Tactics/Formations thread

[Sideshow Luiz 2,310]

On 7/4/2016 at 4:42 AM, Chelsea_firstlove said:

That's pretty much what I think our best formation is.  I haven't loved what (limited) I've seen of the 424.  I don't think we have the players for a 2 man CM.

 

[Hostedenis 556]

On 4-7-2016 at 10:42 AM, Chelsea_firstlove said:

I don't think that's such a good formation... With Kenedy and Willian we have pace on the sides and we have width, but against any decent opposition I'm afraid we'd always lose the battle for midfield with Hazard not doing much defensive work and two forwards. We'd have a very offensive line-up but with only three defenders (and Willian and Kenedy helping in defense as fullbacks as well) we'd have to pick the ball out of our own net too often I'm afraid. Plus we haven't got Bonucci. And allthough I'm curious as to how we'd do with a 3-5-2 I'm afraid Conte won't play one and stick with the 4-2-4.

 

20 hours ago, Sideshow Luiz said:

That's pretty much what I think our best formation is.  I haven't loved what (limited) I've seen of the 424.  I don't think we have the players for a 2 man CM.

 

This is very solid in defense and we would not concede many goals. We have a slow back three (apart from Zouma) and with a defensive midfield (not only Matic as DM but also Kante as btb) plus Dave as fullback and Willian who allthough a winger does do his defensive duties I can see this defense work. However, the offense isn't good, I'm afraid. With Fabregas feeding balls to Hazard and Costa we'd have some creativity but everything is going through the middle and there's no width. And we know Dave is terrible offensively (although I like the guy)...

I think, with the players we currently have, our best line-up (in the 4-2-4 Conte will play) is something like:

And if we need more goals then get Pedro off, move Hazard to his position, and put Michy Batman on (or in case Pedro is performing well and willian isn't, get willian of for Bats and move Hazard to Willian's position).

Allthough that defence needs fixing. I'd welcome 1 CB and 1 FB, preferably a LB, so Azpi can take Iva's position and Terry can be a sup.

We'd have a good bench as well, Matic for CM, Cuadrado/Kenedy for wingers, Michy/Remy for striker or second striker, Terry/Cahill for CB and Iva for FB. And Begovic for GK of course.

[coolhead23 1,147]

11 hours ago, Hostedenis said:

I don't think that's such a good formation... With Kenedy and Willian we have pace on the sides and we have width, but against any decent opposition I'm afraid we'd always lose the battle for midfield with Hazard not doing much defensive work and two forwards. We'd have a very offensive line-up but with only three defenders (and Willian and Kenedy helping in defense as fullbacks as well) we'd have to pick the ball out of our own net too often I'm afraid. Plus we haven't got Bonucci. And allthough I'm curious as to how we'd do with a 3-5-2 I'm afraid Conte won't play one and stick with the 4-2-4.

 

This is very solid in defense and we would not concede many goals. We have a slow back three (apart from Zouma) and with a defensive midfield (not only Matic as DM but also Kante as btb) plus Dave as fullback and Willian who allthough a winger does do his defensive duties I can see this defense work. However, the offense isn't good, I'm afraid. With Fabregas feeding balls to Hazard and Costa we'd have some creativity but everything is going through the middle and there's no width. And we know Dave is terrible offensively (although I like the guy)...

I think, with the players we currently have, our best line-up (in the 4-2-4 Conte will play) is something like:

And if we need more goals then get Pedro off, move Hazard to his position, and put Michy Batman on (or in case Pedro is performing well and willian isn't, get willian of for Pedro and move Hazard to Willian's position).

Allthough that defence needs fixing. I'd welcome 1 CB and 1 FB, preferably a LB, so Azpi can take Iva's position and Terry can be a sup.

We'd have a good bench as well, Matic for CM, Cuadrado/Kenedy for wingers, Michy/Remy for striker or second striker, Terry/Cahill for CB and Iva for FB. And Begovic for GK of course.

I feel the problem with Hazard and Fab in this formation is:

- Hazard wouldnt have any space to do his thing which is his USP ... Opposition will just put 2 or 3 players to crowd him out (it can also work for us by having gaps but i feel the defenders in the PL are smart)

- Fab in the center with Hazard in the middle as well means it will be too much work for Kante to hold the middle. We need a engine along side Kante who can work up and down. Naigolan would had been a great partner. 

