Chelsea need to fix their right side

A funny thing happens if you look at the involvement of Chelsea's fullbacks in successful attacks. If you look at the players who've been at LB or LWB, the numbers are quite good – they've been part of about 50% of moves leading to shots and 60% of moves leading to goals. But on the right, the numbers are more like 30% or 40%:

The difference is there even for the same player! Cesar Azpilicueta has been involved in 57% of moves leading to goals when playing LB, but only 30% from RB – and 0% as a RWB. Last season, when the Chelsea captain played almost exclusively at RB, his involvement stats were similar... and again, Chelsea's LBs were involved in a higher share of the squad's goals.

So is Azpilicueta the issue? Well, Reece James hasn't fared much better than Azpilicueta at RB this season. Though he's been part of more moves leading to shots than the Spaniard, he's only been involved in 33% of Chelsea's goals while on the pitch. At Wigan last season, that figure was 35% – but he was also tied for the highest percentage among the Latics' fullbacks. They simply didn't play up the flanks as intently as the Blues. When James got opportunities, he made them count.

If the evidence on the fullbacks is inconclusive, what else could the problem be? Moving up the pitch to the next link, Chelsea's main wingers – Christian Pulisic on the left, and Willian on the right – have almost identical involvement stats except when it comes to goals. (The advantage there goes to Pulisic, 53% to 43%, partly because the American has scored more often.) It doesn't explain the huge difference in involvement by the fullbacks, whom Frank Lampard often pushes forward into the attack.

And that brings us to Tammy Abraham, the mercurial smarterscout young prospect who was Chelsea's main striker until his injury. As his smartermap shows, he operates mainly in the central channel, which is important to keep in mind:

Abraham is right-footed, so when he's on the run it's more natural for him to receive balls from wide positions on the left. He can take them on the instep of his right foot without breaking his stride. When he receives from the right, he has a tougher decision. He can stop, turn his body, and receive the ball on his right foot, which will be his back foot; in that case, he may need to stutter-step to get the ball in a good position to shoot. Or he can try to receive with his left foot, which he doesn't do very often. And of course, he can try to hit the ball first time, which is fine if your name is Hugo Sanchez.

So maybe Abraham is more likely to generate quality chances from balls that originate on the left. But Olivier Giroud is left-footed, so could Chelsea expect the productivity of their right side to improve if he continues to play up front? Perhaps – the shot that led to his goal against Tottenham did start with a ball into his stride from wide right. Though his strike at home to Everton came via a cross from the left, he actually shot the ball somewhat awkwardly with the outside of his left foot.

Yet by the time matches resume, Abraham may be healthy again – and this will leave Lampard with a job to do in training. If Abraham can become more adept with his left foot, then Chelsea's right side, including the precocious James, may finally spring to life. If not, then a substantial share of the side's attacking vim may continue to be wasted.

[Photo: joshjdss]