Chelsea and the cornerstone of the 4-2-3-1: The power of the pivot

The signs are already pointing towards Frank Lampard rolling with a 4-2-3-1 this season with Chelsea. The pivot is powerful if set up properly.

The 4-2-3-1 is seen as a somewhat modern formation that is already fading out of style as players change. But it is still incredibly prominent in part due to the flexibility it presents.

Chelsea fans should already know of that flexibility. When Jose Mourinho came back to Chelsea, he came to a club that had already been using the formation for several seasons. He too experimented with the formation to get the best out of it. But it took Cesc Fabregas’ arrival to complete the most important piece of the formation: the pivot.

The two players in the middle can change everything about the formation even if all the other players are kept the same. It allows for a great amount of options in regards to style and player selection. Frank Lampard will have several pivots to pick from depending on the style most needed.

In most circumstances, N’Golo Kante will be the one guaranteed player in the pivot. His ability to receive and coolly pass the ball on does not get nearly as much praise as it should. And of course, he can sniff out and snuff out danger from almost anywhere.

Nemanja Matic fulfilled a similar role for Mourinho as the Portuguese manager tried several players next to him. Ramires could shuttle up and down and string the front four to the back four. John Obi Mikel was the closer, brought on to create a strong defensive midfield poised to counter late. And even Frank Lampard found a role in the shape as he could make runs from deep to score or sit deeper to control tempo. Fabregas, of course, offered a brand new dimension to the shape with his passing.

Lampard is lucky in that he has a similar group of midfielders to draw on depending on the situation. Mateo Kovacic is very much a player who can be described as a linker, stringing the back to the front and letting better suited players do their job with him gluing it together. Tiemoue Bakayoko, if he stays, can fill in Mikel’s more defensive role. Jorginho lacks the long range passing of Fabregas, but he can be the deep lying playmaker the squad needs to crack open stubborn defenses. Lampard even has the option of returning Ruben Loftus-Cheek to his original position under Mourinho to replicate his own deep drives into the box.

But finding the right pivot for the situation will be key to Lampard’s success using a 4-2-3-1. The pivot needs to always be ready as an outlet for the ball while also being able to create output as opponents are drawn away. If the pivot over reaches or is over run, the defense is immediately open for an attack. Especially if the fullbacks have pushed up level or above the pivot as is common.

Lampard will have many options to consider in the cornerstone of the formation. He has already tried one with Danny Drinkwater and Ethan Ampadu that worked well against Bohemian but is unlikely to be seen again. If Lampard can find the right partner for Kante for any given situation, his side will begin to click in fantastic ways.