Roma 3-0 Chelsea: Blues run ragged as Stephan El Shaarawy strike twice - 5 talking points

Stephan El Shaarawy struck twice as Roma hammered
a miserable Chelsea to move top of Champions
League Group C.
The hosts started in ideal fashion as El Shaarawy
lashed Edin Dzeko’s perfectly weighted back-header
into the top corner from 20 yards out.
Chelsea played mainly on the counter but looked
dangerous when they got forward, with Roma
goalkeeper Alisson denying the bright Eden Hazard
thrice in the first half.
However Roma were far more clinical and El
Sharaawy capitalised on an Antonio Rudiger error to
slip home the second.
Chelsea paled in the second half and Diego Perotti
slammed home from outside the box in the 63rd
minute to extend Roma’s lead to three.
Here are five talking points from the clash at the
Stadio Olympico...
Blues Kante cope without N’Golo
If there were any doubts about N’Golo Kante’s
importance to this Chelsea team, the last few
matches have demonstrated how vital he is.
The French midfielder is missed in many ways,
offering an effervescent energy which helps drive the
Blues and keeps them on top of opponents in
matches.
Without Kante, Roma had more of the ball than
Chelsea would have liked, because Cesc Fabregas
simply can’t offer the same level of intensity in the
middle of the pitch.
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Antonio Conte hinted that Kante was ready to return
for this game but in the end he didn’t even make it on
to the bench.
The coach might have been playing the long game,
with a crucial Premier League clash against
Manchester United coming up on Sunday—perhaps he
knows Kante can’t play two games in a week.
Fantasy football from the Pharaoh
Stephan El Shaarawy scored a sensational volley to
help Roma past Bologna 1-0 at home on Saturday, the
perfect way to celebrate his 25th birthday.
But the festivities were not over there. Inside the first
minute the forward ran onto Dzeko’s back-header and
absolutely leathered the ball into the top left corner
of Thibaut Courtois’ goal from outside the area.
Then he doubled Roma’s lead in the 36th minute after
a defensive disaster which was largely Antonio
Rudiger’s fault, El Sharaawy running onto a ball which
the German let drift past him, beating Azpilicueta for
pace and tucking home.
The man they call the ’Pharaoh’ has hit a rich vein for
form, even beyond his outrageous goals, and finally
appears to have found his home.
It would be no surprise if he’s brought into the Italy
squad and if he keeps up this form, could even appear
in Russia if they make it past Sweden in the play-offs.
Chelsea’s defensive jigsaw puzzle
When Kante is around his presence can hide it, but
Chelsea’s defence is a bit of a mess.
Cesar Azpilicueta looks out of place at right wing-
back, with the Spaniard not well equipped for
constant forays forward.
That’s not to say he doesn’t have any attacking
qualities, with both his crossing and goalscoring
impressive this season, but he works much better in
the position Antonio Conte created for him last year,
right of the three centre-backs.
From there he can go forward when it suits him,
rather than feel obliged to as an outlet for the team.
Antonio Rudiger was at fault for El Sharaawy’s second
goal with a lapse in concentration, but youngster
Andreas Christensen has also shown he should be
starting ahead of captain Gary Cahill.
The resources are there at the back for Conte, he just
needs to use them better. Perhaps the only thing
missing is a left wing-back - Marcos Alonso has his
positives but defensively it is hard for Chelsea fans to
watch him and not pine for the days of Ashley Cole.
Chelsea slide must be stopped now
This was an embarrassing result for Chelsea and if
they lose against Man United at the weekend they will
be bordering on a crisis.
Conte can point to his thin squad and blame transfer
failings in the summer for a lack of options.
But the players who are there aren’t impressing either
—some of them look shattered, some don’t look
motivated and others perhaps just not good enough.
The Blues did not improve this summer while many of
their rivals did, and although suggestions that the
coach should lose his job are premature, it is results
like these which often precipitate a sharp downwards
spiral.
And perhaps more importantly, performances like
these. Because Chelsea deserved the beating dealt
out to them by Roma.
Conte has shown he is an excellent coach and getting
this squad re-motivated is his next challenge, and a
vital one.
The one positive from the night was Hazard, who
continues to improve after his injury and should soon
hit top form.
Surprise package Roma shake up the
group
Nobody thought Champions League group C was
going to be a walk in the park for Chelsea and Atletico
Madrid, but few doubted they would progress.
Champions of England Chelsea and Atletico, twice
finalists in the last four years, were expected to book
their places in the knock-out rounds, Roma to
gracefully glide out and land in the Europa League,
and minnows Qarabag to head home with the wooden
spoon.
But the lesser-fancied sides are not backing down
without a fight—and indeed, Roma now sit top of the
table with eight points, one above Chelsea on seven,
while Atletico are third with three and Qarabag
bottom, but not out of the picture for a Europa
League place, with two.
Roma have been excellent this season in both Serie A,
where they are fifth with a game in hand, and Europe
in which they are thus far unbeaten.
A team of players with plenty to prove has given them
a determined dynamic, with coach Eusebio Di
Francesco drawing the best out of them.
Dzeko is the perfect example, with the Bosnian
forward notching 10 goals in 14 appearances this
season and proving a focal point for the team to build
around.

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