Future Chelsea team

[Jase 43,479]

How about a 4-1-3-1-1.

Different i know but could be a viable option.

It solves the ramires problem and puts players in preffered positions. The main problem being that it could be fairly lacking definsively and require Mikel to be solid. Though i quite like the idea providing our midfield 3 doesn't sit too deep.

That midfield will get overrun with only Mikel in there. Oscar and Mata are both essentially attacking players and won't help out much defensively.

[Sheva. 5,373]

Yeah i see you your point and if we sign no other players it could be a way to go however the problem it causes is that it forces mata to play wide and he doesn't particular like it. Also Mata and hazard linking up would be a bit harder, though it would mean ramires could fit in better, in a CM with the ability to be a box to box player.

That would mean shifting Mata out wide, which we all know is not a good move.

The 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3, 4-3-2-1 and maybe even 4-diamond-2 are all options for us next season.

Yeah i meant 4-3-2-1.

---------Cech----------

Ivan--Luiz--JT--Cole

Ramires-Mikel-Lamps/Oscar

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

---------Torres------

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

That would mean shifting Mata out wide, which we all know is not a good move.

Why? I know this is a popular opinion, but I thought Mata was actually better out wide than he was under RDM. He was definitely not as effective in the second half although some of that may have been being tired. The real problem under AVB is that he had to be on the ball too much which was incredibly demanding. Adding Hazard changes that. I'm not pushing for Mata to be moved back outside, I just don't think it's a big deal if a system makes him as he can be effective there as well. (Also, as we saw last year, he is hardly a static player, sticking to his lanes. I would give Hazard and Mata a lot of freedom to cut across the field no matter where they start off playing.)

[OneMoSalah 8,883]

We would have to go back to a 4-3-3 if we signed Oscar tbh but playing him slightly further up, giving him a bit more freedom so he can get into attacking positions more. With Rami and Mikel in the midfield as well that would be ok as Rami has a good work rate and defensive skills and Mikel would be the holding player.

[Hutcho 8,443]

We would have to go back to a 4-3-3 if we signed Oscar tbh giving him a bit more freedom so he can get into attacking positions more but with Rami and Mikel in the midfield that would be ok I'd imagine.

Still have a mata Wide problem IMO.

[OneMoSalah 8,883]

Still have a mata Wide problem IMO.

I thought Mata was better out wide under AVB than in the middle under RDM tbh so it wouldn't be that bad a problem. His crossing is amazing too so if he got time and space out wide he'd easily pick someone out. The only problem is his defensive work which is probably his only major downfall, Ashley was exposed a fair amount last season when he was on the wing as he didn't really offer much protection.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Yeah i meant 4-3-2-1.

---------Cech----------

Ivan--Luiz--JT--Cole

Ramires-Mikel-Lamps/Oscar

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

---------Torres------

Hard to see how that can work, especially against teams who tend to park the bus since that formation provides absolutely no width in the attack

[Jase 43,479]

Why? I know this is a popular opinion, but I thought Mata was actually better out wide than he was under RDM. He was definitely not as effective in the second half although some of that may have been being tired. The real problem under AVB is that he had to be on the ball too much which was incredibly demanding. Adding Hazard changes that. I'm not pushing for Mata to be moved back outside, I just don't think it's a big deal if a system makes him as he can be effective there as well. (Also, as we saw last year, he is hardly a static player, sticking to his lanes. I would give Hazard and Mata a lot of freedom to cut across the field no matter where they start off playing.)

Get your point but Mata is not the best defensively and playing him out wide would just leave Cole/Bertrand exposed, which happened a lot of under AVB where Cole was often caught 2-on-1. Adding to that, playing Mata out wide would possibly make him see less of the ball and more crucially, he doesn't have the pace and skill to beat his full back to offer us width in the wide areas as he will definitely come inside more often than not. Mata may not be in his scintillating best when being played as a CAM under RDM due to tiredness(as you pointed out) most likely, but at least it allowed him to get into the game more, see more of the ball and orchestrate attacks and chances for us from there.

[Jase 43,479]

Hard to see how that can work, especially against teams who tend to park the bus since that formation provides absolutely no width in the attack

True but if the players offer lots of off the ball movements to drag opposition players out of position, then it can work. Ancelotti used it to great effect in his time here especially in the first season.

[Hutcho 8,443]

I think we need a RW of the highest priority as if we don't have a new RB, we wont get much overlapping from ivan and ramires is much more central. Wheras on the left we will have A cole overlapping hazard which will be great. i cant wait to see how we line up vs Wigan, or even vs man city if we take the game seriously.

EDIT: This is assuming we play a 4-2-3-1.

[OneMoSalah 8,883]

Really liked Italy's 3-5-2 formation in the Euros tbh, unsure if RDM will ever use it but it could work maybe... also find it odd how Sturridge hasn't been included in a few of these, seems like people have forgotten about him lol. Really should of pushed the fullbacks up in line with the midfielders but fuck it canna be arsed now.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

True but if the players offer lots of off the ball movements to drag opposition players out of position, then it can work. Ancelotti used it to great effect in his time here especially in the first season.

Good point, but the players Carlo used (Malouda, Cole, Kalou) had a natural tendency to go wide. Don't think our current players have that.

[Jase 43,479]

Good point, but the players Carlo used (Malouda, Cole, Kalou) had a natural tendency to go wide. Don't think our current players have that.

True. Can only see Hazard doing that though they don't necessarily have to go just wide to drag players out of position. Even making the diagonal or horizontal ones is useful in creating space space for others to run into or exploit.

[Strike 7,474]

True. Can only see Hazard doing that though they don't necessarily have to go just wide to drag players out of position. Even making the diagonal or horizontal ones is useful in creating space space for others to run into or exploit.

the problem of stretching the game wide is that we will have very few options in the middle. torres will be marked while Mata will hardly challenge in the air. so the winger's options reduce. in other teams there are midfielders driving into the box to support the attackers. if we are to adapt a winger's tactic then we can't do it with a deep double pivot.

[Jase 43,479]

the problem of stretching the game wide is that we will have very few options in the middle. torres will be marked while Mata will hardly challenge in the air. so the winger's options reduce. in other teams there are midfielders driving into the box to support the attackers. if we are to adapt a winger's tactic then we can't do it with a deep double pivot.

IF that is the case, then can't the CAM comes into the attacking third if the winger is having the ball and looking to cross it in? Adding to that, depending on which side of the winger is having the ball and attacking, the opposite FB can always look join in somewhere at the far post perhaps without the need to worry about leaving his position exposed given that we play with a double pivot.