Maresca's men made a statement with the drawplaceholder image
Maresca's men made a statement with the draw | AFP via Getty Images
A look at what we learned from Chelsea’s hard-fought comeback draw with Newcastle United.
Chelsea picked up a big away point on Saturday when they came from behind to take a point from Newcastle United at St James’ Park. The Blues were two goals down at the break, but they looked like a different team in the second half, with Reece James scoring from a free-kick and Joao Pedro equalising with a superb individual effort.
It was a huge away point from Chelsea to ensure the Magpies didn’t make up any points in the top four race, and here we round up what we learned from the game.
Harvey Barnes becomes the latest cheat
Before we get on to Chelsea, it would be remiss not to highlight the problem in football that has been exacerbated by VAR. One of these days, the authorities will have to answer the question about why they stopped punishing diving, and when they are going to stamp it out of the game.
They already have a simple remedy to the situation. All possible penalties are reviewed and the game already stops briefly - sometimes less briefly - for that review to take place. If the VAR team see that a player has clearly dived, why is the referee not told to award a yellow card? It is pitiful.
Players can dive in the hope that they receive contact on the way down, and if they do they get a penalty. If they don’t, nothing happens. It cannot be that risk-free to cheat.
Harvey Barnes was the latest to cheat, pathetically falling to the ground inside the Chelsea box in the 73rd minute, and as usual, nothing was done about it. The winger is one of many, but this is a problem that must be addressed.
James leads by example
You will find few performances as colossal as Reece James’ second half performance. The full-back oozed desire in the second half and led Chelsea to their impressive comeback.
James scored an excellent free-kick from range, giving Aaron Ramsdale no chance, and even better than his goal was his 76th minute last-gasp lunge to deny what would looked to be a certain Newcastle goal.
The only back mark was one occasion when he lost Barnes for a chance in the 85th minute, but with Chelsea pushing for the lead, there was similar chances at both ends. James took this game by the scruff in the second half, and while he wasn’t the only one responsible for the turnaround, he is deserving of a special mention in the dressing room after the game.
Joao Pedro is capable of wonderful things
Chelsea’s equaliser came from Joao Pedro, and what a goal it was. Robert Sanchez plays a wicked long kick forward, and while the ball is a great one, it looks impossible to control while also trying to take on a defender.
Joao Pedro takes the most perfect touch you can ask for on his head to beat his men and then has the composure to slot home. A wonderful individual goal, and when Chelsea need something special, the Brazilian is so often the man to ask.
Chelsea ditch timid mentality
In the first half, it appeared as though Chelsea had assumed their all-too common timid approach in front of the raucous Newcastle fans and a home team that was responding to that support. It’s almost an obvious symptom for a young team like Chelsea’s, but it’s something they need to grow out of if they want to finish inside the top four, and perhaps even higher.
In the second half, the Blues grew out of it indeed. Whatever was said at the break, Chelsea stepped forward and dominated the game until things got frantic and it became end-to-end after the second goal.
When they take the game by the scruff, Chelsea have the talent to terrify most defences in this league, and it showed at St James’ Park. They just have to be brave enough to take that approach, and indeed take the risk. Although, if they are going to concede twice being timid, it doesn’t feel like much of a risk at all.
Chelsea can’t afford to give teams a two-goal head start every week, but credit to them for finally shaking off that timidity at a big away ground and doing what it takes to come away with a point.
Maresca is the man
There have been rumblings that Enzo Maresca is under pressure following a couple of frosty press conferences that involved some pointed comments from the Italian, but all that needs to be put to bed.
Whatever the rift is, it needs to be buried. Maresca is the perfect yes man for Chelsea. Yes, Chelsea have a talented squad, but if you look at their signings over the last 18 months, much of it has been youth-based, with players signed who are not finished products and expected to develop on the fly at Stamford Bridge.
Maresca has embraced that, and there is no doubting that the immaturity of some of these young players has cost them in games. Still, Maresca has not complained, and for the most part, he has done a fine job of developing the young players.
Even in the summer when Levi Colwill was ruled out for the season, Maresca initially said he wanted to sign a replacement only to be told no. He pulled his socks up, told the media he would not be signing a new centre-back and worked with what he had.
Many of the top managers in the world would have thrown their toys out of the pram. Maresca, meanwhile, has remained focused on the task, the tools he has, and this game is a perfect example of how the players are bought into his methods.
A tough couple of weeks with pressure building, two goals down early in the game, this was the moment to fold if the players even slightly doubted their boss. But they fought back and responded in a big way, showing just how behind him they remain.
Chelsea hired a patient manager who would be able to get results while helping this squad mature over a number of years, and that is what they have got. To walk away from that at this point would be ludicrous.
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