This is a perfect example of how quickly a game of football can change. Manchester United would have one or two things to say about this because they are good at one half and then terrible at the next. No one would have expected Burnley not to get anything against their match with Chelsea after such a dominant first-half display but Chelsea blew them away in the second half with ease.
Chelsea showed Burnley why they are the world champions after a second-half blitz that saw them score 3 goals under 7 minutes. Burnley had no response to it as they were completely torn apart with a new shaped Chelsea side for the second half. Burnley would have thought it would be like the first half and hoped on taking their chances for the second half but Chelsea turned up the heat and Burnley got burnt.
Lukaku and Werner didn't start the match and Kai Havertz with Pulisic deputized and got the reward for their efforts. Reece James (1 goal), Havertz (2 goals) and Pulisic (1 goal) gave Chelsea a resounding 4-0 victory at Turf Moor which further strengthened Chelsea's record of never having lost against Burnley at Turf Moor.
Aaron Lennon played brilliantly well in the first half and he caused Chelsea a lot of problems with his pace and delivery into the box. Thiago Silva showed class and his experience in denying Burnley on a few occasions even at 37 years of age. His calmness and experience was what Chelsea needed in that game and he came through for them. He had the ability to study, read the game and provide timely challenges to frustrate the opposition.
It was the first half to forget for Chelsea because they weren't even running enough. They were not being fast with their game and had Burnley scored, it would have taken the game further away from Chelsea. How McNeil failed to score inside the box after Mendy's error was shocking and unbelievable. The post was at his mercy after Mendy's failed clearance but he somehow skewed his shot over the bar with several options left to him.
Chelsea produced a lovely second half and Reece James got them rolling after his deft touches lost his marker and he blasted the ball into the back of the net just 3 minutes into the second half to register his 5th goal of the season. It was a well-worked goal and he deserved the attention for that goal.
The importance of getting that ball rolling couldn't have been overemphasized as Chelsea gained ascendency in the match and just 5 minutes after, Pulisic found Havertz inside the box as he pulled away from his marker to head the ball home into the back of the net. It was Havertz's first goal in the Premier League since scoring against Burnley in November.
Chelsea produced another moment of magic to take the game beyond all reasonable doubts after Reece James' low drive into the box was bundled into the back of the net by Kai Havertz to make it 3-0 and the goal was rounded off after Tarkowski gifted Pulisic the call after he directed the ball into his path by mistake and Pulisic smashed the ball into the back of the net to complete the 4-0 thumping.
Football is a game of chance and Burnley realized that it's not enough to play well but it's more than enough to take your chances. Chelsea did in an emphatic fashion and Thomas Tuchel would be pleased with the second-half showing as the race for the top 4 intensifies after Chelsea dropped off the wagon in the race for the Premier League title. It's now a 2-horse race between Manchester City and Liverpool but it's important for Chelsea not to drop points, especially in games they are expected to take maximum points.
Thank you for your time.
My pen doesn't bleed, it speaks, with speed and ease.
Still me,
My tongue is like the pen of a ready writer.
Olawalium; (Love's chemical content, in human form). Take a dose today: doctor's order.
