Five things we noticed from Chelsea as Bruno Saltor records Liverpool draw

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    Every manager remembers their first – if Bruno Saltor goes into management he will never forget the Chelsea lineup he deployed against Liverpool.

    Graham Potter’s right-hand man was thrust into the hot seat when the former Brighton and Hove Albion manager was sacked by the west Londoners. Before the clash against Jurgen Klopp’s side, Bruno admitted he had never picked a starting eleven in his football career.

    And his first ever Chelsea team were held to a 0-0 draw against the Merseysiders at Stamford Bridge in what was a creditable, but extremely wasteful performance against last season's Champions League finalists. After the Spaniard’s managerial debut, Daily Star Sport considers five things we noticed in the draw against Liverpool.

    A different approach

    Read More: Chelsea fans fume at Kai Havertz as misfiring Blues miss chance after chance vs Liverpool

    Potter used many formations during his short stint at Chelsea, but he lent on the more tried and tested 3-4-3 the club has been used to. In what was likely a bid to tighten up a leaky backline, Saltor deployed his side in a 3-5-2 formation, with Enzo Fernandez flanked by Mateo Kovacic and a returning N’Golo Kante in the middle of the park.

    With a three-man backline of Wesley Fofana, Kalidou Koulibaly and Marc Cucurella and an attacking partnership of Joao Felix and Kai Havertz, Chelsea looked to control the game by flooding the middle of the pitch. Potter always looked to control the ball with quick movement and incisive passing, but Bruno appeared to do this by putting as many blue shirts in the middle of the pitch as possible.

    Considering the very few chances Liverpool managed to create, this approach certainly worked well for the former Brighton player.

    Same old issues

    What was your reaction to Bruno Saltor's first match as interim Chelsea manager? Let us know in the comments section below


    Fofana’s return injected the solidity Potter was crying out for in his final match for the Blues. However, the terrifying inability to finish a chance remains a huge issue. Felix, Havertz, and Kovacic were all particularly guilty of some glaring misses.

    Kovacic rounded Alisson and saw a tame effort cleared off the line by Ibrahima Konate, before being played through on goal and ballooning his effort into row Z. Chelsea’s struggles in front of goal have certainly not followed Potter out of the door.

    Benefitting from Kante

    How Potter must be wishing he was able to use N’Golo Kante. The Frenchman has played three matches at Stamford Bridge – they were all under different managers. Nevertheless, Kante did not play like a player who has been battling injuries since August.

    He covered every blade of grass, protected his backline and also won the ball high up the pitch for the Blues. Potter deployed Kante from the bench in the Blues’ 2-0 home defeat against Villa, but Bruno was brave enough to start the World Cup winner against Liverpool. The interim boss is still managing his minutes as was proven when he decided to take him off in the second half.

    Substitutions still a conundrum

    Bruno would have likely had a say in who came on from the bench during his time as one of Potter’s assistants. Similarly to the recently departed boss, Conor Gallagher was the first to come on, but he did change to a four man backline by swapping Ben Chilwell for Mykhalo Mudryk in the second half.

    Unlike the reverse fixture at Anfield, when the Ukrainian tormented the Liverpool backline with his speed and dribbling skills, Mudryk struggled to get on the ball against the Reds. Sterling was also introduced against his former side, but the Englishman was unable to get up to speed with the contest.

    He has the backing of the squad

    In the same way school children misbehave and run amok when a substitute teacher walks into the classroom, many players seem to take their foot off the gas when an interim manager is in charge. However, it would be very difficult to fault the application, energy, and drive of the Chelsea players at Stamford Bridge.

    They pressed and harried Liverpool, put their bodies on the line, and gave everything to try and secure a much needed victory. If their finishing was half as impressive as their effort levels, they would be celebrating a well deserved 4-0 win over the Merseysiders. But, alas, three points was not on the script for Bruno who will take only one point but plenty of optimism from the Blues' display.

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    • Chelsea FC
    • Bruno Saltor
    • Liverpool FC

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