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.
2. Kai Havertz
The worst kept secret in world football is the fact that Kai Havertz has largely failed to find his footing in the Premier League. The £70+ million wunderkind has gotten off to a rough start since moving to England. Of course, there’s context to these struggles. Havertz has gotten COVID-19 twice, suffered multiple injuries, played for two managers, failed to nail down a spot at any one position and played in a plethora of different formations. Oh yeah, this is all in addition to picking up everything he owns and moving to a new country at the age of 21. The youngster often dubbed ‘the next Thomas Muller’ deserves to be cut a ton of slack.
A large part of the reason why he’s failed to solidify a starting spot over nearly two full seasons at the club is the subject of this article, Mount. Mount’s made himself undroppable at a number of different positions, even as his game continues to develop. Therefore, the absence of the individual many believe will be Chelsea’s next great club captain will work in Havertz’s favor.
Another reason it’s difficult to slot the German into the starting XI is because Tuchel is yet to find his best position on the pitch. Havertz is often referred to as a ‘No. 9.5’ because he can succeed as a striker or attacking midfielder. He’s also capable of playing out wide or as a second striker, which only further clouds the issue. Havertz now has the opportunity to slot into a role that seems tailor-made to fit his play style. The youngster would be able to rotate freely amongst a few different attacking positions on his favorite right side. Playing as one of the two advanced midfielders would also allow him to get onto the ball more than when he’s isolated up in attack.
Despite a series of shaky and unconvincing performances over the last few months, there is no doubt Havertz still has world class potential. He likely has the most to gain from Mount’s absence, even if it is a brief stint on the sidelines. Havertz can—if he plays to his ability—transition seamlessly into this role and allow Tuchel’s team to remain in a 4-1-4-1 shape.
3. Formation change
If Chelsea’s managerial staff finds dual sixes would not work or it thinks Havertz is not yet ready to take on that role, there is still another option. It’s likely seen as a last-ditch effort of sorts because it’s the most drastic change on this list. It’s an effective way to cover for Mount if he does find himself missing a few matches nonetheless. This is unlikely due to the fact the Blues just changed to the 4-1-4-1 formation, but given how crucial the Englishman is to the new shape, it is a possibility that we see Chelsea switch things up for the duration of Mount’s absence.
Tuchel is known as a tactical mastermind. Although he probably isn’t going to be on the touchline for the next match, he still pulls all the strings. One would expect Michels to take on the roll of manager for the Blues again versus Al Hilal as he showed the world on Saturday that he can handle the bright lights with poise. He helped direct the team through numerous changes in-game against Plymouth, so there’s no limit to what he can do with Tuchel assisting virtually in training.
The formation that makes the most sense for Chelsea without Mount would be the 3-5-2. It’s difficult to imagine the Blues wanting to revert back to a three-man defense with James still sidelined, but it’s practical for a game or two. A strike partnership of Lukaku and either Havertz or Timo Werner would bring out the best in each No. 9. This could help get some of the team’s biggest threats firing in the absence of its best player. Furthermore, it requires two less attacking bodies, which means Chelsea reintroduces the defensive solidity that got it to the Club World Cup in the first place. Tuchel has hinted at his itch to play with two strikers in the past, now he has the healthy personnel required to do so. It’s something worth considering while Mount nurses what we hope to be a minor knock.
If the Blues want to get really funky, a 4-4-2 diamond is also on the cards in Mount’s absence. There is more consistency in this formation as it keeps the four-at-the-back that Chelsea has used in its last few matches. Furthermore, it allows Jorginho’s role to remain unchanged while adding an extra central midfielder parallel to Kovacic. This—much like the aforementioned 3-5-2—could see the Blues experiment with two strikers. It allows Ziyech to continue to pull the strings, as he notably did from the same spot against Juventus in the UEFA Champions League. This formational swap would make for a less awkward introduction in midfield as whoever takes Mount’s place would be allowed to sit deeper, as opposed to playing in an attacking role higher up the pitch.
While none of these options are ideal, they show that the Blues do have back-up plans if Mount is indeed out for the near future. The depth within their ranks is astonishing, so much so that there is no reason to rush the English phenom back from injury. Chelsea has gotten out of the roughest part of its schedule and injuries are no longer viewed as the end of the world. Fingers crossed the Blues’ academy graduate is fit enough to take on Al Hilal though as they begin their journey toward a second trophy of the campaign.
How do you think the Blues will cope? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!