In a season where it feels as though talking up Chelsea’s attack and talking down their defence could become regular and unshakeable themes, their first win in four Premier League games was all about their midfield.
They failed in their latest bid to belatedly end their chronic run without a league clean sheet — up to 22 straight games now — and yet they were never in serious threat of failing to win on an afternoon where they led 2-0 after a mere two minutes and 29 seconds and eventually closed out a handsome 5-1 victory, their best yet of the Xabi Alonso era.
