Formation and Tactics Discussion

[Strike 6,956]

Sorry, yeah i mean i would play Oscar ahead of ramires, but i would probably play Oscar at Cam and Hazard on the right if i was putting it in a formation, though as many has said to me, he plays there for brazil, which is good credentials, so may even play RW/RAM

he certainly seems confident in playing in different positions but i think di matteo should tie him down to one primary position and use him in other positions only if needed. preferably CM.

[Hutcho 8,443]

he certainly seems confident in playing in different positions but i think di matteo should tie him down to one primary position and use him in other positions only if needed. preferably CM.

I agree, i think his best position with his range of passing has to be in the middle, but tbh i have only seen him play around 4 times before so am probably not the best to judge, but thats what it looks like to me anyway... Will be a great prospect for us wherever RDM puts him..

[Rahul Haque 57]

my first team barring injuries

cech

ivanovic cahill terry cole

mikel lampard

marin mata hazard

torres

beast team.

just need a back up rb and striker.

[GhanaBoy 104]

And also stop switching Oscar's potion. He is a CAM. and can play across the Band or " the three" not cm as people seem to think ( I believe with chance that position will go to either KDB or Mceachran). Let me sound it out loud he is the CAM and the creative outlet of the great BRAZILIAN NATIONAL TEAM!!!!!!!!!!! He also is been giving the #10!!!!! shirt for BRAZIL!!!!!!! Have any of you followed his career and his stile of play. Becuase if you have you would know he is the true #10 we have been looking for , not MATA. ( I think over the last decade Chelsea fans have not been treated to a real #10 that why when Mata apppeared we have come to the assumption he will be our pure #10) I asssure you with time Oscar will surpass Mata just like Hazard will. And I beg you guys to go and check out Mata for the U21 championships, early Valencia years with David Silva, and all his appearances for Spain . What they all have in comming is Juan Mata playing wide ang succeeding ( just like in the early days of AVB.. only flow was his deffencive work which has improved quite well) Plus during our run to the champions league he became missing as he is not a true #10 , rather a player that likes to play between the lines.

My formatoin: 4-2-1-3: Back 4: Romeu, Mceachran: Oscar: Hazard, Torres , Mata

[dee25 1,044]

And before anyone gets angry, this isn't any kneejerk thread or any anger towards any previous matches.

Do you think we should keep this formation or change it?, i think we should change it. With our current players we cannot hold a good double pivot.

Lampard-Mikel not good enough, that will cause problems. Any other alternate decisions are still not good enough, probably our best one is...

Ramires-Mikel, still for me this isn't good enough but probably our best one.

Maybe it's time to change to a 4-3-3?.

Hazard-Torres-Marin

Mata/Oscar-Ramires

Mikel

Cole-Terry-Luiz-Ivanovic

Cech

I think we need to change the system and with our current players possibly our best line up there. But i think we definitely need a new DM, and you've heard it before from me i want Tiote. And people disagree and think Mikels good enough, fair enough if that's what you think.

But what do you think about 4-2-3-1?, is it wise to keep this formation?, or should we revert to 4-3-3?, or any different formation.

First time posting on this forum but I actually agree with you 100%. So glad someone else notices this. The 4-2-3-1 would be an effective formation if we had a strong and solid defensive midfielder. I'll be brutally honest - mikel should not be allowed anywhere near the double pivot, yes he put in a great game against bayern and yes he's improved significantly, but in the double pivot he's just not capable of holding the midfield. It was just far too easy for the opposition to get past him and this risked exposing the back four.

Just look at when Essien played against MLS or PSG - the moment possession was lost he was on the ball, he created problems for the opposition. Mikel (bless him) just lacks this aggressiveness that's required to slow down a counter-attack. He's just far too passive, slow and really doesn't work all that hard. While his weaknesses might not have been too much of a problem when we played a 4-3-2-1 formation, however in double pivot he creates a huge gap between the defence and the forwards. If we're going to stick to the 4-2-3-1 formation then it is crucial that sign a quality defensive midfielder who has a good work rate, is prolific at winning the ball and can tackle well. My pick would be Etienne Capoue.

[communicate 2,703]

It isn't.

I discussed this in my new season thread, Mata can adapt into midfield ,more work rate more deeper. Obviously he's a free roam player but he can do it. Oscar even better for it in my opinion.

Where as 4-2-3-1 is 3 attackers, 3 midfielders would be much more suitable, because getting dominated in midfield is what could be our true weakness by buying all these attackers.

I highly doubt mata can play as CM. Defensively he is very poor and his natural tendency is to go forward,not sure about oscar.

[communicate 2,703]

my first team barring injuries

cech

ivanovic cahill terry cole

mikel lampard

marin mata hazard

torres

beast team.

just need a back up rb and striker.

I expect that to be our main starting lineup for next season.

Our 3 AM can switch position at will and If we need to boss the game better we can bring oscar to replace lampard.

[BLionheart 516]

You can all fantasize all you want but unless we replace Mikel with a proper DM , we will have the same troubles.

[TrippingStep 336]

what I would like if we buy Cavani and Azpilicueta.

----------Azpi----------------------------Ivanovic-------------?-------------------------Cole----------------

------------------------------Ramires-----------------------?----------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------Oscar----------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------Mata----------------------------------------------------Hazard----------------------------------

----------------------------------------------Cavani------------------------------------------------------------------

Full backs that can take the space ant take on the fullbacks of the other team.

