Why Chelsea should stop worrying and use a 3-5-2 (of sorts)

If it isn’t broke, it shouldn’t be fixed and Chelsea is very much not broken. Since Thomas Tuchel’s arrival, Chelsea has become a defensive juggernaut once again. The goals haven’t exactly flowed, but that is what Romelu Lukaku is for and he’s had just two games to open the floodgates.

But, a good manager knows to stay ahead of the game. Sir Alex Ferguson did not stay at the top for as long as he did because he came up with game breaking tactics. More than anything, he understood he had to make adjustments before something got figured out, not after. Thomas Tuchel is also a good manager and he will know that even his excellent 3-4-3 has a shelf life.

Chelsea has found a great deal of success with the 3-4-3. The next step in the evolution is a 3-5-2 that can be even more devastating. It would be a small adjustment at first, but one that could lead to a big difference offensively as it prepares Chelsea for the next step in their evolution.

Blues fans should know from Antonio Conte’s time that any three at the back formation lives and dies on all of its players performing to task. Of course, that can be true for any formation but the effect seems to be magnified with three at the back. So much of the formation is about players understanding movements and creating temporary overloads that if one player falters, the whole system follows.

Tuchel’s now had several months and a preseason to get the squad acclimated to his tactics. The movements, particularly in the central areas, has improved dramatically. So much so that Tuchel may now be able to trust players with additional responsibilities.

This is where the 3-5-2 comes in. Realistically, it can be achieved by simply dropping Mason Mount deeper on paper. In effect, it could still often look like the 3-4-3 as he ventures forward. The key difference exists in midfield and up top.

One key aspect of three at the back is that the side centerbacks act almost like fullbacks at times, especially if the ball is being focused down their flank. This can be replicated in the midfield as well, provided there are three players. The side centermids can shift over to the flank, temporarily, and act like wingers for a few moments.

That is simply a better utilization of resources. Teams don’t necessarily need both a fullback/wingback and a winger on both flanks. One is enough to keep the play stretched and that opens up a man to come central for a pass. This pendulum motion, used most famously by Julian Nagelsmann’s teams, can be devastating with the right players that understand their role.

Something similar can happen up top as well. If one of the strikers (or, ideally both) is also able to get wide, they can further overload a flank before switching to a freer player central or on the opposite flank. Or, they could both stay central and pin down the center if the overload is achievable without their assistance.

3-5-2 also gives a great control over the center. Currently, Chelsea’s two forwards (“wingers”) tend to squeeze in and form a box with the two midfielders. While that gives them plenty of options, it tends to force the play wide because a box can be somewhat easily stalled. 3-5-2 would create more triangles and it would stretch the play better. Not only would this open the center more, it would also open up vertical passing lanes if players get pulled away.

The main reason to start to consider this switch would be its allowance of more attackers on the pitch, in theory. Much like Frank Lampard tried to use dual 10s in his midfield three, Tuchel would be able to do something similar but with the added benefit of additional shielding behind. Then, a fourth attacker would be available to pair with Lukaku.

Furthermore, this would prepare Chelsea to a switch to four at the back. While no one should really expect that switch anytime soon, eventually, it will return. When it does, the players should be as comfortable as possible with their various roles and having to do double duty at times. 3-4-3 has already prepared many of the players for such an occasion but 3-5-2 would be of further assistance while offering greater flexibility overall.

The main drawbacks would be in the midfield and with some of the wingers. As things stand, N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Jorginho, and Saul Niguez will all be fighting over two spots. The pivot serves them all well because their skill set lies mostly in transition. A midfield three would have space for one transitional player more often than it would two. Those wide centermids would have to be comfortable moving wide and that is primarily just Kante and Saul as it stands. That is before considering Mount dropping into that conversation and likely Kai Havertz as well.

Where the more “true” wingers fit in will also be a concern. Christian Pulisic and Callum Hudson-Odoi could both end up as wingbacks in such a system or they could even partner up with the striker. Whether or not that is ideal for either is another question as they would remain down the depth chart. Hakim Ziyech would also find himself an awkward fit.

But the benefits of a 3-5-2 would outweigh the consequences. It could function similarly to the current 3-4-3 but it would take better advantage of the players’ growing abilities and understandings of Tuchel’s system. It could create more devastating overloads and increase the goal tally in tandem with the defensive improvements.