Torres epitomizes Mourinho’s European tactical master piece

[hjperdeath 2,226]

A 3-0 away win against Schalke sends Chelsea to the top of their Champions League group. A resounding victory for the London club, despite not playing the way they were ‘expected to’.

 

This was during Chelsea’s defensive transition. A 4-4-2, with 4 in midfield blocking off pass lanes and pressing low with the attacking midfielder and the striker pressing high on the back line.

 

Chelsea didn’t want the ball, they only wanted to make it as tough as possible for Schalke to create a clear cut chance, which they did effectively. By playing a 4-4-2 (that wasn’t that deep), they pretty much had a particular opposition player being covered by one player in blue. A common misconception is that Chelsea were inviting Schalke into the defensive third. Wrong, cause if they were, Oscar wouldn’t be pressing high alongside Torres.

 

 

Chelsea were forced deep, as Schalke kept the ball moving around quickly. Once the ball was retrieved, counter-attacks became a relatively easy option to take. Oscar receives the ball, and we already have two penetrable holes popping up. Interesting to note that Torres does drift sideways, allowing Oscar to carry the ball forward through the middle against two confused center-backs. He plays it to Schurrle, who wins the corner Chelsea end up scoring by.

 

 

Schalke defend set-pieces using zonal marking, another reason Torres was able to win the header that ricocheted off the bar in the second half. To form a key, ones encircled in black are the one’s attacking the corner, the one encircled in blue messed up Schalke’s zonal system, the one encircled in red is ball watching and the one encircled in white ends up scoring.

 

From the previous frame, we can see that Torres and Cahill are pretty much in the same zone of one Schalke player. The player encircled in red is adamant that he won’t have to block off Torres . As Cahill rushes inside, he takes one player away from his zone. Meanwhile, the player encircled in red has his eyes stuck on the ball as Ivanovic nods it back. His body language says it all. A horrible blunder and Chelsea are 1-0 up.

 

I can’t stress how different the Chelsea side was when it came back for the start of the second half. Defensive transitions used the formation 4-4-2 in the first half were turned into a 4-5-1 in the second half. Oscar gave up his pressing. 

Meanwhile attacking transitions were usually a 4-2-4 in the second half. This was converted into a highly attack minded 2-5-3. After Torres grabbed his second of the night, the team reverted back to a 4-2-4.

In the frame above we see Chelsea knocking the ball around in the middle. Oscar drops deep and forms an effective 4-3-3. The problem however is that the distance between the middle three and the front three needs to be reduced.

This was a problem in the first half as well. Forget our sloppy passing, forget Lampard and Ramires having problems in creating passing triangles. Chelsea just couldn’t reduce the space between the attacking midfielders and the pivot.

 

 

The 3 pushed up with Oscar on the ball. Instinctively both Torres and Hazard try to run behind their defenders. Chelsea began to be more assertive. They didn’t want the ball, but it wouldn’t look good if they ended up with possession stats that said below 30%.

 

 

Here we see Chelsea pushing up, having 8 players up front. The 8th being Azpilciueta, just a little below the frame. The question is, what about the defenders? Considering that we are so upfront, there must be huge space for Schalke to exploit. Right?

Wrong. We are going AVB mode.

 

 

An effective 2-5-3. Chelsea are also employing an offside trap. It was far more effective in the first half, with the defenders playing deep, however the strategy continued till the final whistle.

 

Now going back to the first half. This was quite a peculiar strategy Chelsea used, which involved the team acting as a well oiled unit, whose parts could only move in a direction relative to the other.

In the first frame we have every Chelsea player on the pitch moving towards the ball. The white circle shows the Schalke wing-back’s head.

 

Now this strategy has its advantages and disadvantages.

Disadvantages first, and it can be easily shown here. There are a number of penetrable holes that pop up. A quick switch in flank and Schalke could actually cause Chelsea a huge problem.

Advantage however is that it gives the full-backs a false incentive that they can push forward without any consequences. Torres’s second goal is an example, which we shall see.

 

 

The ball is play to the center and Ivanovic along with Oscar start retreating back towards the flanks. Only two of them?

 

 

Everyone moves towards the expected direction of the ball. What does this do on the other flank?

 

You guessed it right! More open players with the wing-back having a false incentive that the can push forward while Schurrle can easily make a penetrable run if the ball is won back.

 

Ball is switched back, and the wing-back is wide open . Football is bloody brilliant, isn’t it?

 

 

Here we see an example of how it worked so well. Hazard has the ball, and Uchida pushed way too forward. We won the ball back and Hazard runs at the defense as Oscar , Ramires and Torres join him.

