“Direct” is a dirty word in football, often used as a euphemism for ugly, route one football.
However when you’ve just suffered a season of watching your favourite team pass the ball endlessly from side to side, a bit of directness is a welcome relief.
That’s the context you have to consider when reading Emerson Palmieri’s quotes on the Chelsea official website today.
The left back notes that “with Frank, we’re trying to play very direct football, always trying to attack and be as close to the goal as possible.”
That sounds like it can only be a good thing, although it has left us rather exposed so far on the counter. What is certain is that the “Sarri-ball” (200 passes a game and two shots) style is dead, with a more direct system now in place.
The left back is very positive about the whole experience of having the new coach in, and that shouldn’t be surprising. While the results haven’t gone our way yet, it seems like the whole camp is re-energised after what proved to be a really weird season last time out.
The fact that he’s Frank’s chosen man at left back ahead of Marcos Alonso probably plays into it too…
