One of the records that Chelsea are most well known for in their history is the defensive record they set in the 2004/05 season, conceding just 15 goals in 38 Premier League games.
The imperious centre-back duo of John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho made Chelsea impossible to beat in the box, with Petr Cech between the sticks behind them.
It was that foundation that allowed Chelsea to pick up back-to-back titles in 04/05 and 05/06, proving that defence really does win championships.
Whilst Carvalho left to join Real Madrid after securing Chelsea’s third Premier League title in 2009/10, Terry, of course, stayed at the club, with a new partnership being born just a few years later.
John Terry and Gary Cahill's amazing partnership
Gary Cahill was signed for Chelsea from Bolton for a fee of around £7m in 2012, going on to win the Champions League in his first season at the club. In his time for the Blues, Cahill made 290 appearances, scoring 25 goals, providing six assists and totalling 24,679 minutes played.
Terry made 717 appearances for Chelsea in his time at the club, scoring 67 goals and providing 27 assists, staggering numbers for a defender. The duo delivered Chelsea’s fourth Premier League title playing alongside each other, only conceding 32 goals that campaign, the fewest in the division.
Whilst Terry is a Premier League icon, inducted into the hall of fame and widely seen as one of the best central defenders in history, Cahill was a big part of forming their strong relationship, being a solid teammate, being defensively sound.
Chelsea would be over the moon if they could repeat something of this nature, and with Levi Colwill already at the club, a sturdy partner for him could not only elevate his game but also the entire team by applying a solid spine.
Chelsea's hunt for a new defender
According to recent reports from the Mirror, Chelsea target Marc Guehi is still valued at around £70m, as the Blues are looking to make sales in order to bring some new additions to the club in January.
Guehi was described as an “absolute tank” by Josef Bursik when playing in the England U21 squad, whilst former Blues star Conor Gallagher also praised the defender, stating “you can’t get round him and you can’t move him”.
So, why would this duo be some menacing for Premier League attackers?
Goals + Assists
0.15
0.05
Progressive Carries
0.42
0.42
Progressive Passes
4.05
4.79
Passes Attempted
52.9
77.9
Pass Completion %
83.2%
89.8%
Passes into Final Third
3.74
5.05
Tackles
1.68
0.95
Blocks
1.89
1.26
Interceptions
0.66
1.13
Aerial Duels Won
2.47
1.95
When comparing the two defenders, you instantly see they excel in similar areas, providing plenty of progressive passes from the back, whilst not being the “carrier type”, averaging 0.42 progressive carries per 90 each. Both players rely on their defensive IQ and intelligence, not being imperious compared to other defenders, who can rely on their physical attributes to bail them out.
A pass is considered progressive if the distance between the starting point and the next touch is at least 10 meters closer to the opponent’s goal or any completed pass into the penalty area.
Both players have good defensive actions per 90, Guehi winning more aerial duels despite being smaller than Colwill, which highlights his intelligence and reading of the game in order to win those duels. But it is their on-ball qualities that stand out. Both are blessed with orchestrating passing ability, making them tough to press when circulating play around the back.
The main concern is that Guehi and Colwill are actually too similar, both excelling in similar attributes, whilst perhaps not being the aggressive duelist type that they are currently missing with Wesley Fofana out injured.
That being said, Guehi brings lots of positives to the table, and would definitely be a positive signing for the Blues, adding some extra leadership needed on the pitch.
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