The problem Uchida faces is that he needs to come back in time. We all know the answer to that.

 

He clearly failed and paid the price.

 

To summarise, this is the perfect example of setting up your philosophy for a must win European game. When Jose wrote up his game plan, he knew that it decided mainly on two factors. Please the crowd or win essential three points that put you on top of the table.

Undoubtedly many people would think that the performance wasn’t good. True if you have your eyes glued at the possession bar. In a nutshell, Jose got it spot on with how he instructed his players to set themselves up. Score quick, defend well with lot of deceptions and take your chances.

Two consecutive games where Chelsea’s strikers have scored. A crisis cannot get any better than this.

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[Jase 43,479]

*bump*

[hjperdeath 2,226]

A lot of people have asked me how I write down my points while watching the game, both here and outside. So not revealing anything but just a small look if anyone's interested .

PS: It's written in copyright handwriting. Don't know how many people know that, but it's meant to be shabby -

[Barbara 15,149]

@Dion, how many of those things Sherry wrote we talked too while were watching the match yesterday?

It's so funny because reading his article I almost felt like he heard our conversation when we were watching

4-4-2 check

4-3-3 check

allowing possession in first half check

changing completely in the second check

space offered to their FB check

I think Sherry spied on us

[hjperdeath 2,226]

@Dion, how many of those things Sherry wrote we talked too while were watching the match yesterday?

It's so funny because reading his article I almost felt like he heard our conversation when we were watching

4-4-2 check

4-3-3 check

allowing possession in first half check

changing completely in the second check

space offered to their FB check

I think Sherry spied on us

Girls, close your windows next time . Might want to get sound proof doors too.

[bushman 2,043]

I see, the kid coach is here with his charts again.

[hjperdeath 2,226]

I see, the kid coach is here with his charts again.

Other half of the footballing world that clearly knows spelling and pronunciation is back again.

[bushman 2,043]

Other half of the footballing world that clearly knows spelling and pronunciation is back again.

Meanwhile, the other half keeps posting charts here.

[hjperdeath 2,226]

Meanwhile, the other half keeps posting charts here.

The ones who actually know football.

[bushman 2,043]

The ones who actually know football.

I hope, you are not included, there.

[hjperdeath 2,226]

I hope, you are not included, there.

One can dream .

[bushman 2,043]

One can dream .

Ok kid, keep it up, you are doing fine charts.

[hjperdeath 2,226]

Ok kid, keep it up, you are doing fine charts.

Thanks uncle , good luck with unemployment !

[bushman 2,043]

Thanks uncle , good luck with unemployment !

Independently wealthy, own properties, plenty of rent money for me.

I suggest, you study well, maybe you can buy a rickshaw bike or two to rent, then.

[hjperdeath 2,226]

Independently wealthy, own properties, plenty of rent money for me.

I suggest, you study well, maybe you can buy a rickshaw bike or two to rent, then.

Haha clearly some of us are still dreaming .

Thanks for the career advice once again , thankfully I have more people in my life , but I'll definitely take your advice into consideration.

[bushman 2,043]

Haha clearly some of us are still dreaming .

Thanks for the career advice once again , thankfully I have more people in my life , but I'll definitely take your advice into consideration.

Nothing to worry about kid. I know, you are going places. Two rickshaw bikes to start, place Chelsea badge on it, & in 3 years, you will flood Bombay with them.

[OneMoSalah 8,785]

Great article mate! Covered everything, as you also did in the pre-match preview

I thought we'd be playing on the counter, especially when I seen Schurrle - Oscar - Hazard in the team and the fact Schalke like to push their fullbacks up as wing backs, it was only logical. Jose's plan worked a treat. The midfield did their job, it reminded me of the 3-1 game we won (Tiago scored that screamer) against United from 2004/05 season, we let them have the ball, they dictated possession but we dictated the passes they could make by blocking off the obvious forward passes they wanted to make in between the lines.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Not the first time this season we went with a 4-4-2 defensive shape, though. I think the reason why Jose went to 4-3-3 in the second half is that both pivot players had a forgettable first 45. Ramires was bypassed way too easily in midfield and and missed a lot of tackle while Lampard was way too easily drawn out of position and took ages to get back to position. Both had very much better individual performances in the second half, but that was helped by Oscar playing deeper (and later by Mikel coming on).

Another minor point is about Schurrle's tactical role to help out Azpi. Jose exploited his incredible pace and work-rate to have him playing almost like a LB when Schalke got into the final third while still being to join the counterattack.