Tactics/Formations thread

[mccg 1,528]

Didnt a sweeper sit in front of the defence ? Matic would be filling that 90's artic role lol

[It's too big 625]

Works for bayern and they use alonso as a cb when needs be during the game, while lahm and alaba act as lcb and rcb.

[NishC300 1,865]

Hazard on the left Pedro/Willian on the right?

You mean Hazard as LWB and Pedro/Willian as a RWB in a 3 CB formation? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[BlueLion. 21,491]

We regularly go to three at the back when chasing a game but I don't think we should really consider it from the off. I agree with the notion though, a change in shape would make us a lot less predictable. How about 4-4-2?

[mccg 1,528]

You mean Hazard as LWB and Pedro/Willian as a RWB in a 3 CB formation? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

No Baba lwb Hazard LM , Azpil rwb Pedro/Willian RM

[Viper22 2,418]

We've been playing 3 at the back for the last year and a bit tbh every time fucking Ivan is in the starting lineup.

In reality though playing 3 at the back is a great tactic but you need really specialised players to do so. You need 2 relatively quick CBs to play LCB and RCB, you need 2 wing backs that are ridiculously hard workers, a player to play in the DM position that can get between boxes very quickly and assist the front 3 when going forward or they become very isolated and a very fluid and settled back 3 and 2 x DM setup as they need to switch positions/push each other into other positions frequently when in the defensive transition.

If we were going to play something like a 3-4-3 we have a fair few players that could work in the needed positions:

-------------------Courtois-------------------

------Zouma------Terry------?????------

-Willian--------------------------------Azpi-

-------------Matic--------?????------------

-------Pedro-----------------Hazard-------

-------------------Costa----------------------

But Fabregas would not work in that formation in any way, shape or form. We'd need someone like Pogba or Witsel to fill that CM role alongside Matic and we'd also need another mobile CB (not Cahill). If we signed Witsel and Stones for example to fill those holes then yeah it could work, but it would be tough coaching this into the players as they'd have to adapt their styles of play pretty dramatically.

In the system I detailed above Azpi would have to learn to go forwards a lot more than he currently does, as the front 3 would have to be fairly centralised without any kind of CAM so he'd have to provide a lot of the width from attacking plays or risk Hazard drifting wide and leaving Costa very isolated up top by himself. Matic, Willian, Zouma and Hazard would slot into this system perfectly IMO and it would probably help JT by having 2 young, mobile CBs that are good on the ball either side of him to take that problem out of his mind and let him focus more on organising the back 3 and stopping the other teams striker from getting any clean ball.

This would be a viable tactic if Mou decided to go for it but we'd struggle if players fell out of form or got injured and we may also struggle against teams that play 2 strikers up top. Would be a pretty drastic change if he went for it, and not at all in line what he's done with the rest of his career. Would be interesting to watch though!!!

[NishC300 1,865]

No Baba lwb Hazard LM , Azpil rwb Pedro/Willian RM

No. You would get torn apart out wide in the PL, have a look at what happened to MUFC. This is a fast league, the wide players (both full backs and attacking wingers) will punish you if you only have 1 player out wide.

Moreover, we need to add more width to our game. We need to get our full backs involved in the attacking half of the pitch too like Man City which is why we don't need to change formations, just replace the parts currently in it.

[DYC. 7,542]

Chelsea can't play three at the back. Not from the start anyway. The ref would whistle for half time by the time the ball reached the final third.

[mccg 1,528]

No. You would get torn apart out wide in the PL, have a look at what happened to MUFC. This is a fast league, the wide players (both full backs and attacking wingers) will punish you if you only have 1 player out wide.

Moreover, we need to add more width to our game. We need to get our full backs involved in the attacking half of the pitch too like Man City which is why we don't need to change formations, just replace the parts currently in it.

Keep your eye on the next lot of team sheets but i won't be suprised Baba&Hazard combine well on the left and Azpil&Willian/Pedro form an able combo on the right.well heres hoping ktbffh.

[NishC300 1,865]

Keep your eye on the next lot of team sheets but i won't be suprised Baba&Hazard combine well on the left and Azpil&Willian/Pedro form an able combo on the right.well heres hoping ktbffh.

I do think that's the way we should go. 4-2-3-1 is alright, just implement the right pieces, Rahman and Hazard down the left would be deadly while Azpi and Pedro down the right would be too.

