Revealed: The Liverpool and Barcelona tactic that is turning Chelsea's season around

Mourinho's defensive tactics have come to the fore once again in Chelea's November recovery

PAT NEVIN is convinced Chelsea are turning their season around at last, and it's all down to a change in tactics.

 

A 0-0 draw against Tottenham might have been seen as a two points dropped by the champions, but in the context of this season it was a valuable point and a third consecutive clean sheet.

And Nevin believes the Chelsea swagger is starting to return in Jose Mourinho's side, despite off-field issues with Diego Costa.

"I am still not convinced our team as a whole has recovered its level of confidence on the ball it had last season, but it is certainly coming back," Nevin writes in his column.

 

"The game at White Hart Lane was the first time in a while that we didn’t have more possession than our opponents over the 90-minute period, but maybe that should be expected with them on such a good run as well as us playing away from home. 

"Like everyone else I would have liked us to sneak all three points and if it wasn’t for a great save by Hugo Lloris from Hazard it would have happened, but in reality it is a decent point most seasons and it was the right result on the day."

Blues fans were left wondering whether Spanish striker Costa might have converted the chance, had he not been dropped to the bench for the game.

 

Hazard played as a lone striker against Tottenham, giving Chelsea added tenacity up front

The 27-year-old has been at the centre of a number of disagreements with Mourinho, culminating on Sunday in his being benched, to which he responded by refusing to warm up until the last ten minutes of the game.

However, Nevin actually thinks Costa's absence is part of the reason Chelsea are improving, as shown by their workrate against Tottenham.

"The little forward line of Eden Hazard backed up by Willian, Oscar and Pedro were incessant in their scurrying and closing down," Nevin added.

 

"Their chasing back was also hugely impressive and Eden in particular made a huge number of full-on sprints off the ball to give an angle for his team mates, as well as closing defenders down at the same speed. 

"It may feel like and look like good old-fashioned grunt work and that is because it is, but we cannot think that we are above that. 

"Have a look at Barcelona at their best, the high press and the huge effort is constant. Liverpool have improved markedly under Jurgen Klopp and most people feel that the majority of the improvement can be put down to the hard work put in by every man in red on the pitch."