Author: jonathonmatouk

The Three Areas Chelsea Must Address This Summer Transfer Window.

And the players who should fill them.

Left Centre Back

Out: Antonio Rüdiger

In the words of Pep Guardiola following Sergio Aguero’s final game for Manchester City; “we cannot replace him”. “Rudi”, as the fans have come to know him as, is a player Chelsea will struggle mightily to replace. His leadership, nuance for the position, and dressing room presence are irreplaceable traits. The German international started 34 out of 38 games for Chelsea in the Premier League last season, en route to earning a place in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year. Regrettably, the club could not come to an agreement with Rudi for a contract extension, so he has since signed for the European Champions; Real Madrid. Finding a centre back who can play in the left of a back three is already a challenge in itself, however, it is not impossible as there are candidates that fit the bill.

In: Joško Gvardiol (RB Leipzig)

The player that Chelsea should make a push for in this summers transfer window is Joško Gvardiol. Pictured below courtesy Fbref is a side by side comparison of Rudiger (left) and Gvardiol (right). Based on the stats provided, it is evident that Gvardiol would be a great replacement for Rudiger. His ball carrying and ball progression skills are in the elite tier for his position. Additionally he is solid on the defensive side of the field, as most of his defending statistics indicate. The one area which could use improvement in his game is ball retention, but for a player that is only 20 years old there is more than enough time for improvement in this area. Some may argue that Levi Colwill should be given a chance to replace Rudi, but he has not yet played in the highest level of European football, which Gvardiol has. Signing Gvardiol would allow for Colwill to go on another loan (potentially in the top division of a top 5 league) and allow for Tuchel to re-assess his performances in anticipation of the 2023-24 season.

Transfermrkt.com Valuation: €35 Million

Right Centre Back

Out: Andreas Christensen/César Azpilicueta

Some Chelsea fans may feel sick at the thought of Andreas Christensen, but he had his moments of brilliance for the club in the right of a back three. Likewise, César Azpilicueta has been a great second option filling in at the position when called upon. Unfortunately, Christensen also failed to reach an agreement on a contract extension and decided to leave Chelsea to join Barcelona FC on a free transfer. It looks as though “Azpi,” as the fans call him, may follow Christensen to the Catalan club as well. Having captained the club since 2019, Chelsea will miss Azpi’s leadership skills. The impact he had in the three years he served as club captain was invaluable to the clubs success in that time. Replacing both players will be a tall order for the club, yet there are candidates that can possibly fill the void.

In: Jules Koundé (Sevilla FC)

The ideal player to fill in at right centre back is Jules Koundé. He is a player that the club has scouted for a while and he almost signed for the club in last summers transfer window. He can play at both right centre back and right back, which is the type of hybrid player Chelsea coach, Thomas Tuchel, admires. Pictured below is a side by side comparison of Christensen (left) and Koundé (right) courtesy of Fbref. Based on the statistics shown, Koundé’s main strengths are retaining the ball and progressing it from central defence. This is crucially important to how Tuchel’s Chelsea advances the ball (also pictured below courtesy the Athletic). He does not come without flaws however, as there is work to be done on his defensive game. Still, at 23 years of age there is time on the Frenchman’s side to improve in those areas. Signing Koundé will also give Trevoh Chalobah competition for the right centre back position, which should bring out the best in both players.

Transfermrkt Valuation: €60 Million

Centre Forward

Out: Romelu Lukaku

Another player which Chelsea fans may feel sick at the thought of is Romelu Lukaku. His £97.5 million transfer from Inter Milan last summer has been nothing short of a disaster and it is best for both parties if an agreement is made to part ways. In finding a replacement for Lukaku, the club should avoid the mistake of identifying a striker with a similar profile to the Belgian international. Any target that the club picks out must have the ability to score goals, create for his teammates, and show a willingness to press the opposition defence when not in possession of the ball.

In: Evanilson (FC Porto)

It seems as though every big money move Chelsea has made for a centre forward in recent history has failed, so the club should try a different approach. Evanilson is a player that should not command a heavy transfer fee yet he would fit the profile of a striker that would find success in Tuchel’s system. The 22 year old Brazilian centre forward plays for FC Porto in the Portuguese first division and he had somewhat of a breakthrough this season. He contributed 14 goals and 4 assists in 25 Liga Portugal starts, but he has gone under the radar due to being overshadowed by the other stars in this Porto team such as: Luis Diaz (who signed for Liverpool in the January transfer window), Vitinha, and Mehdi Taremi. The table (shown below courtesy FBref) is a comparison of Evanilson and Lukaku’s per 90 minutes stats in their respective domestic leagues last season. From the data presented, we can see that Evanilson is an above average goal scorer, averaging 0.62 goals and 0.18 assists per 90 minutes. Furthermore he averaged 0.80 combined goals and assists, which was almost double that of Lukaku (0.45). The area where he truly excels in, however, Is his work off the ball. In the graphic shown below (courtesy the Athletic) we can see that his defensive contribution is exceptional.

