As Chelsea Searches for Its Top Formula, a UCL Quarterfinal Berth Beckons

Reigning Champions League winner Chelsea handled its business in the first leg of the last 16 vs. Lille even as injuries and the latest chapter of its Romelu Lukaku saga swirl.

For Chelsea, the result is perfectly adequate. A 2-0 first-leg win over Lille means that it is well-positioned to reach the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League but, as so often recently, Tuesday's was not a performance of any great flair or fluidity. Then again, a last-16 tie against arguably the weakest side remaining in the competition is not a night on which history is likely to be made. Given Chelsea’s injuries, and just generally speaking at this stage, what matters is professionalism and competence and making sure you get through.

This was further evidence of the increasing strength of the Premier League after the shock of the pandemic to the finances of European football. All three English teams to have played so far have won, and none has yet conceded a goal. And if Chelsea didn’t turn in a particularly memorable display, where it could draw satisfaction was in the way it won without drama while using the full depth of the squad. Even with its many injuries, Chelsea was able to leave Romelu Lukaku, Mason Mount and Jorginho on the bench.

Not that Lukaku was necessarily rested. He had only seven touches in the unconvincing win over Crystal Palace at the weekend, a new phase in the ongoing saga of his return to Chelsea. Since bullying Arsenal on his debut, he has rarely looked anything like the center forward he did at Inter Milan last season, and his interview with the Italian media in the autumn both highlighted the issues he has had in adjusting to Tuchel’s tactical approach and, in doing so, hinted at the awkwardness of their personal relationship.

Tuchel, citing Lukaku’s supposed tiredness, preferred Kai Havertz as the central striker against Lille, with Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic flanking him. He was almost immediately vindicated. Chelsea began at great pace and with a fluency in attack that has been missing for most of this season. Havertz had already missed two decent chances when he headed Chelsea into the lead from an eighth-minute corner. His eighth touch, meanwhile, came as early as the 16th minute.

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After the initial surge, Lille settled and began to suggest it might be able to cause Chelsea problems. Thiago Silva, imperious as ever, seemed to spend most of the first half shouting at Marcos Alonso as Jonathan Bamba or Jonathan David ran in behind him. But clear chances were rare and the game settled into a pattern that has become familiar over the past few months of Chelsea holding an opponent at arm’s length without looking particularly exhilarating in front of goal. Against better sides that may be a virtue; against a mid-table team from Ligue 1 (albeit Lille is the defending champion and has improved as the season has gone on) it all just felt a little underwhelming.

Chelsea, perhaps, would argue that its most creative players have been the wingbacks, but with Reece James and Ben Chilwell injured, it has been forced to adopt a back four, which has curtailed the forward surges of Alonso—if not, perhaps, quite enough for Thiago Silva. In that context, just ticking over may be the best Chelsea can hope for. The Premier League title may be out of reach, but it remains in the FA Cup, faces Liverpool in the League Cup final on Sunday and won the Club World Cup title 10 days ago with a typically attritional extra-time win over Palmeiras.

Tuchel’s options for the League Cup final looked to have been reduced with second-half injuries to Mateo Kovačić and Ziyech. That they were replaced by Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Saúl Ñíguez, with Mount and Jorginho remaining on the bench, perhaps gave an indication of Tuchel’s priorities. Those decisions were soon vindicated as Pulisic added a second on the break, running on to a N’Golo Kanté pass and beating Léo Jardim with a neat half-sidestep and deftly lifted finish.

From then on, it was a case of simply seeing out the game, something Chelsea did with a level of comfort. Beyond a couple of set plays, Lille never really looked like it could score. The injuries, especially that to Kovačić, will be a frustration, but fundamentally this was job done with the minimum of fuss. The draw gave Chelsea the possibility of a relatively straightforward passage to the last eight, and it is well on the way to taking it.