the same page (in executing the press planned for that week’s opponent) or aren’t giving enough effort (or both!).
The Villa game certainly showed that we have the personnel to give a good team fits playing out of the back, but what remains to be seen is whether this group can bring the energy and, perhaps most importantly, the mental focus, to execute an effective press week in and week out. Every opponent requires a slight tweak to the approach and that’s where the mental bit is just as important as the work rate. One man not paying attention in pre-game meetings or failing to execute in the heat of the match and he renders his teammates’ efforts useless. Maturity is minding those details, maintaining focus, and executing under pressure. Let’s hope the success and Villa Park instills in these young lads a belief and determination that if they mind the details the wins will follow.
Everyone wants to “enjoy†playing, but hard work and discipline in preparation are what allow you to enjoy yourself when you execute as a team on match day.