Three things to look for in Chelsea vs Leeds United

2. Does Thomas Tuchel adjust?

Tuchel’s Chelsea has been the model of consistency and even-keeled-ness since he took over almost a year ago. While the pieces have been moved around, the system that earned a scoreless draw against Wolves to stem the bleeding back in January is the same one that won a Champions League final in May, and obliterated Juventus a few weeks ago. A confident defense, a tidy midfield and an energetic attack have been able to see the Blues through a ton of sticky situations the past year. Now, however, the defense looks nervous, the midfield is unkempt and the attack seems caught in between two minds depending on the day.

The question at this point is whether Tuchel should stick or twist. Rumors that the team has trained with a back four pop up every once in a while, and the constant reshuffling of the injured list makes it tough to know that the available bodies will fill the roles in the current system appropriately. Leeds presents an interesting opportunity though, in that Marcelo Bielsa is incredibly obstinate in his dedication to his own philosophies and tactics. That’s maybe unsurprising when you have half the notable coaches in the world speaking about you as a living god (looking at you, Pep). Either way, Leeds’ style of play is well-established, but lately it seems like it might also have been figured out by other Premier League sides. It’s not unlike how Antonio Conte’s 3-4-3 revolutionized the league for a season before being reduced to just another system the following year. Somewhat like Conte, Bielsa seems unlikely to give even an inch in an effort to recapture the magic of the season prior.

Tuchel, on the other hand, has proven to be less stubborn over the course of his career. Looking at his Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain sides, Tuchel is no stranger to a sudden formation shift or a new tactical game plan. That versatility was one of the arguments for bringing him in midseason; he could pick a style that worked with the players and could be taught quickly.

Almost a year later, it looks like the team might be ripe for another shake up. There are maybe four nailed-on healthy starters in the side right now: Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger, Mason Mount and Reece James. Everything else around them is uncertain for one reason or another. That core still allows for a lot of flexibility in how Tuchel might build around them. Silva and Rudiger are your battle-hardened stalwarts at the back, who could be flanked by two fullbacks or one centerback and pair of wingbacks further forward. James can theoretically play at fullback, wingback, right centerback or defensive midfield, while Mount can take up pretty much any spot from central midfield to false nine. The flexibility provided by Mount and James makes anything from a 4-4-2 to a 3-diamond-3 reasonably practical.

If ever there was a time to try a change, a match against a side with a well-known and consistent style like Leeds makes for a good litmus test for the viability of making some major alterations to how Chelsea approaches matches for the near to medium-term future. Tuchel has been pretty steady in sticking with his 3-4-2-1, but in this somewhat shaky patch, and with plenty more matches coming in quick succession, don’t be surprised if he looks to reshuffle the deck and get a better tune out of the squad.