Italy should learn from Chelsea how to make the best use of Jorginho

Jorginho led Italy in passes and overall involvement by default more than design in Italy’s loss to Portugal. Roberto Mancini should watch plenty of Chelsea and Napoli matches to make the most of his midfield talent.

Chelsea’s internationals sure will be relieved to return to Stamford Bridge in a few days and get back to doing what they do best. Of the Europeans, only Olivier Giroud has occupied his usual role to its usual effect on this international break. Jorginho is the most recent Blue to be in his regular place on the pitch but being used to much less than his full capacity.

Jorginho played a hybrid between his and N’Golo Kante’s role as Italy fell to Portugal 1-0 on Monday. Jorginho led Italy with 61 passes and 80 touches, but the play did not flow through him the way it does at Chelsea and Napoli. When Italy were on defence Jorginho tracked the ball across the pitch, staying with it from one half-space to the other, back and forth in front of the defensive line.

As a result, when Italy recovered the ball Jorginho was not in his usual central pocket position to receive the ball, turn and oversee the transition to offence. No one was. Because he was not there and his teammates did not expect him to be there, they started less focussed, less regular and less successful routes to play the ball up the pitch. As the defenders and other midfielders passed amongst themselves looking for a way out, Jorginho had to run back towards the ball-carrier to call for the ball. It nearly took as much work for him to get the ball from an Italian as it did from a Portuguese player (he also led Italy in defensive actions with four tackles and six interceptions).

Jorginho knew what he wanted to do with the ball if only someone would pass it to him. By the time the ball reached him – if it reached him – any hope of an effective transition was gone, and Italy slow-marched it up the pitch.

Jorginho’s night was equally frustrating off the ball. Like at Chelsea he was frequently shouting and pointing to show his teammates where to pass the ball or what space to dribble into. They rarely listened, creating a number of turnovers, poor passes or lame attempts that set them back to try it again. By the end of the game he was visibly exasperated with the other players not taking his advice (orders?) and then having to reset the play or chase a Portugal player now in possession.

Italy had none of the structure or rhythm that has defined generations of the Azzurri. Jorginho was apparently tasked to be the ball-chaser on defence. Meanwhile Portugal found seams in Italy’s midfield and defence that sent player after player in between the lines. Because Italy did not have Jorginho or anyone else always in a position to receive the ball and start the attack – whether via a long-ball counter-attack or a more progressive play – they were sluggish coming out of their zone. And their defending in the penalty area was farcical for much of the first half. As an aside, is this what Chelsea will look like two years post-Antonio Conte?

Jorginho occupies a unique and specific role at Chelsea, as at Napoli previously. This is not the only position he is capable of playing, but it is the one to which he is best suited and can have the most immediate effect.

He is like a target man at the beginning of the play, bringing coherence to transition and recyclng the ball. By limiting Jorginho’s defensive responsibilities to the centre of the pitch his teammates will always know where to send their first pass upon regaining possession. By sending him the ball when earlier attempts to play upfield fail to gain traction, his teammates can reset the play while still maintaining momentum. He should not have to demand the ball when other passing options are breaking down. If he is there, he should always be the top option.

Roberto Mancini should also tab Jorginho for a leadership role in the squad, even if not the captaincy. One of Mancini’s challenges in this Euro and World Cup cycle is replacing the physically and psychologically imposing players who have defined the Italian squad for the last decade or more.

Jorginho does not have the presence of these players, but he has the footballing intelligence and positioning on the pitch to be the general. If he tells a teammate to move into this space and then pass into that space, that other player should be held strictly accountable if he does otherwise and something negative results. Jorginho is right far more often than he is wrong. This is apparent whether his teammates listen to him or not.

Jorginho has an outsized role at Chelsea because of his years of experience with Maurizio Sarri. Roberto Mancini will not be implementing any detailed, rigorous tactics with Italy any time soon. Jorginho’s sense of timing and tempo is a boon to any manager, as he can translate concepts into action and be the metronome of the team. But he cannot do that if he is marking time as a standard-issue central midfielder.

The Nations’ League game against Portugal was only Jorginho’s third competitive cap. He should have a large role for Italy over the next four years. His play at Chelsea is a ready-made blueprint for what Mancini should have him doing for his country.