Yes indeed KTBFFH.

[Spike 12,049]

We regularly go to three at the back when chasing a game but I don't think we should really consider it from the off. I agree with the notion though, a change in shape would make us a lot less predictable. How about 4-4-2?

The 4-4-2 is coming back en vogue. Costa and Remy?

[BlueLion. 21,491]

The 4-4-2 is coming back en vogue. Costa and Remy?

I was thinking Falcao and Remy, as at least the two of them are interested in scoring goals rather than fighting people.

[Melanicus 5,208]

We are exploited when we play with 4 at the back, so why the fuck would we play with 3?

[mccg 1,528]

We are exploited when we play with 4 at the back, so why the fuck would we play with 3?

More like a flexible modern day 5

[termninja 5,290]

Playing a 3 man defense? We can barely defend with 4.

You say it's actually 5? Hell fucking no, it will be defend, counter, score, defend for life until the end of the game.

Just introduce Baba into the team, send Azpi to the opposite side, give Cesc some protection in midfield and we'll be fine.

[J.F. 1,484]

I would love to see which formation would Guardiola play with our current squad, that would be more than interesting

[Melanicus 5,208]

I would love to see which formation would Guardiola play with our current squad, that would be more than interesting

I've been actually thinking about this for quite a long time now. I appreciate Pep as a football manager, man is crazy and has his philosophy but he just knows what he does and does it really good.

So, here's how I would play if I was Pep at Chelsea.

The main formation would be 3331 formation. But we would change it depending on whether we are attacking or defending.

The main formation - This formation would be played when we have possession & are building attack.

Defending formation - the changes that are made are depending on whether we are defending our left or right side

• Defending our right side - Azpilicueta moves to his left-back role. Cahill and Zouma stay as the CB duo and Ramires moves to the right to act as a temporary right-back. I actually do believe that he would do an amazing job at this RWB position. Willian also drops back a little bit (thanks Mou for making him defend). Matic helps a little bit too.

• Defending our left side - Azpilicueta drifts to his left-back role, Zouma moves to the right-back spot (not important in this defending), Matic moves quickly to the LCB spot to help Azpilicueta), Fabregas presses on the winger too. Cahill and Zouma are waiting in the box in order to clear any headers away. Ramires is the lone man in the midfield and could be the start of our quick counter-attack. Willian waiting on the line too.

ATTACKING - after retaining the ball we go back to our main formation 3331 and attack, as we are moving the ball players are fluidly moving to their new "attacking roles". Pedro joining with Costa as a secondary striker (he can play as central forward, has experience). Hazard has the creator role at number 10. Fabregas stays at central midfielder role, joined by Willian to provide low crosses to Costa or Pedro. Ramires and Azpilicueta are waiting on the right and left side and are ready to use their pace on the wing if needed. Matic stays in the heart of the midfield and is the backbone standing in front of our high-line defence (Zouma and Cahill can play there because pace, Terry can't).

COUNTER-ATTACKS - counter-attacks are useful as well in football. After retaining the ball, we can skip the main formation or building up phase if oppositions defence is exposed. We are basically moving from the 3rd picture to the photo below. Matic leaves the central-back role and goes back to the midfield, Zouma moves back to the central back position. Azpilicueta stays where he is, he isn't important in this attack. The most important players are Ramires and Willian that pass the retained ball between each other. Either that or Willian moves to the central midfield position along with Fabregas and tries to hold the ball as Ramires runs on the wing. Pedro moves to the left side in order to pick-up any misplaced crosses by Ramires (there will be many) who tries to cross the ball to Costa. Hazard waits for any rebounds and then either shots himself or creates a dangerous situation.

Tell me what do you all think?

[J.F. 1,484]

I agree with most of our post. Also he could use sometimes Zouma as half back and Ramires to cover right back spot when we are defending, Ramires stamina and work rate are amazing and he is capable of doing that. Also with Zouma and Ramires as "defensive midfielders" we could press other teams really high, Matić&Zouma&Ramires and Azpi to push higher as centre back, Terry&Cahil as protection for that high pressing, this could actually work. Probably Fabregas(Regista/Trequarista) and Hazard would have free roles like Thiago and Robben. Fabregas = effective link from defense to attack, and Hazard would need to step up big and become our main goal with Costa. Costa could aso fit into his system. He is non-stop pressing opponents defenders, moving to channel, only passing is concern, but that can be neutralized.