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Chelsea: Three things to mind against Arsenal

By Travis Tyler

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 26: Tammy Abraham of Chelsea is challenged by Rob Holding of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on December 26, 2020 in London, England. The match will be played without fans, behind closed doors as a Covid-19 precaution. (Photo by Adrian Dennis - Pool/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 26: Tammy Abraham of Chelsea is challenged by Rob Holding of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea at Emirates Stadium on December 26, 2020 in London, England. The match will be played without fans, behind closed doors as a Covid-19 precaution. (Photo by Adrian Dennis - Pool/Getty Images) /
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Chelsea’s English defender Dujon Sterling (R) runs with the ball during the English FA Cup third round football match between Norwich City and Chelsea at Carrow Road in Norwich, north east England on January 6, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Adrian DENNIS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Chelsea’s English defender Dujon Sterling (R) runs with the ball during the English FA Cup third round football match between Norwich City and Chelsea at Carrow Road in Norwich, north east England on January 6, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Adrian DENNIS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images) /

2. How does Chelsea form its base?

Striker is a much easier question to answer than how Chelsea forms its base. Usually, the team will attack by changing into a 3-2-5 shape. That 3-2 part is the base and that’s where Chelsea is coming up a bit light this preseason thanks to the Euros and Copa America.

Against Bournemouth, Tuchel started a patch work base that included Dujon Sterling (a wingback more often than not), Lewis Baker as a centerback (he’s a midfielder), Malaang Sarr, Danny Drinkwater, and Conor Gallagher. Gallagher is already gone on loan and in the second half, he was joined in the middle by Ross Barkley and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

light. Related Story. Rival Premier League signings putting pressure on Chelsea

Chelsea can’t venture too far away from that weirdness because most of the centerbacks and midfielders will have only just started training this preseason. Tuchel could opt to play guys like Antonio Rudiger and N’Golo Kante, but it may be more of a risk long term. Given this is just a friendly, there is no need to take risks but Chelsea will struggle to field a solid and competitive base without those players.

Of course, there is always the chance that Tuchel opts for a different formation. That seems unlikely given the lengths he went to keep 3-4-3 last time, but 4-2-2-2 is in the pipeline somewhere, 3-5-2 was used in the second half, and 4-3-3 surely isn’t too far away. Tuchel could change shape to field a better XI, but that’s entirely up to him.

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