The Championship playoff final will have several Chelsea themes throughout. What tactics can be expected from the two sides?
It would be wrong to call the Championship’s playoff final a Chelsea final just as it is wrong to call Derby County Frank Lampard’s Derby County (a habit that is admittedly hard to break). But there are several Chelsea themes throughout that should give the Blues faithful something to watch for.
On the base level, there are the personnel involved: Lampard, Jody Morris, John Terry, Mason Mount, Fikayo Tomori, Ashley Cole on one side and John Terry and Tammy Abraham on the other. Delve deeper and there is Lampard’s tactics and how the players operate.
Most likely, this is going to be a battle of 4-3-3’s. Depending on which midfielders Lampard goes with, it could be a 4-2-3-1 but the two formations have a lot of overlap.
Lampard likes his side to build from the back in an unusual way. He likes the back four to stay deep and narrow which creates space for the midfield and forwards vertically. They look to move the ball quickly and centrally with the fullbacks serving as outlets the entire way if the pressure in the center increases.
Defensively, Derby looks to defend narrowly and shift back and forth across the pitch when the ball switches. They usually press aggressively on loose or longer balls. Unfortunately, one tactical deficiency that Lampard still has is his side defending in their own final third. At that point, it basically becomes a free for all to get the ball away rather than anything organized.
Aston Villa operates more like most normally see a 4-3-3. They build from the back with a high line and the fullbacks pressed high into the midfield. They generally look to progress the ball wide before cutting it centrally with a pass or a dribble. This is helped by a plethora of bodies heading towards the box in support. Abraham often floats and drops in and out of position to aid with this and to create space for his teammates.
Defensively, they attempt to press high and win the ball back as quickly as possible. As can be seen by how they attack, they leave themselves very open for quick counters so it is imperative that they regain possession as quickly as possible.
Both Derby and Villa’s styles are physically and mentally demanding. It is a testament to their management that the sides are able to keep up their pace this deep into the season. Both styles also share a lot of similarities which means one team is going to have to compromise. Most likely, that will be Derby County as Lampard has shown his style is flexible with or without the majority of possession.
Obviously for Chelsea fans, the players to keep an eye on will be Mount, Tomori, and Abraham. Cole could feature, but he has been out injured recently and Lampard may prefer to stick with the guys that got them this far in the meantime.
After his Vitesse season, it was probably easier to describe Mount as an advanced playmaker or a 10. Lampard has molded him into more of a flying 8 (think Lampard himself or how Pep Guardiola uses his more forward centermids). Mount operates box to box looking to always be an option for a pass or a shot. He will aggressively lead the press from midfield for Derby and few things coming or going happen without his involvement.
Tomori has matured massively under Lampard even though defensively the side is somewhat wanting. But that suits Tomori’s no nonsense approach with defending. He is very capable with the ball at his feet as well as the back four look to create a vertical lane to launch a quick attack.
On the other side is Abraham who could be described as a poacher but that really only applies in the box. Abraham often drops deep in support of the midfield during the buildup to create space for the wingers to cut in. If the wingers are able to advance enough on their own, Abraham lurks in the box finding pockets of space to score. Clearly it has been a working relationship as Abraham finished second in the Championship’s goal scoring race.
This match is most likely going to be an open, back and forth affair. Both sides are very much deserving of promotion after this long season and Chelsea fans will have plenty to watch out for as one team rises into the Premier League.