Three lessons learned in Chelsea’s preseason trip to Brighton

Chelsea kicked off preseason with a draw to Brighton. What lessons can be learned from the match that previews the season opener?

It was honors even as Chelsea’s trip to Brighton resulted in a 1-1 draw. Preseason is never about the result however and the Blues performed (mostly) well in a preview to their first match of the season. Several players got “debuts”, most notably new signings Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech. What lessons can be taken going into preseason?

1. A throwback to older tactics

Frank Lampard’s Derby County was fairly consistent tactically. A 4-2-3-1 focused on playing down the flanks with the player in the 10 role given a great deal of freedom on the pitch. The pivot had to react by seesawing back and forth in response to the 10 to keep the team solid. This was all behind an intense press and counter press and the ball was moved quickly but with control.

Lampard started his Chelsea manager career with the same tactics, but quickly found that the Blues were not quite suited. He played around with a few variations both in response to the players he had available and the opponent.

The original plan returned, meaning it is likely one Lampard is hoping to revive with his new additions. It and the 4-3-3 with dual eights are probably the plan for next season.

Everything about the shape moved around Ruben Loftus-Cheek. The English midfielder moved seamlessly from the eight to the 10 and even into the nine. This did not just happen with Chelsea in possession either; the Blues often changed the shape of their press around the midfielder too.

This meant that the pivot of N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic had to be hyper aware of themselves and others and adjust accordingly. As stated, they seesawed with one another and the play as the ball moved around the pitch. It was highly involved and outside of that pairing, the Blues might not yet have a duo as capable.

Things came off the boil after the second half substitutes began and the shape become more of a 4-3-2-1/4-diamond-2. Lewis Baker and Ethan Ampadu replaced Kovacic and Kante in the pivot but neither was able to flow as well as the two experienced players. Chelsea has the ability to play these kind of tactics now, but they may still lack the depth to do it consistently if this is the plan going forward.