Chelsea’s League Cup loss was good enough to buy Maurizio Sarri time but he still needs to beat Tottenham. Can he figure out how to break a diamond?
Mauricio Pochettino is really good at not only finding a good setup for his side but he is also good at finding a setup that counters the opponents in the league. Of course, they eventually hit a wall each time but it is hard to deny that Pochettino is a very good tactician as he is able to blend what is needed to counter the opponent with what is needed for his side to play well.
His latest go to is a 4-4-2 diamond which is not much different than a 4-1-2-1-2 or a 4-3-1-2. Regardless of which numbers are used, the overall idea remains the same. And that is why Arsenal, Manchester United, and Tottenham have all used it to counter Maurizio Sarri’s Chelsea this season.
But Sarri’s recent tweaks against Manchester City could cause the diamond issues. For once, Pochettino might not be able to plan effectively against Chelsea. If Sarri keeps some of the changes in place, he can get the win that he needs to keep his job.
It is best to start with how the diamond works. On paper, it would seem to defend narrowly and that can be true for many teams but there are two workarounds to that. The first is having the diamond slide across the field with the strikers corralling the ball towards the diamond. The second is having the diamond pivot and squeeze. Both ways force the opponent to play through an outnumbered zone or attempt to switch the play.
On offense, the diamond takes advantage of strikers becoming masters of exploiting space between lines and players and wingers becoming more keen to cut in than cross from wide. The whole set up of a diamond is not too different than Pep Guardiola’s false nine, it just changes the types of players used.
Furthermore, this set up has been effective because playmakers have become more well rounded to survive in the modern game. There is a reason why Unai Emery cannot trust Mesut Ozil as a playmaker but Pochettino can with Dele Alli. Alli is able to do the dirty work required when Tottenham is out of possession.
With Harry Kane, Son Heung-Min, and Alli, Pochettino has the front three he needs to make the diamond work on and off the ball. And it causes a team like Chelsea a ton of issues.
The tip of the diamond can man mark Jorginho. On its own, that should not be an issue. But the diamond also insures a spare man in midfield against Chelsea’s midfield three. Even if a winger drops back, they will either be too wide to assist for long or the line as a whole will be too flat. Furthermore, with two strikers looking to exploit spaces in between players, Chelsea’s zonal defense is ripe for exploitation. If space between the lines is also afforded (as Chelsea often does), a diamond can unravel the Blues completely.
Sarri’s tweaks from the City match can offer a solution though. Instead of defending in a 4-4-2 shape, the Blues defended in a tight and compact 4-5-1. Not only did this minimize space between the line, but it also allowed the defense to widen their zones as the space between fullback and center back was less easily exploited.
Against a diamond, the tight midfield five, especially if it is staggered, offers a spare man over Tottenham’s. And when the ball is won back, the flanks are then open for two players to peel off and attack in behind with the striker.
If Sarri returns his side to their old ways, the diamond will likely cause massive issues once again. But if he sticks with the adjustments from the City match, he can crack the diamond. Whatever he decides, his job will very likely be on the line. Chelsea must win to keep hold of Sarri. It is time to see whether the positive changes were a one off or not.