Chelsea: Three key clashes as Blues look for rebound against Wolves

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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 24: Thiago Silva of Chelsea in action in action during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Chelsea at Old Trafford on October 24, 2020 in Manchester, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) /

Chelsea will be looking to move on from their loss to Everton by defeating Wolves. What key clashes will decide the fixture?

Carlo Ancelotti got the better of Frank Lampard at Goodison Park in the Blues’ second league loss of the season. These things happen, but what is important now is to not make a habit of it. Chelsea has a quick turnaround with an away trip to Wolverhampton on deck. What key clashes might determine the fixture?

1. Back threes and back fours

When Wolverhampton was promoted to the Premier League, manager Nuno Espirito Santo was adamant they would be sticking with the back three come hell or high water. That was what got them into the league and they were not going to deviate. It paid off. Wolves has arguably been knocking on the door of the top six since promotion.

For that reason, Nuno Espirito Santo decided this season that Wolves were going to be less pragmatic. He wanted them to play more on the front foot to solidify their place in the league. Recently, that has even led them to playing in a back four.

It hasn’t exactly worked. Wolves had a rough start to the season, a brief run of form, and now they are in another rough patch. They are deviating from what worked to try to advance themselves and it may have been the wrong move overall. Whether Nuno Espirito Santo reverts to what works, i.e. a buccaneering countering style, remains to be seen.

On the other side of things, Frank Lampard isn’t afraid to mix things up if he feels like things aren’t going well. He tends to stick with what works (perhaps too long?) while juggling formations on down spells. The second league loss of the season surely isn’t a down spell, but injuries and that loss might trigger a three at the back if he expects Wolverhampton to do the same. It remains to be seen whether this is a blip or a bump in the road.

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