by Mauricio Pochettino’s half-time change paid off as Chelsea recorded back-to-back wins in the Premier League for the first time since October last year.
Supporters were in for a treat at the end of the first half when Chelsea managed a single shot, and head coach Pochettino had a lot to do.
Rather than making a switch from the bench, Pochettino decided to swap Cole Palmer, who had started in the number 10 position, and Raheem Sterling, who opened the game on the right.
That change paid dividends, as Palmer and Sterling combined for Palmer to break the deadlock and summer signing Nicolas Jackson then arrived.
“In the second half, I think we set up different positions and started to find different possibilities with the ball and stretch the line with Raheem and Jackson going into space,” said Pochettino, whose voice almost disappeared in the end of the week. which he admitted made him shout more than usual.
“In the first half, we didn’t give Palmer and the team the chance to get better positions on the field. That’s why we changed. We moved some pieces, changed the positions and we were much better. We started to cause a real problem for Sheffield United to recognize the different positions.”
It was a good start to a crucial four-day period for Pochettino, despite a lackluster first half, Chelsea desperate to breathe life into their season.
Chelsea just needed to win this game ahead of Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup quarter-final against Newcastle United, with Stamford Bridge insiders still clinging to the hope of Pochettino’s side somehow finishing the season with silverware and European qualifications .
“You always have to believe that it has to be a really important result for us, to believe that we can do it another way,” said Pochettino. “I think we were talking a lot during the week after Everton, that we need to make a huge change.
“I think the team in the first half was a little bit frustrated today because we didn’t find a way to break Sheffield United’s low block. But at the same time the players were committed to the team as they chased the opponent and tried to get the ball back as soon as possible and not give Sheffield United the option to create chances. But in the second half, I think with the things we changed the team found better solutions.”
Palmer has now scored six goals for Chelsea and has comfortably made the biggest impact on the players who arrived in the summer transfer window.
Chelsea last won the league at Stamford Bridge with a win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in October last year and Pochettino will be hoping for back-to-back home wins against Brighton and Sheffield United could focus some kind of recovery on their own fans.
Sheffield United were bottom of the table, under returning manager Chris Wilder, as stubborn and as good as Pochettino would have hoped.
But the lack of threat from the visitors was highlighted by Chelsea goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic not being tested until the 70th minute on his full debut, when the Blades were already two goals down. Petrovic saved Gustavo Hamer’s free kick low to the left.
Wilder blamed the “naivety” of his young players for running the game in a “frenzy” opening spell of the second half, but gathered his players in a suit on the Stamford Bridge pitch at the end of the game to ensure heads did not fall.
“There was a little fat kid in the middle [of the huddle], the one with the black jacket on who was barking – that was me,” Wilder said. “That’s it [a rallying call], sure. We bought down 3000 supporters on a difficult day in and around Christmas, and they have stayed until the end.
“I don’t like it when one player goes to meet the supporters alone. If we’re going to clap, we all clap together. That’s important to me and it was important that they got that message quickly because for a long time we were in the game and fighting our way against a great manager and some great individuals.”
Palmer had barely threatened in the first half from a central position, but was instantly brighter after being moved out to the right at the break. He gave Wilder’s team a warning in the 49th minute by driving into the penalty area and putting a defender behind him with a Dummy before his shot went wide.
Five minutes later, Palmer opened the scoring after finding Sterling and then following into the box to turn his team’s cross into the net.
The two were involved again as Chelsea effectively sealed the three points just after the hour mark. This time, Palmer played the ball into Sterling, Sheffield United failed to clear and the 21-year-old Jackson crossed to score, following a mistake by goalkeeper Wes Foderingham.
Pochettino will be delighted that his switch has been successful, but he certainly won’t be moving Palmer back into the middle any time soon.
Marc Cucurella revealed on social media that he has undergone surgery. The left back suffered an injury against Everton and is expected to be out until February.
