PRE-MATCH BRIEFING: CHELSEA V WEST BROMWICH ALBION
TACTICAL BRIEF
After defeat by City at Eastlands last weekend Chelsea need a rapid return to winning ways in the league. Former winger Clive Walker considers how the Blues might best beat the Baggies.
Key battles
'I liked seeing Oscar, Eden Hazard and Victor Moses combining on Victor's tap-in at Middlesbrough. That goal showed the kind of one-touch stuff we saw more of earlier in the season.
'If you think of Hazard in pre-season and what he took into the campaign, you could see he is the type who is going to liven things up. He was off the boil a little over the winter, but at times again now he is outstanding. He's still a young lad and he's learning very quickly and is adding things all the time.
'The attacking midfielders all showed they're of the same make-up, playing that dazzling, creative football. But it can be sporadic. Against West Brom, who will come to defend, it would be a great time to see it.
'Rafael Benitez rested several players at Boro and young Nathan Ake excelled. He grew better and better as the game went on - absolutely terrific. In the early stages his enthusiasm got the better of him a little but had others gone with his drive we would have taken the game more to Boro and possibly overpowered them. Obviously West Brom are not a Championship side but that appetite Ake showed is required against anyone.
'We also need patience and possession in the final third. West Brom boss Steve Clarke knows us very, very well and will be itching to cause us problems. He'll want his side extremely disciplined and would settle for draw. The onus is on us to break them down.
'Goran Popov is suspended but Liam Ridgewell is experienced at left-back although he started his career in the centre. In fact one area Chelsea could exploit is between Ridgewell and the big lad Jonas Olsson, who plays left of centre. With the style we play there has to be an opportunity to isolate Ridgewell or draw Olsson out of the centre to create gaps. Our midfielders have been weighing in with goals from those areas.
'Romelu Lukaku a big miss for the Baggies. He has the most shots, most on target and most offsides for them, same as Torres for Chelsea.
'He's done excellently - a huge pat of the back - and he'll be a much better player whenever he comes back to us. Replacing him is a difficult one for Clarkey. But he missed the game at the Hawthorns and Shane Long (pictured below) caused us a lot of problems.
'Long isn't your classic target man, but he works, stretches defences and is not frightened of chasing anything until he gets a break. He asks questions of a defence' decision-making by taking up positions that could or could not be offside.
'Behind him Albion have James Morrison and Chris Brunt and their crosses did for us at the Hawthorns. We didn't have John Terry or Frank Lampard in that game.
'Chelsea will need plenty of concentration at the back because West Brom have lots of players who can pick a pass.
'The player who scored the winner against us last time, Peter Odemwingie, is a bit better known these days for his transfer deadline day episode.
'He seems to have been rehabilitated - he played in their win against Sunderland - and has been a decent player for them.
'Always when there's a North London derby we're all hoping both teams lose, but especially this time with things so tight at the top. A draw between those sides would suit us.
'First and foremost we have to do our job the day before. We have to rally and get the win under our belt at all costs.'
Squad fitness news
Only Yossi Benayoun (ankle) and Oriol Romeu (knee) are out for Chelsea. Gary Cahill and Cesar Azpilicueta are back from illness and a leg injury respectively.
Striker Shane Long (ankle) is a doubt for West Brom.
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