It has been partially injury enforced but Chelsea is seeing several partnerships developing across the pitch. That gives options and headaches.
When a manager uses a decision based model of play like Frank Lampard does, one of two things will; happen. The first is the team will have an initial lurch of results because allowing that level of autonomy requires a great deal of understanding of one another. The second is, if players play together often, partnerships can be formed as players understand each other’s tendencies.
Injuries have forced Frank Lampard’s hand on line up selections more often than not this season but that has allowed several partnerships to develop. It should be no surprise that Chelsea’s results have improved the more consistent the line up has been. But as players return from injury, Lampard will need to decide whether or not to break up partnerships for a recovered player or stick with what is working. On the same note, he could gain the option to swap out partnerships and develop several at the same time.
In general, the 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 that Lampard prefers can be broken down into several sections. There is the back four, the midfield three (or the pivot and the band of three), and the forwards. Those can even be broken down further and some partnerships, like that of the full back and winger, can blend between the sections.
Right now, the clearest partnerships Chelsea has developed include that of Kurt Zouma and Fikayo Tomori as well as the one between Mateo Kovacic and Jorginho. Again, this is partially due to the injuries of Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen, and N’Golo Kante. And as those players return to fitness, Lampard will need to start making stick or twist decisions.
The center back one is the easier one. The steel and silk Tomori and Zouma provide one another is not worth breaking up and can be matched by Rudiger and Christensen. Lampard could easily use one pair for midweek games and the other for weekend games.
The pivot or midfield three situation is trickier. Kante walks back into this side when he finally finds his fitness but who makes way is becoming increasingly trickier. Jorginho is much improved this year and the vice captain, but Kovacic is rapidly approaching a new level with Chelsea. Those two could play with Kante like last year, but that raises questions as to where Mason Mount goes because it would be shocking to see him dropped given his importance to Lampard’s tactics.
A potential solution to that could be formation dependent. If a 4-3-3 is needed, go with Kovacic, Kante, and Jorginho with Ruben Loftus-Cheek potentially throwing his hat in the ring when he gets fit. For the 4-2-3-1, Lampard can decide on a pivot between those three midfielders and then the 10 spot can be between Loftus-Cheek or Mount (it is hard to see Ross Barkley having much of a place if Loftus-Cheek comes back as he was). All of that is not as ideal as partnership A and B, but it is constrained enough to develop relationships.
The partnership between a fullback and winger and the band of three with the striker are all still underdeveloped but that is partially by design. More so than the pivot or the center back pairing, the other six are very fluid. While it seems counter intuitive that they do not need to understand each other as much, that level of chaos does more damage to the opponent than Chelsea.
Partnerships are a good thing for Lampard given how he sets his side up. The ones that have developed thus far have been excellent together but returning injured players may have a chance to break things up. On the same not, Lampard will start having the opportunity to swap entire sections as needed while keeping a great blend of skills together. It is really up to Lampard which direction is the better one to go in as the winter slog looms.