Three ways Chelsea can cope with Mason Mount’s absence
Chelsea returned from a two-week hiatus on Saturday in nervy fashion. The Blues required extra time to defeat a League One side many expected them to thrash. They went on to beat Plymouth Argyle 2-1 to advance into the fifth round of the FA Cup, but that’s not to say there wasn’t a price to pay. A number of Chelsea players came off injured throughout the match, including Cesar Azpilicueta, Mason Mount and Hakim Ziyech. Azpilicueta and Ziyech’s knocks are expected to be incredibly minor and the moves were seen as precautions made by step-in manager Arno Michels. However, there is little known at this point in time about the extent of Mount’s injury.
Mount has established himself as one of the most important players in Thomas Tuchel’s team over the last two seasons. He’s racked up 15 goal contributions (seven goals and eight assists) in 32 contests this season across all competitions. The 23-year-old is well on his way to setting personal records in both an overall campaign and a Premier League season. He’s already tied his record number of goals scored and assisted in the English top flight in 16 fewer matches. Mount’s become a key component to Chelsea’s front three since the German manager took over. However, he’s recently been deployed in his natural position in attacking midfield as one of the two No. 8s in Tuchel’s new 4-1-4-1. He’s thrived here, as well, in the two chances he’s gotten.
The prospect of being without such a commanding presence in the Blues’ attack is a terrifying reality. Here are three ways in which Chelsea can cope without Mount for the foreseeable future:
1. Dual No. 6s
It’s been just two games, but the 4-1-4-1 has really worked for the Blues thus far. They’ve looked vastly improved in the final third, tallying 56 shots (18 on target) and four goals in those contests. Part of the reason for this is the fact that the tactical change adds an extra body—even two at times—to the attack. Whereas the 3-4-3 seemingly left the front three on an island, especially with both Ben Chilwell and Reece James absent, the 4-1-4-1 brings two central attacking midfielders into the fold. Mount has taken on the role of the right sided No. 8, often rotating on the flank with Ziyech. This has kept defenses alert while bringing a different skillset to the wide attack.
Mount’s injury could mean playing without anyone in that role. The Chelsea coaching staff has some other reserve midfielders on the bench, but only Ross Barkley’s skillset fits that required of an individual playing this specific role. It goes without saying there are better options in the team than the exiled Englishman, so it could be time to consider bringing in a partner to sit alongside Jorginho in defensive midfield. This means that there won’t be rotation on the flanks. However, it keeps Ziyech in his preferred role, allows for a natural left winger (either Callum Hudson-Odoi or Christian Pulisic) and allows Mateo Kovacic to still carry the ball into the final third and link up with Romelu Lukaku in the build-up.
This won’t be a massive change for the Blues either. While the recent switch is undoubtedly a new tactical idea for Tuchel, ‘4-1-4-1’ is just a more specific 4-3-3. Bringing in two No. 6s keeps that base formation, which means there won’t be much of a tactical difference. The introduction of someone like N’Golo Kante or Saul will make Chelsea less susceptible to counterattacks by the opposition. The obvious drawback with this is losing a player in the attack. Unfortunately, that’s a sacrifice Chelsea may have to make for the time being.