Post your Chelsea team

[ZOS 580]

cech

azpi luiz terry cole

kdb mvg oscar

mata lukaku hazard

subs: ivanovic, cahil, lampard, ramires, schurrle, torres

[toojunk 19]

Čeh (Blackman)

Dave(Kalas) Bane ( Cahill) David (JT) Ryan (Cole)

Rami(Essien,Obi) Oscar(Frank, Ginkel van)

de Bruyne (Moses) Juan Eden (Andre)

Fernando/Romelu

(not Ba in any case)

[Barbara 15,149]

Of course this 4-3-3 is a better fit for us.

First of all, to echo what TorontoChelsea said two posts ago, your 4-2-3-1 is too weak defensively ; there's a lack of genuine defensive quality in the lot (especially within the front four). Hazard has improved his work-rate during the season though his defending is still not good ; de Bryune too isn't a very good defender ; Mata just cannot defend to save his life. And whoever the striker is, it won't improve the situation because, neither the ladyboy, Lukaku and Ba are good at defensive tasks. Moreover, when it's coupled with your unorthodox midfield-two, it's a recipe for disaster. The both of them are not genuine defensive midfielders ; there are more of the type "box-to-box" players. And because of this fact, one can imagine that this duo will lack of a defensive discipline and of a defensive rigor (especially for Ramires, in my opinion) which can lead to even more defensive shakiness.

We cannot afford to play with four front-men who are average at best when it comes to defensive duties and a midfield-two without a natural defensive midfielder. That's way too much holes in the defensive unit of our team. Firstly, against the big clubs, this 4-2-3-1 is a no-go. And secondly ; I am not even convinced that we could afford to play such a team against the lesser teams in the League. For a team which aims the title, all games are important (at different degrees of course, but all have an importance). With such a team, we could be vulnerable to any decent team attacking-wise, and to my eyes we would be so especially vulnerable on the cunter-attacks. Of course, we could play that line-up for the casual games, though we shouldn't play too much around...

Secondly, your 4-3-2-1 induces having a problem which has already hindered us the whole past season. Indeed, one of our major problems last season was the fact that our double-pivot was isolated ; and this could it be on defensive phases or attacking phases. Upon attacking phases, we lacked cohesion between the back-line and the frontline ; the transition between the two lines wasn't good. And, upon defensive phases, the pivot was permeable and vulnerable.

The players playing in this pivot were at fault, but only partly, unfortunately (yeah, it would have been too easy). That's obvious that we didn't have good enough players to play in there, but the way how the team was set-out didn't help them in the slightest. Indeed, if they were isolated upon attacking phases, that's also because there was no player before them to drop deep, to collect balls and to help the transition from back to front. And, if upon defensive phases the pivot was left exposed and thus vulnerable, that's because there was nobody before them to provide 'em a protection (or at least give them a hand in defensive duties).

It's neither Oscar nor Hazard that could have provided this help to the pivot, due to the fact they were on the wings and already busy with tasks upon these wings. The problem is the way the midfield-three was set. The player occupying the role of the n°10 was not truly playing like one. Indeed, Mata was playing more as a second-striker than an advanced midfielder (this also applies to the seldome times Hazard has played there). As a matter of fact, it resulted in a big hole in the center of the pitch..... Which is one of the major reason, in my opinion, that we were so easily losing the midfield-battle throughout the season. That hole in midfield meant no defensive cover for the two "defensive" midfielders ; and as well, no possibility to have a smooth transition between the defensive line and the attacking line.

So playing this formation will perpetuate this issue. At the contrary, with Oscar in front of the two "defensive" midfielders, such as in your 4-3-3 line-up, we should be significantly better in the midfield (defensive and attacking-wise). Not only the brazilian will provide that extra defensive cover, but he will also help a lot more in the building of the game (read : bringing the ball to the front). That's why we should favourite such a formation... Actually, it doesn't really matter whether it's a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 — the important thing is that there's a third player in front of the two center-midfielders to help them.

P.S. Agree with your view regarding Lukaku.

so much quality, as always, Peace.

I don't like 4-2-3-1 almost as a rule. It works terribly for our kind of players imo for the reasons you so perfectly pointed out.

An alternative would be Oscar replacing Kevin, but then there would be two situations: play Mata in LW or play Oscar in LW and I'm not sure Oscar's contribuition with the defending will be as good if he's played in the wing. And to have Oscar in the center with Mata in the right, seems sort of a waste. So I'd rather play a 4-3-3 than a 4-2-3-1 with Mata - Oscar - Hazard in the three.

I think unless we have this DLP that will really soothe the transition between our pivot and AM we aren't suited for a 4-2-3-1 because we have players to make a much better 4-3-3.

[haranr 485]

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

Aspiliqueta-- Luiz-- Terry-- Cole

-------Ramirez --- Van Ginkel---

Juan Mata---De Bruyne--Hazard

-------------Lukaku----------------

[Kieran. 6,317]

Cech

Azpi Luiz Terry Cole

Ramires van Ginkel

Mata Oscar Hazard

Ba

[The_Flash 1,144]

Cech

Cahill Ivanovic Terry Cole

Luiz Ramires

Mata Oscar Hazard

Lukaku (or Torres)

[edenhazard17 281]

Subs : Mikel, Ba, Hilario, Blackman

We're all set. Bring it on.

[NishC300 1,865]

Čeh (Blackman)

Dave(Kalas) Bane ( Cahill) David (JT) Ryan (Cole)

Rami(Essien,Obi) Oscar(Frank, Ginkel van)

de Bruyne (Moses) Juan Eden (Andre)

Fernando/Romelu

(not Ba in any case)

You prefer Tores over Ba?

Moreover we'd use Schwarzer over Blackman.

IMO with Hilaro already at the club we ought to send Blackman on loan.

[murinios 1]

Cech

Azpi Cahil Luiz Cole

van Ginkel Ramires de Bruyne

Mata Lukaku(or Shrek) Hazard

[zolayes 14,489]

Subs : Mikel, Ba, Hilario, Blackman

We're all set. Bring it on.

not even a place on the bench for Josh and Ake??

[edenhazard17 281]

not even a place on the bench for Josh and Ake??

I believe both are going on loan this season? For sure they will be on the bench if staying.

[Yasser 63]