Chelsea have become more compact defensively under interim manager Rafael Benitez as they prepare for the football Club World Cup in Japan, defender Gary Cahill said on Wednesday.
The English Premier League side, who face Mexico’s Monterrey in their semi-final in Yokohama on Thursday, took four games to register their first win under the Spaniard. However, nine goals in their last two matches have given Chelsea a boost for a tournament they are under pressure to win after an embarrassing group-stage exit from the Champions League.
“Since (Benitez) came we have tightened up as a unit defensively and as a team,” Cahill told reporters.
“That’s given us a platform to build on. It was hard at first to get his points across because we were playing games almost every other day. “Now the players are adapting, they know what’s expected of them and it’s working well at the minute.” Cahill said the Chelsea players had realised the significance of the Club World Cup since flying out to Japan following Saturday’s 3-1 win at Sunderland. “Since coming here it’s sunk in now how big it is,” the centre-back said. “It’s hard to get into the competition in the first place.
‘Chelsea will score but we can beat them’: Monterrey coach Victor Vucetich says his side will be powerless to prevent Chelsea from scoring in Thursday’s Club World Cup semi-final in Yokohama but still believes the Mexicans can pull off their biggest ever win.
Chelsea have scored nine goals in their last two games following a difficult start under interim manager Rafael Benitez with misfiring striker Fernando Torres netting four times.
Monterrey beat South Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai 3-1 in the quarter-finals at the weekend after experiencing a powerful earthquake following their arrival in Japan.
“I’m sure Chelsea will score goals tomorrow,” he told reporters on Wednesday. “They are a strong, physical side and technically skilful.
