UEFA Conference League final Performance Insights: Chelsea's intensity switch

"I was sick of getting the ball and going backwards or sideways," explained Cole Palmer. The Chelsea No10 was summing up his personal switch in mentality after the first half of the UEFA Conference League final in which Real Betis went 1-0 up and frustrated the Premier League side with their disruptive high-pressing style.

"Real Betis's high block matched the Chelsea 3+2 build-up in the first half," explained the UEFA Technical Observer David Adams. "The distances between the units were tight and it succeeded in blocking off passing lanes into the No10s and often forced Chelsea to go long."

The impact on Palmer was clear. The first video shows Chelsea struggling to play through the block. When they did manage to do so, Betis pressed with conviction and remained compact. The graphic below illustrates the impact on Palmer, forced into 12 sideways passes in the first 45 minutes.

"We all struggled in the first half," admitted Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca. "Not just Cole Palmer, but the whole team."

Flicking the switch

After the break, Chelsea were a team transformed. "I thought, 'When I next get the ball, I'm just going to go [forward]', and it worked," explained Palmer. The video below shows the 23-year-old Player of the Match turning words into action.

"Palmer delivered with two moments of magic that transformed the contest," said Adams. "His ability to receive and manipulate the ball in tight areas to eliminate pressure, and the quality of the final ball in both moments changed the game."

In the clips, we see Palmer receiving in advanced areas. On both occasions, he retains possession comfortably for about ten seconds, twisting and turning before executing the perfect pass – a stark contrast with the pressure and defensive cover he faced in the first half.

The difference is clear from the graphic above, which shows Palmer completed only five 'safe' passes after the break, compared with 12 in the first half.

Maresca was unequivocal on Palmer's individual impact. "He's world class," said the Chelsea coach. "Like all world-class players, he can influence the game at any moment, be it through a goal or an assist."

The collective intensity

But the Chelsea coach also suggested a collective transformation when he said: "We all struggled in the first half, not just Cole Palmer." The uptick in collective intensity is illustrated by the following graphics.

Chelsea's players completed 44 runs in behind the Betis defence after the break compared with 36 in the first half, a rise of nearly 25%.

As the next graphic shows, the total team sprinting distance went up a notch too – another indicator of overall intensity and energy.

"Tactically, we tried to be a bit more vertical, because the idea was to get more players between the lines," explained Maresca, who felt his team "lost a bit of confidence" after conceding early. "In the second half we tried to be more direct, and it went much better."

The Reece James effect

For the UEFA Technical Observers, the Chelsea substitutions were influential too. "Maresca responded by keeping the system but changing the profile of a few players to make a difference," noted Dimitris Papadopoulos.

At half-time, Reece James replaced Malo Gusto at right-back with responsibility for moving into the midfield two in the three-plus-two build-up. James's tenacity out of possession enabled Chelsea to be "more effective in managing transitions and landing on second balls", according to Adams.

For the UEFA Technical Observer Jan Peder Jalland, James brought an element of "stability and control" to Chelsea's game.

Reece James helped Chelsea assert control in the second halfAFP via Getty Images

This added control and urgency in the counter-press can be seen in the final video. The first clip illustrates the success of collective tenacity nullifying the threat of Player of the Season, Isco, who excelled as Betis's arch-creator in the first half.

The second clip casts the spotlight on Chelsea's third goal, which involved three of Maresca's substitutes and was hailed by Jalland as typifying Chelsea's new-found impetus. "It comes from great physicality and pressure by Reece James to win the ball," explained Jalland. "Then a forward pass to Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who wins a duel and drives forward.

"Note how he waits to attract pressure and drag the defender out of position before passing," Jalland added. "This creates a bit of space for Jadon Sancho, whose speed of touch and quick, unexpected finish leave the goalkeeper with no time to react."

Coaching discussion

While intensity and mentality are vital elements of a team performance, the UEFA Technical Observers pointed out the importance of coaches seeking to create the game-changers of tomorrow who can unlock a defence in the manner of Cole Palmer and Isco.

"Developing scanning and awareness in attacking players is hugely important," said Adams. "The ability to move cleverly and receive the ball in a position to face forward and then have the technique, game awareness and vision to find solutions to eliminate pressure in the final third are key strengths.

"As the performances of Isco in the first half and Palmer in the second show, all of these skills are significant when developing young players to operate at the elite level."