Oscar Mata Hazard exchanging their positions, Oscar being the one dictating the tempo of the game. When he comes deeper, Ramires can come forward, if the opposite team player is following oscar, Ramires driving in the space could be great.

Cavani for me would be a great forward as he's a hard working player, he can link-up quite well and is a great header of the ball.

[Pacquiao 1,834]

And before anyone gets angry, this isn't any kneejerk thread or any anger towards any previous matches.

Do you think we should keep this formation or change it?, i think we should change it. With our current players we cannot hold a good double pivot.

Lampard-Mikel not good enough, that will cause problems. Any other alternate decisions are still not good enough, probably our best one is...

Ramires-Mikel, still for me this isn't good enough but probably our best one.

Maybe it's time to change to a 4-3-3?.

Hazard-Torres-Marin

Mata/Oscar-Ramires

Mikel

Cole-Terry-Luiz-Ivanovic

Cech

I think we need to change the system and with our current players possibly our best line up there. But i think we definitely need a new DM, and you've heard it before from me i want Tiote. And people disagree and think Mikels good enough, fair enough if that's what you think.

But what do you think about 4-2-3-1?, is it wise to keep this formation?, or should we revert to 4-3-3?, or any different formation.

I 100% agree! our double pivot clearly isn't good enough! for me we really need to just pay the £35-40 Million for Modric as he would improve our team massively! we need someone who can control games from midfield and get the ball to the creative players! Lamps-Mikel just isn't good enough! they are good when we park the bus but when we play attacking football they are absolutely useless!

[Tomo 21,681]

I have actually been thinking this for a while.

4-2-3-1 served us well last season but this season i don't think it will be much cop. If we start the season with this formation, it will be changed before long no doubt about it.

I think we have the personnel to revert back to the 4-3-3, we have the players that can play on the wings now. Hazard, Marin, Mata, Danny and Oscar (although i'd prefer the later in the centre).

You can all fantasize all you want but unless we replace Mikel with a proper DM , we will have the same troubles.

Although i think Mikel is vastly under-rated i do agree there are better out there, i think next summer will be when the club prioritize getting a new defensive midfielder in, especially if Barca activate the Romeu clause.

[Blue Armour 4,158]

Its a no-brainer. Di Matteo can't stick with one formation the entire season. 4-3-3 is an excellent formation to revert to. It started to fail over the past two seasons, primarily for 2 reasons: 1. No genuine wide players 2. The same personnel being used week in week out. allowing teams to figure us out. With the players we have now, (not to mention the type we lack to play in the double pivot) 4-3-3 is good.

[KonohasOrangeFlash 2,607]

I have actually been thinking this for a while.

4-2-3-1 served us well last season but this season i don't think it will be much cop. If we start the season with this formation, it will be changed before long no doubt about it.

I think we have the personnel to revert back to the 4-3-3, we have the players that can play on the wings now. Hazard, Marin, Mata, Danny and Oscar (although i'd prefer the later in the centre).

Oscar is not even a winger FFS. Do some research.

[Tomo 21,681]

Oscar is not even a winger FFS. Do some research.

Arre my eyes deceiving me? im pretty sure i put can play on the wing if need be, i never said he was an out and out winger.

[KonohasOrangeFlash 2,607]

Arre my eyes deceiving me? im pretty sure i put can play on the wing if need be, i never said he was an out and out winger.

Let's try Lampard on the wing........

[Ollie 4,400]

Not sure really, i mean we played really well against PSG in the 2nd half and looked dangerous against Seattle. I think it's the personnel who are occupying the positions that are making it seem to be not working so well and the serious lack of tempo. I think Ramires, Oscar and Mikel would be great in a 3 across midfield with Hazard and Marin or Mata on the wings but i'm not sure if Mata and Hazard want to be so far out wide throughout matches. The 4-2-3-1 gives them more freedom and more areas of the pitch to do what they do.

I think just keep the 4-2-3-1 and develop it over time when we have everyone fit. If we use 4-3-3, we should use it more as a 4-3-2-1 and give the '2' more freedom. That would work great for me.

Judge the 4-2-3-1 when we have everyone to chose from. It could be a brilliant formation in time as we have the players for it.

[Ryan Fong 2,776]

Cech

Ivanovic - Cahill - Terry - A.Cole

Ramires - Essien(Mikel)

Oscar - Mata - Hazard

Torres

This will do for me. Lampard can be an experienced sub like Giggs does for MU.

Edit: Oscar can interchange with Ramires; Mata can interchange with Hazard.

[Kojo 4,676]

I 100% agree! our double pivot clearly isn't good enough! for me we really need to just pay the £35-40 Million for Modric as he would improve our team massively! we need someone who can control games from midfield and get the ball to the creative players! Lamps-Mikel just isn't good enough! they are good when we park the bus but when we play attacking football they are absolutely useless!

The defensive midfield position is what we need to sort out mostly, Mikel lacks the aggressiveness as dee25 pointed out earlier in the thread. You wont see Mikel sprinting back or slide tackling or bullying midfielders, only with his strength he can shield them off the ball and make a good pass. For me it's not good enough, Mikel must break up play, and Lampard is an attacking player like it or not, he can do the business but not for the rest of his career, he's always going to look to go forward. Modric would be perfect but i cannot see it, he looks Madrid bound now too.

I am confident Ramires could be the engine, but he must stay back a lot more if he's playing the double pivot. But getting a new DM is a must, the perfect DM we could get is Tiote, some people should watch him they would be very impressed, and with Mike Ashley owner i think anyone could get him.