Chelsea's contrasting performance in UEFA Super Cup will frustrate Thomas Tuchel

With a few seconds left to play in the first half of the 2021 UEFA Super Cup, Alberto Moreno hammered a volley against the underside of the bar.

Luckily for Chelsea, and unluckily for Moreno, it bounced safely away from the goal line. In the Blues’ defence, they had probably earned that rub of the green, playing their opponents off the park during the opening 45 minutes.

However, Moreno’s thunderous wake-up call did not have the expected effect on Thomas Tuchel’s side. Instead of sharpening them up, Chelsea let the final slip away from them in the second half, putting in a pitiful display that lacked intensity and intelligence. It was quite the turnaround - and not in a good way.

In the opening 45 minutes the Blues looked good value for their label of European champions. This was Tuchel-ball at its best. The three centre-backs - including debutant Trevor Chalobah - looked effortlessly comfortable in possession and were striding into midfield with a mid-season confidence. 

N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic were functioning well in midfield too. Kante even treated us to his one long shot of the season, which forced Sergio Asenjo into action early on.

As is often the case with Tuchel’s Chelsea, though, the most viewing pleasure could be found while marvelling at the connection between the Blues’ wing-backs and double ‘number tens’. As long as Marcos Alonso does not have to defend he can be an effective operator and he had plenty of joy combining with the devilishly intelligent Kai Havertz in the first half.

This is where the opening goal came from. Alonso picked out Havertz with a well-weighted through ball, crossing for Hakim Ziyech to sweep home just before the half hour mark. The lead was well deserved. The only thing that took the gloss off Chelsea’s first half display - Moreno woodwork smasher aside - was Ziyech picking up a freak shoulder injury that seems likely to derail the progress he has made during an impressive pre-season.

During the first period the Blues enjoyed the better chances, registered 68% possession and dominated all the defensive metrics.

Why, then, did Chelsea cede control so easily as soon as the second half got underway?

It was bizarre to witness. Edouard Mendy - who did well overall - made not one but two uncharacteristic errors before most of the travelling Blues faithful had returned to their seats with a half time Bovril - or vegetarian alternative.

One such error nearly saw Gerard Moreno equalise, with the free-scoring frontman slamming his effort against the post.

Eventually, after Villarreal had knocked on Chelsea’s door like they were the best decorated house on the street on Halloween, Moreno did find the net - condemning Tuchel’s side to the indignity of extra time just days before the start of their Premier League campaign. 

At least Kepa Arrizabalaga's penalty heroics meant Chelsea left Belfast with an iconic moment and a piece of silverware to boot. Looking at things without passion, though, it is difficult to view the Super Cup as anything other than an unnecessarily draining occasion of the Blues' own making.

With so many players not yet up to speed, that extra time ordeal could come back to bite them when a newly-energetic Crystal Palace come to town on Saturday.

These problems could have been avoided if Chelsea had come anywhere close to matching their first half intensity after the break in Belfast and Tuchel will be extremely frustrated that they could not get the job done earlier.