While Chelsea continues to impress and produce positive results across all competitions, Ross Barkley’s notable comeback under Thomas Tuchel has resulted in an air of excitement around Stamford Bridge.
The 27-year-old, who spent last season on loan at Aston Villa, has seemingly rejuvenated his career at Chelsea, with many hoping the midfielder fulfils his potential under their new manager.
A 0-3 win against Newcastle United last weekend, once again, reinstated Chelsea’s determination in mounting a title challenge this season.
Though the London outfit struggled to break-drown the Magpies for a large portion of the game, Barkley’s 64th-minute introduction proved to be the indispensable game-changer for the Blues.
A brace by Reece James and a penalty conversion – courtesy of Barkley’s incisive through ball – by Jorginho soon followed as Chelsea went three points clear at the top of the table.
However, while Barkley had a positive impact on the game, the midfielder made for some comical moments before the end of the 90 minutes.
Following their ruthless comeback, in the 87th minute, Barkley – with the ball at his feet – displayed some incredibly awkward footwork, leaving social media and presumably his teammates in splits.
As Chelsea triggered a counter-attack in search of a fourth goal, the Englishman made his way into the box – alongside his teammates – but eventually refused to play the final pass, opting to exhibit his skills, thus, taking the sting out of the counter-attack.
Refusing to play the final pass, the midfielder dampened the tempo, allowing Newcastle’s backline to settle in defence. In a somewhat infuriating yet comical moment, Barkley’s stepped on the ball, followed it up by a body feint, executed a couple of stand-still step-overs, only to release a pass back towards the halfway line.
While Barkley’s comical antics against Newcastle may come as a surprise to many, the midfielder has been known for his perplexing behaviour on the football field since his time at Everton.
Chelsea faces Malmo later this evening in their UEFA Champions League encounter as they look to strengthen their position to qualify for the next stage of the competition.
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