1. Chelsea need to kill games early
Chelsea are undoubtedly the best team in the league at the moment and, along with Real Madrid, perhaps one of the two best teams in Europe. Their current problem is giving teams a chance to get back in games when they take the lead.
They dropped points in both their games in Manchester this season because they took their foot off the gas after taking the lead and allowed both Manchester City and Manchester United the chance to get back into games.
After taking the lead and dominating the first half in this game, they allowed Queens Park Rangers the chance to get back into the game and equalise, which left the Blues in an awkward position until the last quarter of an hour.
They clearly have the quality to kill games with two or more goals but they are taking dangerous risks in trying to settle for narrow leads.
2. Harry Redknapp should be pleased with the progress his side has made defensively
Queens Park Rangers conceded a lot of goals at the start of the season as Redknapp searched for a system that would work for them. They have found their shape now and their full-backs are much more disciplined with their offensive play.
Karl Henry and Richard Dunne also contributed a lot to Rangers’ overall defensive improvement. Redknapp’s problem now is to improve the attacking side of his team while retaining the progress they have made defensively.
3. Oscar’s goal revealed his high confidence levels
Oscar scored by using the outside of his right foot to curl the ball across the face of the QPR goal and beyond the reach of a diving Robert Green via the inside of the far post.
The Brazilian also had to squeeze the ball in front of Dunne which demanded even more precision.
If he had fractionally mistimed the strike then it would have been a terrible goal attempt and he would have appeared wasteful. The fact that he tried this difficult technique despite the high risks involved revealed his incredible self-confidence this season.
4. Jose Mourinho’s exaggerated anger reveals his impeccable management skills
The Blues boss appeared unimpressed with the performance of his side, he complained about the man in charge of the floodlights and he seemed to insinuate that the fans are getting complacent because they feel that their team is just too good.
The Special One must have privately revelled at Oscar’s brilliant strike and the high pressing from his side, but he also has the foresight to realise that he has to guard against complacency in his side ahead of a long season.
5. Eden Hazard is arguably the best player in the world in terms of using his body in possession
Hazard must be a nightmare for full-backs with the way he carefully keeps the ball on the wrong side of his markers and uses his body as a shield when running with the ball. He is also brilliant at drawing fouls when he has the ball in dangerous areas, like he did when he won a penalty from Eduardo Vargas’ challenge.
Hazard also got the upper hand using similar tactics in his duel with Rafael Da Silva when Chelsea visited Manchester United because the Brazilian full-back got cautioned early in the game. Unlike other players who try to win fouls by diving, Hazard is just so adept at leaving his markers with a horrible choice of either letting him go or fouling him.
