If Chelsea is to compete on all fronts, Frank Lampard must ensure he has enough versatility in his squad to keep ideas fresh and opponents guessing.
Throughout the footballing pyramid, coaches and clubs alike are demanding that their current crop of players—or potential signings—are able to perform in a variety of roles on the pitch. Fullbacks who can play centreback or wing-back; midfielders that can drop into defence; forwards expected to play anywhere in attacking situations. These, and numerous other combinations, are the frameworks from which grassroots all the way up the elite level teams are basing their training and recruitment.
Chelsea is no different, having already demonstrated in recent memory the success of player versatility. Antonio Conte proved that he could transform winger Victor Moses and left back Marcos Alonso into efficient wing-backs, whilst deploying David Luiz in a three-man defence with great rewards. Frank Lampard must draw on the Italian’s mastery if he and the Blues are to mount an attack on the country’s powerhouses.
The power of flexibility allows a manager to rotate his side without damaging his philosophy or the fluidity of the set-up. Positionally, players should be adept in a variation of jobs to combat changes in opposition, or a tweak in tactics, that may affect the line-up. Look into the Chelsea set-up and Lampard will be pleased to know he has that kind of adaptability cemented into his squad. Cesar Azpilicueta is a prime example; confident as a centreback, fullback or wing-back, the captain personifies a multi-purpose asset.
Antonio Rudiger partly proved he could perform on the left of a back three despite being primarily right-footed, for both Chelsea and Germany, which will be crucial if Lampard sticks to the formation that he favoured towards the tail end of 2019/20. Alonso was the epitome of the Conte system. However, Ben Chilwell has now arrived and having secured the left back spot, needs to prove he can play is a wing-back efficiently as the Spaniard, a role he had rarely endured for either Leicester City or England. Reece James, on the other hand, has previous experience as right back and wing-back. Rest assured, he will be crucial to Lampard’s long term strategy.
Move further afield and the flexibility is more vast. Mason Mount is a central, attacking and wide midfielder all rolled into one. His energy and ability allow him to glide across the pitch, linking between the lines or pressing with complete purpose. Maurizio Sarri’s greatly ridiculed decision to play N’Golo Kante anywhere other than holding midfield may have gained its critics, but it added another string to an already priceless bow as the Frenchman can now be box-to-box as opposed to just the noble guardsmen.
Unfortunately, Ross Barkley and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are similar in their characteristics, able to beat a man and break from deep. Although, the latter did show signs that he can go beyond the last man in the friendly over Brighton & Hove Albion, an extremely vital trait if he is to expand his underwhelming goal tally.
These have all previously worked beneath the hierarchy at the Blues, moulded by various Stamford Bridge bosses. Yet, the new recruits are no strangers to a change in their DNA, adding to their physical and metaphorical value. Timo Werner loves to drift out wide and cannot be labelled as simply a striker. The German can play up top on his own, as he desires, to dash in behind defences. It makes him a one-man running machine.
Hakim Ziyech can also play virtually anywhere behind the main forward, or even slightly ahead of a midfield trio. The term winger is becoming outdated and although the former Ajax star is generally stationed on the wings, his best work comes in the No. 10 role. Ziyech can orchestrate proceedings from virtually anywhere he desires, able to cut in on his left or deliver deadly crosses from the right.
Christian Pulisic is much the same in the fact he is assertive on either flank, but is more of your archetypal wide forward. Whilst Ziyech likes to dictate possession, Pulisic enjoys to dribble and advance with the ball at his feet. This pairing, alongside Werner, will cause havoc to Premier League defenders, fluid in their movement and interchangeable in their positions.
Don’t even begin to get me started on Kai Havertz … the boy wonder can be fielded as a No. 8, a No. 6, a No. 10 or anywhere across the front four. He really will be a joy for Lampard to tinker with and certainly a gem that Chelsea can build around.
This does leave a cloud of doubt over those who far more limited in what they can do or where they can play. Tammy Abraham is only really built to be a No. 9 and unless Lampard decides to go two up front, he will be a stunt double to Werner. Jorginho is neither defensive nor attack-minded enough to move around the midfield. Granted, he can be the transitional linchpin as the footballing quarterback equivalent. Yet, the robust nature of Kante and Kovacic simply outweighs the passing strength of Jorginho.
It’s big, it’s Blue and it’s sexy, but can Chelsea utilise the versatility of its star-studded squad to full capacity? Only Frank Lampard has the answers.