Not so long ago, Chelsea looked almost the easiest of Premier League teams to blitz. It took Liverpool four minutes, and two Sadio Mane goals, to steal out of Stamford Bridge with all the points in September. The month got worse: West Bromwich Albion pierced the frail Blue line that was Chelsea's beginning-of-term rearguard three times in less than half an hour.
The Chelsea that presents itself to Rennes in the Champions League are a side transformed. Sometime in the angry aftermath of a wild afternoon in mid-October when three goals were conceded in the space of 49 minutes to let go a 3-0 lead against Southampton, manager Frank Lampard tightened the bolts.
The clean sheets now number four in a row, and if there is another shut-out against Rennes, Lampard may want to thank the visitors, and indeed French football as a whole for helping him construct his new fortress.
Chelsea paid around €25 million ($29.3m) to Rennes for goalkeeper Edouard Mendy in late September, by which time Kepa Arrizabalaga, who cost three times as much in 2018, had peppered his appearances with so many conspicuous errors that Lampard had to acknowledge Kepa’s confidence was utterly dented.
Nor did Willy Caballero, the veteran back-up, have it easy, replacing Kepa for the ambush by West Brom. Since Mendy made his debut against Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup, a different story: The Senegalese is yet to concede a goal in five league and European games.
“The clean sheets have been great,” said Lampard, “We have seen some progression but it is a work in progress and it’s always a collective effort.”
There is the Mendy effect – “a sense of calm,” as Lampard describes it, “giving confidence to others” – and there’s the protective shell built around a quartet of former Ligue 1 players.
It is a sign of the faith Lampard retains in N'Golo Kante, who was restored at Burnley on Saturday to a lone role at the base of midfield, that he trusted the Fenchman's energy and sixth sense for danger enough to field five attack-minded players in front of him – in Kai Havertz, Hakim Ziyech, Mason Mount, Timo Werner and Tammy Abraham.
Kante coped. No prizes for guessing which diminutive World Cup-winner has made more interceptions than anyone in this Premier League season.
Behind Kante, Thiago Silva brings English football gradually under his rule. The 36-year-old Brazilian, signed from Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, was hired to be the veteran in a youngish squad.
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Burnley 0 Chelsea 3: player ratings
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BURNLEY RATINGS: Nick Pope - 5: The England international was regularly quick off his line, however, he should have done better for Ziyech’s opener. Getty -
Matthew Lowton - 6: Protected the ball nicely and almost set Barnes up for an early goal in the fifth minute. Getty -
Kevin Long - 5: Should have been faster off the mark for Ziyech’s goal but did make a handful of big clearances. Reuters -
James Tarkowski - 6: It was another assured showing from Tarkowski and he rarely put a foot wrong at the back. EPA -
Charlie Taylor - 6: Worked hard to fight down the byline against James but just didn’t possess the quality necessary to create problems. EPA -
Josh Brownhill - 6: Was a constant nuisance to the Blues and never gave up on the second ball. PA -
Ashley Westwood - 5: The captain showed grit and leadership in the second half but gave the ball away cheaply for Chelsea’s third goal. AFP -
Dale Stephens - 5: Got around the pitch well and not afraid to get stuck in, although he could have done more for Chelsea’s opener. So little influence we couldn't find a pic of him in action. Hooked at half-time. AFP -
Dwight McNeil - 5: Didn’t mind running into traffic in the name of opening up the game but failed to bring an edge to Burnley’s midfield. PA -
Chris Wood - 4: Held the ball up well but ultimately lost his battle against Zouma. Reuters -
Ashley Barnes - 4: Battled to try and make a difference up top but missed chance to open scoring by lifting the ball over the bar in the fifth minute. EPA -
SUBS: Jay Rodriguez - (On for Stephens 46'): Found himself in some positive positions but was unable to turn those into attempts on goal. Getty -
Robbie Brady - (on for Barnes 73'): Fought hard but didn’t really get many chances to shine as Burnley struggled to get hold of the ball. Getty -
CHELSEA RATINGS: Edouard Mendy - 7: Made an important intervention in the 5th minute but aside from that had very little to do in Lancashire. Reuters -
Reece James - 8: In running for Man of the Match thanks to his confident defending and impeccable crossing. AFP -
Thiago Silva - 8: Veteran put in a fine display. Hardly put a foot wrong and brought a coolness to Chelsea’s back four in the process. AP -
Kurt Zouma - 8: Had a few lapses in concentration but more than made up for it with a powerful header to score Chelsea's second. EPA -
Ben Chilwell - 7: Kept calm and did his job, not putting a foot wrong either going forward or at the back. Reuters -
Mason Mount, 8: Caused plenty of danger, switched the ball from side to side with ease and showed a revived resilience in every passage of play he was involved in. PA -
N’Golo Kante - 8: He never stopped working, put Burnley under constant pressure and retained possession at every opportunity. PA -
Kai Havertz - 7: Floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee to give Chelsea an entirely different edge on the ball. EPA -
Hakim Ziyech - 9: From opening his body up at will to grabbing a goal and an assist, Ziyech put in a performance to remember at Turf Moor. EPA -
Timo Werner - 7: Once again showed why he’s known for being such a lethal finisher with a well-taken strike in the 70th minute. Getty -
Tammy Abraham - 7: Turned provider by sitting deep and laying the ball off nicely for the opener. AP -
SUBS: Callum Hudson-Odoi - (On for Ziyech 73') - 6: The youngster was active, wanted the ball and clearly tried to prove a point in his short stint. -
Olivier Giroud - (On for Abraham 77') N/A: Unfortunate not to cap off a cameo appearance with a goal after poking a cross in with 10 minutes left to play but was ruled out for offside. -
Jorginho - (on for Havertz 86') N/A. Reuters
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After a bewildering introduction to English football, the six-goal, see-saw draw at West Brom, Silva has imposed his authority: Five clean-sheets in his six appearances. Lampard will rest Silva from time to time, and he may start against Rennes on the bench.
The Chelsea managert will rest Kurt Zouma at some stage, too, although there has been a reluctance to do so. Only Werner has played more minutes so far for Chelsea than the France international.
No Chelsea player has scored more Premier League goals this term than the central defender. To be a threat at set-pieces in the opposition penalty area, as Zouma is proving, ticks an important box; Lampard thought goals from dead-ball scenarios was a deficit in Chelsea’s armoury last season.
To have scored more league goals – three – in his last six games than Zouma had managed in his previous four seasons speaks of a footballer full of self-belief.
He has had to be patient. Since Chelsea signed Zouma as a 20-year-old from Saint Etienne, he has spent almost as long out on loan – at Saint-Etienne, at Stoke City and at Everton – than at his parent club. He looks as settled as he has ever done.
But the greatest blessing is Mendy, who not only faces his former club tonight, but will likely be measured against his rival for the No 1 jersey in the Senegal national team, Alfred Gomis, whom Rennes signed to replace him.
Lampard is delighted with his new last line of defence. “He has made a very good start,” said Lampard. “He has shown big parts of his game, made big saves in big moments, like at Manchester United against Marcus Rashford. He has given off a sense of calm with crosses.
"It is early days for him at the club but I am very confident in him. When we were in to sign him, all the feedback was that he had a strong personality. He is very low maintenance, wants to engage and he works hard. He is a positive in the dressing-room.”
