Jorginho is not indispensable for Chelsea or Maurizio Sarri

For all intents and purposes, Sarrismo does not exist without Jorginho. But the midfielder is not indispensable for Chelsea or Maurizio Sarri anymore.

Sarrismo in its current iteration has always existed with Jorginho at the heart. Jorginho’s career has more or less always existed through the lens of Maurizio Sarri. So when the midfielder followed Sarri to Chelsea, it seemed like a fantastic idea.

But it has not always worked out that way. Jorginho has been good but it would be a stretch to say he has been great for Chelsea. He has been a metronome in the center but more and more opponents are catching on to the rhythm.

It is not worth reading too deeply into Sarri’s comments about Jorginho after the Newcastle match. But it is becoming clearer that Jorginho may not be the keystone to Sarrismo.

In the Newcastle match, Jorginho struggled mightily. Newcastle always seemed to pop up to intercept his passes. And it took David Luiz slowing the play, getting his head up, and picking the pass to change the match.

Sarrismo is highly routine based. The players learn the passing pattern and they attempt to execute it. Almost every single circuit involves Jorginho at some level. And while that was what made him (and the system) shine at Napoli, at Chelsea it is starting to become an issue.

Jorginho’s first reaction when receiving the ball is to immediately pass it off. There is very little time spent controlling the ball and considering the options. Jorginho is a cog in a machine and he is not looking to decide which pass to take. As the ball comes to him, he already knows what he is going to do. He is going to follow the circuit.

But there is an issue with this. Jorginho operates on instinct to follow the plan. And opponents know it. So while many attempt to mark him out of the game, many others simply look to mark his passing options.

Jorginho’s worst matches often come as a result of the latter. He is not stopping to think about his options because that is not his role in the machine. He is just trying to progress the ball further down the assembly line and teams have caught on.

Cesc Fabregas was the solution to that issue because he plays the match differently. It is not simply about him looking for a long pass. Fabregas would trap the ball, briefly assess his options, and pick the best one. There is a decision made where as Jorginho is following a script.

Is that why Sarri did not see a role for Fabregas? Probably not. Sarrismo still requires that player in the center to set the tempo and Fabregas often swung too far to the other end of the spectrum.

Leandro Paredes seems to be the next player coming through the door. If he shows the ability to both make decisions and set the tempo, he may actually usurp Jorginho in the middle. One will have to wonder if that is what Sarri really wants though.

Can Sarri allow his regista to make decisions, or does that go against the cog in the machine mentality needed for the circuits? It should be worth considering.

Pep Guardiola’s sides use routines too, but they are decision based. For any given situation, Guardiola’s men know several solutions to the problem. Sarri’s mean know some circuits to try but they do not know them in context of the situation.

Someone like Paredes in the center could change that. If he can show the consistency to make the right decision (i.e., start the correct circuit), Sarri may actually opt to put him in over Jorginho. Again, that does not mean that Jorginho is a bad player. He is a good player, but he is not great. There is a time and place for a player who pushes a play further down the assembly line. But opponents know the process and Chelsea now need someone to be a quarterback choosing the play, not a worker pulling a lever and hoping for a new result.