Chelsea: Three lessons learnt in another Brighton draw

2. 4-2-2-2 has its own limitations

One of the reasons why managers like Tuchel and Antonio Conte like the three at the back so much is its ability to create overloads where they are most needed in practically every phase of play. This is most noticeable against teams using a back four, as most still do. Tuchel can’t be at fault for the team’s terribly slow play, but he can take some blame for using the back four against a team that uses 3-4-2-1 every single match.

In many ways, Brighton is like a lower table mirror of Chelsea. They play in remarkably similar ways. That is why it is even more surprising Tuchel opted for the 4-2-2-2 against a formation that is set up pretty well to exploit it. Yes, it worked against Tottenham, but little in Hakim Ziyech’s recent performance against Manchester City indicated that he could be the linchpin once again.

Brighton, much like Chelsea normally does, was able to press the Blues in all their weak spots. The fullbacks were pushed back, Jorginho was marked out (leaving N’Golo Kante as the ball progressor), and both Hakim Ziyech and Mason Mount saw their wings clipped as Romelu Lukaku and Callum Hudson-Odoi were swarmed by defenders and every turn. Everything Brighton did was right out of Chelsea’s playbook which is why it is all the more surprising that the Blues fell for it so completely.

4-2-2-2 makes sense so long as Chelsea lacks the wingbacks to make three at the back effective. But against another three at the back system, especially one that presses, it becomes an easy exploitable shape. Things only marginally improved when Timo Werner and Kai Havertz came on and showed an actual willingness to move, but by then it was far too late to get out of the trap that the club usually sets itself for others.