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Five Glimmers of Hope Chelsea have in the Champions League:

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Wingers, wingbacks and crossing

Against an Italian side playing with a three-man defence, an ever more tactically fashionable accessory favoured across Serie A and modelled by Barcelona, Chelsea have a chance to expose such an attacking novelty with concentration on overlapping wing play.

Napoli qualified from the group stages in second place: however, they had the least amount of possession in their group with an average figure of 43%, compared to Bayern Munich’s 53%, who won Group A. Furthermore, the 3-4-1-2 formation, favoured by Walter Mazzarri, works best against teams utilising two strikers and therefore, if Chelsea adopt a 4-3-3 formation, the marking of Chelsea’s wingers by Maggio and Zuniga, should leave three centre backs marking a lone striker, creating space behind Napoli’s midfield as two defenders involuntarily become redundant.

This space may indicate why Napoli averaged the lowest possession in their group: however, Chelsea should feel no remorse in capitalising on this and spreading the balls to the wings where the wingers and wingbacks must co-operate in spraying balls into the box. After all, Chelsea have the best crossing rate at 33% from the group stages. For Chelsea to fire in their average nine shots, Cole, Mata, Bosingwa and Sturridge will have to be on top form.

Roman’s lust and Villas-Boas’ future

Despite insistence that the Russian owner is fully behind him, Andre Villas-Boas’ Achilles heel will prove to be the Champions League in his relationship with Roman Abramovich. The trophy is the only one eluding Abramovich since he took over the London club and his long term love affair with the prestigious club trophy is nothing short of obsessive.

Add to Abramovich’s desire to win the trophy that Jose Mourinho managed to win with the club he managed either side of Chelsea, that Andre Villas-Boas is allegedly under pressure to deliver, with numerous training ground visits from the chairman in the past couple of weeks, and the pressure should really force the 34-year old manager to play his hand and secure the victory.

The gun is weighted in Chelsea’s favour: now all that is needed of Andre Villas-Boas is precise aim and accurate execution. With Champions League football looking far from guaranteed through league finish, a push all the way to the final and consequential victory would satisfy Roman’s buds this season and next with another year of Champions League football in the bag.

Undoubtedly, it is a tall order: however, Chelsea have the ability, the set-up and the strategy for success. What is missing is the confidence, belief and organisation. There are glimmers of hope, now Chelsea fans must hope for the sun to shine on them.

Written by Jordan Florit for www.maycauseoffence.com/ For more articles visit my website or my Twitter @JordanFlorit

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Budding Football journalist who blogs at www.maycauseoffence.com/ daily as well as writing here for ThisisFutbol and on www.onehellofabeating.com/ the England fan's page. Outside of writing is more football. I work at Southampton F.C and I manage a men's football team on Saturdays.