Building from the Back: Rotations and Positional Fluidity
The Blues' buildup from the back was an intriguing aspect of their performance. While they operated from a 4-2-5 shape when building out, it was clear that Southampton’s man-to-man press required tactical rotations to pull their structure apart. Chelsea engaged in continuous positional rotations to either find space for short passes or transition to long balls into the channels.
One notable sequence came before Chelsea’s second goal. In a settled possession phase, Levi Colwill (playing as a left-back in the buildup) was given time to progress the ball, as his Southampton marker failed to close him down in time. Colwill found Enzo Fernandez, who dropped into space. Though Enzo’s touch was slightly off, Cucurella’s defensive work led to a turnover, and Chelsea capitalized on the opportunity, scoring shortly after.
Chelsea’s second goal came from a set-piece. A Chelsea free-kick was swung in, and Colwill expertly guided his header on target, which eventually resulted in a goal from Nkunku. By halftime, Chelsea led 3-0.
You can see this plan to rotate during build up to play through with short passes paying off for the second goal.
— Fahd (@fahdahmed987) February 27, 2025
In a settled possession phase, Chelsea look to build up with a pass being play to Colwill, who functions as the left-back in the build-up phase.
His Southampton… pic.twitter.com/nvjjbJCzwK
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