STRIKERS DEFENDED BY SARRI
MAURIZIO SARRI forgives his misfiring strikers – because he believes clean sheets at the other end are more likely to win the title.
Chelsea take their 13-match unbeaten record to Burnley with Olivier Giroud yet to get off the mark this season and Alvaro Morata only scoring three goals.
But head coach Sarri (above) is not unduly worried, claiming: “Usually the title winner is the team who concede less goals.
“That’s how it is in Italy. One month ago we were concerned our midfielders didn’t score. Now, in the last three matches, Ross Barkley has scored two and Ruben Loftus-Cheek three.
“If we continue to play this football, maybe in a month our strikers will score.”
In fact, the Premier League side with the meanest defence has only won the title in three of the last nine seasons, while the top scorers have won six of the last nine crowns.
But Sarri still values his centre-forwards – despite their lack of goals.
He said: “Giroud is not usually used to scoring a lot of goals, but he is always very useful for the team, so he is not a problem for us.
“Morata has scored two in his last five matches, but they will be able to do better.” Premier league appearances HONOURS: Premier League 2 FA Cup League Cup Europa League 292, 8 WHEN it comes to leading Chelsea, Cesar Azpilicueta has learned from some of the very best.
He arrived in 2012, just after the Champions League triumph, to join a squad captained by John Terry.
And the club’s greatest-ever skipper was backed up by stalwarts like Petr Cech, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole (right) and then, two years later, by the returning Didier Drogba.
Six years on, Azpilicueta is now one of Chelsea’s senior stars, doing what Terry and Co did for him by using his experience to lead by example.
Officially, that has not quite extended to Azpilicueta being named Maurizio Sarri’s captain, and he is not the type to crave confirmation that the honour is his now that Gary CESAR AZPILICUETA is baffled by Chelsea’s ability to lurch from highs to lows.
He was a key figure in the Blues’ title wins in 2015 and 2017.
But both triumphs were followed by desperately disappointing Premier League Cahill has been largely squeezed out of the first-team picture.
But the fact Azpilicueta has led Chelsea out in 10 of their 14 games this season is a big indication of his standing in the leadership pecking order.
And the 29-year-old said: “When I came I was lucky to have JT and Lamps and, even though they didn’t wear the armband, Ashley, Didier, and Petr.
“I always felt from their behaviour that they were helping you. Sometimes not even by saying anything, just with their eyes.
“They made me understand what it was to play for Chelsea, for the fans, the club. It is something that, as soon as you come in, you feel.”
Azpilicueta hailed Terry as the best captain he has ever played with but also highlighted Cole, whose left-back position he took even though he arrived from Marseille as a right-back.
“He always treated me with great respect,” Azpilicueta said. “That was amazing from a big player like him, the best left-back in Europe. We built a good relationship.” Those games at leftback demonstrated the versatility that has now become Azpilicueta’s trademark.
He impressed as a centre-half in Antonio Conte’s back three and has now returned to rightback under Sarri.
Azpilicueta shifts positions with minimal fuss but maximum effect and has managed to avoid the fate of many versatile players, ending up a jack of all trades but master of none.
Azpilicueta, a striker and right-winger in his younger days, said: “When the seasons and dips to finish in 10th and sixth place.
Defender Azpilicueta (right with Alvaro Morata) said: “It is difficult to explain. We have been the club in England that has won the most trophies in the last couple of years.
“We are Chelsea, we are manager asks me to change positions I never take it as a bad thing.
“It gives me the chance to learn from different players, to learn different positions and to get better.
“There is no secret – it is all about hard work and consistency.
“I always try to train hard, to analyse games, to do whatever it takes to be ready for the next game.
“There is no personal glory without team wins so I always put the team first.”
With a selfless attitude and setting an example like that, it is easy to see why the Spain star is seen as an ideal leader for Chelsea’s current crop.
Cesar Azpilicueta was speaking ahead of the release of the Battlefield V Deluxe edition out November 15th. You can pre-order your copy at https://www.ea.com/ games/battlefield/ battlefield-5/buy fighting for trophies and we have to be up there.
“And it is frustrating when you see we are able to win the title and then the next year we are not there.
“I would like to be at the top always. It is difficult but it is our job and we have to try to do it.”