Chelsea manager is building one of the most all-around versatile squads in world football, but what makes the formation so unique?
After Fabrizio Romano dropped two Chelsea bombshells on the football world today—regarding the signings of Kai Havertz and Thiago Silva—there is nobody denying the Blues are now a force to be reckoned with in Europe. The Blues are playing FIFA Career Mode in real life, buying players left and right. Even with two months remaining in the window, it seems as if there is still more to come.
However, it is not just the names (Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner, Havertz, Silva, Ben Chilwell, etc.) that strikes fear into opposing managers. The versatility in which the Blues possess across the pitch is unprecedented at such a high level. Frank Lampard’s preferred 4-3-3 could turn into a multitude of formations and it’s anybody’s guess as to who will be in the starting XI.
Lampard will have a plethora of different formations and tactical approaches at his fingertips when the Blues resume play in September. This is because almost every player in the Chelsea squad—bar some defenders—can play in a couple of positions.
Starting with the front line, Werner is able to line up on the left wing or up top as a No. 9. This begs the question as to whether or not he’ll play in a two striker formation, but in all likelihood, he’ll be the lone man. This allows for freedom up top between Werner, Christian Pulisic—who can play on both wings—and Ziyech on the right. Ziyech is also quite comfortable with dropping into midfield as a No. 10 should Lampard want to change things up and have the other two forwards rotate off one another as false No. 9’s.
Not only is this trio a nightmare for defenders to mark because of their tactical flexibility, but their world class ability and pace make them nearly impossible to mark. Now factor in Havertz’s ability to play as a second striker or right winger, on top of his main position as an attacking mid, and you’ve got opposition trembling out of their boots.
On the topic of midfielders: Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante will be fighting for the limited minutes in the middle of the park, but their malleable talents work to their advantages, as well.
The addition of Havertz will undoubtedly impact the amount of time Mount sees on the pitch, but the lack of depth on the wings works to his advantage. Down the stretch this season, the 21-year-old spent a comfortable amount of time in some big moments playing as a winger. Chelsea’s limited to Pulisic, Ziyech and Callum Hudson-Odoi next year, so it’s not too far-fetched to expect Mount to get minutes there too.
The Blues are also thin in defensive—or holding—midfield. Kante’s had some injury troubles over the last few seasons, but to expect anybody else besides the Frenchman starting as the No. 6 would be naive. Kovacic’s best ability, his dribbling, is limited in that role; that doesn’t mean he doesn’t excel. Despite what regista lovers and Sarri stans will tell you, Kovacic is capable of playing a holding role. However, he’ll also spend a significant amount of time in a more advanced role when the attacking midfielders are elsewhere, acting as the glue between the back line and attack.
This opens the door for Billy Gilmour, Ethan Ampadu and Reece James to step in as Kante’s understudies. With the addition of Chilwell, Cesar Azpilicueta will be limited to a role on the right side, where James spent a significant number of minutes last season. A simple way to divvy up that time is to play James in another position where he shines: defensive midfield. Ampadu is also an option here considering he likely won’t be cemented in a centerback spot right away.
So, you can speculate about starting XIs and formations until you’re blue in the face, but there’s no telling what Lampard has in store for opponents and fans alike this season. The one thing that remains true is he has a plethora of players who can play any number of roles in a seemingly infinite number of formations. While the Blues may not be the best team in the Premier League per se, they’ve got a great case mounting to be the deepest. A healthy mix of youth and experience will headline Lampard’s sophomore season in charge of Chelsea. Much like this year, it’ll take some time to get used to, but it’ll ultimately pay off in the end.
This is not a season to sit around and over-analyze every little detail of the squad. Although it may take some time, expect big things from those in blue and those who are yet to join. Beginning the second season since the shipping off of Sarri, Chelsea may finally be playing beautiful football in a few weeks’ time thanks to the versatility of those involved.