Chelsea fullbacks have gotten the short end of the stick in recent years. They are good enough to survive as the game leaves their type behind.
Roughly a decade ago, fullbacks stopped being “just defenders”. As the seasons passed by, they were asked more and more to get forward and attack. But they were still required to get back and defend as the position became one of the most demanding in the game.
Chelsea, largely, has worked around that trend. Jose Mourinho’s fullbacks were still defenders first, attackers second. Antonio Conte utilized wingbacks which somewhat shielded the players from the growing demands on fullbacks. Maurizio Sarri’s tactics left the fullbacks exposed because of those newer demands and Frank Lampard’s set up also asks a great deal of those widest defenders.
Among fans, this has manifested as the fullbacks not being “good enough” because they are not ideal for the modern game. Adjustments will have to be made, but Chelsea’s fullbacks are good enough to survive. At least until Chelsea is able to find the golden goose of a fullback many think exists and is available.
Take Cesar Azpilicueta for example. He is very much a stereotypical old school fullback; he defends first and attacks second. Azpilicueta is more comfortable going forward than many give him credit for, but he is not looking to overlap and touch the line. Generally, he pushes up to offer a way to recycle possession. He is the oldest fullback Chelsea has, but also the most clever, and he will have a place in Blue for as long as his legs allow it.
Marcos Alonso and Emerson are essentially polar opposites. Both understand the need to both attack and defend. Alonso is often lambasted for his speed by the people who take FIFA ratings too seriously, but he does find ways to cope with his positioning. Emerson has the speed many crave, but he uses it in a more blunt way because he can (for now).
But consider that few top teams would go out of their way to bring in either Alonso or Emerson and the gulf between their talents and the golden goose fullback reveals itself. Both can absolutely shine under the right circumstances, but neither is perfect for every type of opponent.
Davide Zappacosta practically has a foot out the door which leaves a spot for Reece James. Of all the fullbacks, James is the closest to the modern version of a fullback. That is perhaps why he is so highly rated but it is worth keeping in mind that he is still a very young and raw player. While he excelled at Wigan, there was also a sense that he was not being tested very much which allowed him to get by with a bad touch here or a poor tackle there.
Chelsea will obviously be without a fullback signing this season because of the ban. But even after that, what fullback stands out (and is available) that would meet all the demands fans have in the modern game? It is not a question that creates much consensus. It also does not help that Pep Guardiola, one of the patron saints of the need for modern fullbacks, has had to buy several before finding just two that he liked.
Rather than lament at the lack of a modern fullback, Lampard needs to find solutions to solve the issue. The sign of a good manager is to find the best use for every player. Lampard has shown a keen eye for experimenting this preseason but he is still laying a great deal of burden going forward and getting back on his fullbacks.
If he wants to be successful until that mythical perfect fullback shows up in the market and wants to come to Chelsea, he will need to find a way to use the current fullbacks as the game tries to leave their type behind.