The huge influx of foreign players plying their trade in the English Premier league has led to increasing the popularity of soccer across the globe. Chelsea Football Club was one of the first teams to field a squad of foreign players and although it brought some heated debate initially, it has developed into a trend that has influenced the top teams in England. Despite this, the core players in the Chelsea team are local (English) and it has brought out the best in them
This past week, Chelsea played Italian giants AS Roma. A team built around their talismanic forward Francesco Totti. A mixture of results in the Italian league has left the Romans third from bottom in their domestic league. However in midweek, Chelsea’s complacency was punished when they lost to the Italians 3-1. What bothered most fans was not the fact that they lost but rather the margin of the defeat. Chelsea is a side over the years that has had great pride in their defensive capabilities and this loss was particularly bitter. It all came down to tactics.
Strategy is one aspect of modern sport that has evolved over the years. The current NBA champions, Boston Celtics rely on solid defense to break down other teams. Chelsea’s rivals, Arsenal Football Club, have the belief in their attacking ability an are hailed us one the most exciting teams to watch. So which is more effective? Play ugly and grind out results or play beautifully and despite a loss still get the accolades from the fans? Similarly, Obama’s success in the election was largely in part by a great tactical approach by his advisors
Chelsea’s current good run is attributed to fast attacking play instilled by their brazilian coach Felipe Scolari. Something his predecessor, Jose Mourinho, was often accused of not doing.
