Future Chelsea team

[Leif 6,006]

I'd LOVE to see this team some day (or something similar) -

1) - This starting line-up features 5 British players, which is rare for a top team in England to do (only Manchester United and Tottenham ever seem to achieve this.)

This would give us good communication, especially down the left flank.

2) - Bertrand started his career as a winger - Bale started his career as a full-back. They now play those roles reversed. Having them on the same flank would be awe-inspiring. They would switch between being a winger and being a full back throughout the game, constantly keeping the opposition on their toes. The left side would be defended extremely well. Not many players would get in a cross from our left flank!

3) - Luiz COULD in SOME games play as a Libero, bringing the ball out of defence and playmaking, with brilliant long passes reaching Bale/Hazard, or short ones reaching our main playmaker - in this picture, De Bruyne. You will see the arrows coming off of Romeu. When Luiz does go forward, he can go back a bit and reconnect the back 4.

4) - When getting stretched too much in midfield due to the opposition having more/better/faster wingers, Todd Kane would come out of defence and play in his wide-midfield role, while again, Romeu would drop back (but not quite as deep this time, otherwise the centre would be exposed with only De Bruyne there.)

5) - De Bruyne would hold his position in the middle, being our central heartbeat playmaker, dictating tempo, while Hazard and Mata constantly change positions, creating havoc in the final 3rd. They would also both act as advanced playmakers. This gives us a playmaker in every single area of the pitch at all times, meaning we should dominate possession each game.

6) - Sturridge wouldn't do too much. Simply goal poach as I believe that's how we'd get the best out of him, considering his great speed, unpredictability and big balls to try shots that other strikers wouldn't dare doing.

7) - We then have the likes of Ramires, McEachran, Lukaku, Marin, Kalas, Ivanovic (if he's still around), van Aanholt (if he stays as back up, which I doubt) etc. all able to slot into this tactic.

This team would have the perfect balance of attack and defence, and would also feature a few home-grown players which is great to see.

When up against a daunting opponent such as Real Madrid, Todd Kane would start in midfield as he's naturally more defensive minded, creating a flat four of Bale, De Bruyne, Romeu, Kane, while whoever we have as a rotation option would start at right back. One of Hazard or Mata would then be dropped, and we'd play 1 attacking midfielder behind Sturridge. We then counter attack with amazing pace, and defend in numbers.

(Of course these wouldn't be our tactics EVERY game. This would simply be what our other tactics are based on.)

[BlueLyon 9,359]

No, what I meant was, no Ramires starting?

Among players like Mata, Hazard, Hulk, Mikel and de Bruyne in 2015, there is no place for him.

[anthonyroossimo 6]

I Like a 4-2-2-2 Formation, with 2 CMs instead of 2 CDMs or myb 1 very good and fit playmaking CDM and a more attacking CM.

-------COURTOIS-------

KALAS---CAHILL---LUIZ---BERTRAND/JORDI ALBA (IF BARCA DONT GET HIM EARLY)

-----RAMIRES------DE BRUYNE-----

MATA ----- HAZARD

STURRIDGE LUKAKU

[Hutcho 8,443]

I heard people were starting to get annoyed how every thread is starting to become endless lists of starting lineups whenever we were linked to a new player, so thought we could have a dedicated thread to possible lineups and strategies, no matter how different they may be, or whether they are just a thought, and can have whatever players we are linked to or have.

footballuser.com is a great site to use if you want all that.

Here is my starting line up if the Oscar deal goes through.

Obviously, Lampard will have a big role to play in one of those Cm spots and also the RW spot could go to hulk if we sign him, and ramires could have to play more central.

What formations would you like to see etc. Some even were talking of a 4-6-0, which in my opinion would be ...

[Sheva. 5,373]

If we sign Oscar then it'd be better to go back to a 3 man midfield imo.

[Jase 43,479]

If we sign Oscar then it'd be better to go back to a 3 man midfield imo.

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.

[Hutcho 8,443]

If we sign Oscar then it'd be better to go back to a 3 man midfield imo.

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.

[Hutcho 8,443]

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.

[Strike 6,969]

Ah. good idea Hutcho

i am hoping that the Oscar deal doesn't Happen. I want Chelsea to sign a winger who can stretch play wide not play through the middle. We have got Mata and KDB at the CAM position with Lampard and Benayoun as backups if needed. Benayoun is still a good player. he was our best player last pre-season and it was a shock to see him go on loan to arsenal and do a good job for them. hopefully we'll have him back because he is a very good link-up player. With the CAM position locked up, i think Oscar would be nothing more than a luxury

Personally, I want us to play a 4-3-3 or the existing 4-2-3-1 with the double pivot and the wingers positioned higher up.

Torres

Hazard Mata Hulk/Marin

Ramires Lampard

Ramires should be tried out in the CM role if we do buy a winger in the window. He has all the attributes needed to be a Yaya Toure and gives us that added dynamism in attack that we lacked last season. Also, i feel Lampard will be picked consistently whether we like it or not

[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 8,616]

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 8,616]

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.