[Sideshow Luiz 2,310]

I think that Fabregas needs 2 other midfielders with him.  At Juve, Pirlo sat deep, but had 2 of Marchisio, Vidal, and Pogba around him to win the ball.  

[akgw13 867]

After watching the AC milan game live and again today my best guess for our starting xi against west ham is this:

Courtois

ivanovic cahill terry azpi (pains me to write this but unless we buy someone new what can we do)

         Kante(should never ever ever ever ever ever be subbed off)

willian(cuad) fabregas(oscar) matic(chalobah) hazard(moses)

           Costa(Bats/Traore)

I think conte hasnt found the solid strike partnership that he wants, during the AC game when we ran this formation we obviously took over the game. Azpi was pressing aggressively all over with kante covering and we looked great. I would prefer chalobah but i think matic is getting the nod as the B2B/high press man covering hazard so he can play freely and attack. I am hopeful this can unlock fabregas a little bit as he has basically no defensive duties surrounded by willian matic and kante. 

 

My in game subs would probably be oscar for fab, chalobah for matic, bats for costa

 

I pray we buy a proper LB or RB and CB (ideally mustafi/koulibaly, and Ricardo Rodriguez/slide azpi back to RB)

 

[milka 3,395]

[Styles 9,790]

[Matterz 67]

For me...

                               Courtois

             Zouma          Terry          Luiz

                                 Kante

                  Oscar/Cesc     Matic/Cesc

Willian                                                     Hazard

                     Costa       Batshuayi

 

Subs: Begovic, Azpilicueta, Cahill, Cesc, Moses, Pedro, RLC

Reserves: Eduardo, Alonso, Ivanovic, Mikel, Chalobah, Aina

[Ryan Fong 2,776]

[Parky 739]

[mccg 1,528]

Not bad prediction some near 2 years ago about changing formation ...

[Chelsea? 892]

Now this was conte's original intent for our team last year but he decided against it. We also switch to a 424 whenever things get tight. 

Bluelyon made a point in another thread about us only targeting a LWB when we need a RWB more. In a 424 we can play Azpi at RB. 

Azpi-Luiz-NewCB-Sandro?

Bakayoko-Kante 

Willian-Pedro-Lukaku-Eden

this would also be a good solution to us conceding so many goals later last year. 

Finally, Willian seems to want to stay all of the sudden when it seemed he'd be out this year. 

[Supermonkey92 1,428]

Eden should me second striker with a harder working winger. 

[Clockwork 1,794]

I like the idea of moving back to a back 4 and all. That lineup though,,,,yikes.

 

[Jase 43,479]

If we can't even control games from midfield with a 2-man midfield (plus extra security in defence), what makes you think we will do that with 4-2-4?

People seem so obsessed about Conte wanting to play 4-2-4. He may have wanted to play that when he came here but it's not his default formation and he's not desperate to play it. It's only an option and as he mentioned before, he will play a formation that the players are comfortable with.

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

 

[nathangeorge99 27]

Most people want 343 in most matches now. However, next season and beyond, to compete in PL and UCL, should our main formation be 343 or 352? 343 would give us much more attacking width. However, against big UCL Teams, we could be outnumbered in midfield. We could be flexible and use both throughout the season? However, what sysyem should be utilised most, and why? I'd go 343, but being outnumbered in midfield in big games is a worry for me.

[manpe 10,861]

Depending on the opponent and the players we have available. 3-4-3 against weaker opponents and 3-5-2 when we want to solidify midfield. What I want to see is us having flexibility to switch to 4 man defence when needed.

[Unionjack 7,531]

I think if we had a proper solid partner for Kante a 343 sems to work best with us.

But it needs the forwards to be up for it because when they roam around swapping about the defenders are not able to stick to their pre worked ideas as Eden is double marked alot.

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

I would always say 343 is better, Hazard can not do it all alone in terms of creativity up front and when Morata struggles to score you need another goal threat. Also I think loading the midfield with bodies to compensate for alonso/baka/cescs lack of defensive workrate/positional awareness is a negative and Mourinhoesque kind of tinkering and will not work against sides with superior passing game. The key position in a 3man defence system are the fullbacks. When those do their job there is no need for more than two competent, balanced central midfielders.