🚨🔵 𝗡𝗘𝗪: Chelsea have a particularly worrying propensity to give up high-value, close-range goal attempts when defending set pieces.

Since the start of last season, they have conceded 13 times from inside their six-yard box — more than any other Premier League side.

MacPhee’s appointment in the summer underlined the club’s awareness of the problem, and his methods may well yield the required improvements in time. His longstanding relationship with Martinez from their years together at Villa should also help build greater defensive cohesion.

But while the 46-year-old is widely viewed as one of the sport’s best dead-ball strategists, it is worth remembering that predecessor Cueva had also arrived from Brentford with an impressive track record in that aspect of the game.

Once the players are on the pitch, the ability of any set-piece coach to influence outcomes is limited. Despite adding more height and physicality in this summer’s transfer market, Chelsea are still operating at an aerial disadvantage to many of their Premier League opponents.

Conceding five set-piece goals from chances worth three xG suggests some improvement may be baked into the remainder of the season, but there is too much at stake for anyone at the club to rely on that.

🔗 The Athletic

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