Maurizio Sarri has yet to settle on Chelsea’s midfield and the tactics around them. Every game offers a new bit of tinkering to find solutions.
Some managers prefer to replace players within their system until it works. Other mangers prefer to keep the same players but adjust how they are used. Maurizio Sarri is the latter.
That is not to say he is radically changing things. Every game, he is making small little adjustments that last into the future fixtures. He does have a few issues of this player or that player. But for the most part it comes down to adjustments.
One such adjustment Sarri tried against Liverpool in the opening minutes involved dropping another midfielder into the buildup. So when Willy Caballero or one of the centerbacks had the ball, Cesc Fabregas would be joined by Mateo Kovacic or Ross Barkley to help the buildup. Previously, Sarri had only one player drop in (usually Jorginho).
It did not last all match as Chelsea reverted to the more usual one midfielder dropping as Liverpool began to open up. But it could become an option going forward to draw an additional player towards Chelsea.
Speaking of Fabregas, he seems to have become the deputy to Jorginho. Sarri had him in one of the wider central midfield roles during preseason, but his skill set is more suited to the metronome role that Jorginho usually fills. Can he do it against a full strength elite team? Probably not, but he could easily give Jorginho a break for a lot of Premier League opposition.
Farther up, one of the burning questions is how to best use Kovacic, Barkley, and N’Golo Kante. Kovacic is an eight erring on the side of a six. He worked really well for the buildup role and almost gave the formation a 4-2-3-1 type of look. Barkley, meanwhile, is more of a 10 having to play as an eight. He has done well so far, but his skill set is better used in the buildup higher up.
Kante is the biggest enigma. Is he the world’s best defensive midfielder? Yes. Can he be the world’s best box to box midfielder? Also yes. But how he is used best is still a question. Kante has a knack for finding space in the box and in the halfspace, but he is not a finisher. Furthermore, having him that high up can negate his heat seeking missile nature. He is covering more space but affecting less space as a result.
So what can Sarri do to put it all together? Well the biggest question is still Kovacic or Barkley. And the final answer may be unknown for some time yet. Barkley can push up and allow Kante to remain deeper, but then the opponent has a focal point to press. Kovacic can allow more space for Eden Hazard to roam into, but then the formation is narrowed out.
Sarri is likely to continue his experiments with small changes over time. The Blues have seen good things happen, but never in a full 90 minute performance. Once Sarri finally gets his fully game of good, then he will sit back and relax for a few minutes before he starts to tinker elsewhere.