Chelsea has a tricky Premier League match against the fluid and flexible Watford. What will the Hornets bring to the table?
Chelsea last faced Javi Gracia’s Watford on Boxing Day. By then, they had mostly settled tactically and their form had already shot up, dropped, and leveled out. Since then, they have only continued good form as they marched up the table with Europa League aims.
It seems like no matter how many managers Watford goes through, they seem to have another good one up their sleeves. But Gracia has been something else. Watford has kept their ruggedness and has added and fluidity and flexibility that has made them a side deserving of a cup final. Were it not for Wolverhampton’s exploits, they would also be very deserving of that Europa League spot that seventh will most likely yield.
Watford will cause Chelsea problems, especially with Europa League hangover. The Blues have not won a match after a Europa League knockout fixture and they need all the points. Gracia will not let his men give up much ground, however, as they very much want to stay in touching distance of seventh.
Gracia is one of a wave of managers that worships the 4-4-2. But it is not the traditional 4-4-2 with the ball put to wide wingers before being whipped into strikers. No, this is the modern 4-4-2 movement that Diego Simeone leads and under which Leicester City won the Premier League.
In fact, Gracia’s 4-4-2 could probably more accurately be called a 4-2-2-2. The wingers are not really wingers so much as they are attacking mids with free reign. The two players playing in those roles are allowed to go wherever the space is which makes Watford a very tricky team to defend against.
Part of the purpose of this is to create overloads in areas where the opponent is not expecting them. That is part of how Watford is able to attack so quickly and fluidly with seemingly no positional structure. It is something Maurizio Sarri would likely appreciate as it does show shades of his Napoli side.
Defensively, Watford will counterpress initially and then drop off. Because their wingers could easily end up far from their area, that moment they spend counterpressing allows a teammate to fill the gap. Against higher quality teams, they will then look to absorb the pressure, push the opponent to the flank, and then press aggressively. Their first release ball is often to one of their strong and tall strikers before starting a true buildup phase.
Mentally, all that flexibility and fluidity is very demanding on a team. Gracia had half a season last year to lay the groundwork and despite a hiccup before winter, Gracia has kept the side flying high. Watford may not end up in the Europa League next season, but if they do, they would be a very deserving side.
Chelsea needs to find a way past Watford like they did back on Boxing Day. But if anything, the Hornets are even better now and they will give the Blues a game. Sarri must set his side up to match the mental tenacity Watford is sure to bring to the Bridge.