Liverpool have just scored to make it 2-1 with ten minutes left in the massive game at Stamford Bridge.
After defending well all game, Chelsea just let Liverpool’s danger man Virgil Van Dijk wander in at a corner and head home. He didn’t even have to jump.
On commentary duties for Sky Sports, Gary Neville lamented the defensive effort from Chelsea at the set piece. He had flagged up earlier in the game that there was some risky marking from the Blues – it appeared that the diminutive Pedro Neto was the closest man to Van Dijk at a preo
His prediction came true at a crucial moment.
“You didn’t have to be a set piece coach to see that was coming. Chelsea have just not attended to the main threat, the main danger. What ARE they doing?” the pundit questioned.
“Colwill is in the near post space. Chalobah is getting locked in there with Gakpo, and Van Dijk, who is the only real Liverpool player that you’d worry about attacking the ball, there’s just no-one near him. And he does his job. And Chelsea have got a nervy ten minutes here.”
What he didn’t point out was Noni Madueke’s utterly pathetic effort to get close to Van Dijk as the Dutchman sailed past.
You can see the goal in the clips embedded here:
https://twitter.com/SkySportsPL/status/1919078311512216038
[Footage from Sky Sports]
Set piece coach not paying off for Blues just
Chelsea’s appointment of specialist set piece coach Bernardo Cueva last summer was slightly controversial, and was apparently part of the season that Mauricio Pochettino was let go. The Argentine didn’t want to work with a set piece coach appointed from outside his staff, and that was one of the red flags that the owners saw in keeping him at the club.
Olmo blew his assignment in midweek against Inter and this from Madueke was even worse! Totally inexcusable from someone calling themselves a professional. My 15 year old daughter knows better than to not put a body on your mark on a corner—especially when it’s VVD for crying out loud!!