Transfermrkt Valuation: €22 Million

How Chelsea Could Lineup With These New Additions:

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3 Way Too Early Chelsea F.C Transfer Targets That Just Make Sense – Part 1 Of 3 – Centre-Back

What can you possibly add to a squad that recently claimed Europe’s biggest prize (the UEFA Champions League) this season? This is the question Chelsea F.C coach, Thomas Tuchel and the Chelsea board will face once the summer transfer window in England opens next Wednesday (June 9th). As the title suggests, this will be the first part of a three part series that will seek to identify the three Chelsea transfer targets that just make sense. The positions that will be explored in this series include centre-back, centre-midfielder, and centre-forward. Today, the centre-back position will be explored. If you would like to keep up with this ongoing series please follow this page and subscribe for updates on new postings.

Overview

There are a variety of factors that should be considered when outlining potential transfer targets that a football club should consider, these include, but are not limited to: systematic/coaching fit, balance from both an experience and age standpoint, and perhaps the most important of all; price. For this series, all of these factors will be considered, however, some factors may take priority over others based on the positions being explored.

The Current Standing

In order to assess where improvements can be made to the Chelsea back line, it is important to identify the current standing of Chelsea’s backline. Using the lineup that was chosen for the Champions League Final (pictured below and taken from UEFA.com), it can be inferred that the the players that make up the Blues strongest back line are as followed: Reece James, Cesar Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger, and Benjamin Chillwell.

Areas of Improvement?

Suggesting that the Chelsea backline even needs improvement is ridiculous in itself when you consider what the team achieved under Tuchel this season. In the 30 games that the he took charge of the team, the team won 19, lost 5, and conceded just 16 goals during that time. He deserves immense credit for the end-of-season success that resulted from his inspired transformation at the back. However, there are areas that can still be improved in this current set up. Using the factors outlined for transfer targets earlier, all of these will be assessed to find the ideal centre-back transfer target at the position.

Priority #1 – Age & Experience Consideration

The first factor that Chelsea must consider when deciding on a centre-back to add to the current rotation is age. The reason for this is simple, two of the centre-backs that make up Chelsea’s strongest backline, Thiago Silva and Cesar Azpilicueta, are over the age of 30 years old (36 and 31 respectively) and their contract will expire next summer (June 2022). This means that Chelsea need to start to plan for the future of the position by injecting youth into the current set up. Age isn’t the only factor that Chelsea should take under consideration, however, as Chelsea are in a win-now window of opportunity and experience at the highest level of competition must also be considered.

Priority #2 – Systematic/Coaching Fit

the next natural step to identifying the centre-back that would make sense for Chelsea to target, is finding one that will fit into the current system. The pictures below (courtesy Whoscored.com) show Chelsea’s most used formations for both the Premier League (left) and the Champions League (right). From the data provided, it is clear that Tuchel favoured a 3-4-2-1 formation. Therefore when considering the centre-back that Chelsea should sign, it should be one that has experience playing in a three centre-back system. Underlying strengths of a centre-back that plays in this system include but are not limited to: good passing, ball retention, aerial prowess, tackling, and concentration. When identifying the players Chelsea should target, the ideal candidate must posses most of these traits.

Priority #3 – Price Consideration And Availability

The final, and most obvious factor for Chelsea to consider is price. If Chelsea were owned by anyone else, this would have been a higher priority of consideration, but Chelsea are blessed with an abundance of riches provided by its billionaire-owner, Roman Abramovich. And if reports are to be believed, Tuchel has told Abramovich that he will “build an empire at Chelsea”, and will be backed with a whopping £200 million summer transfer window budget in order to fulfil his promise (The Telegraph).

The Centre-Back Signing That Just Makes Sense – Christian Romero (Atalanta B.C)

After careful research and consideration, the centre-back that Chelsea should target is Atalanta Bergamasca Calcio (B.C) defender, Christian Romero. The Argentine defendecr checks all the boxes. He is 23 years old, made 42 appearances for the Italian side this season, and he produced stellar performances in both the Champions League and Italian Serie A (Italian first division). He would also fit into Chelsea’s three centre-back system as the 3-4-2-1 formation was the formation most used by Atlanta coach, Gian Piero Gasperini in the Serie A this season (pictured below, left via Whoscored.com). Additionally, he is the type of player Tuchel dreams of as he is versatile. As shown below (right via Transfermarkt.com) he has lined up in both the centre-back and right-back positions for Atalanta this season.

There is one stumbling block to a potential transfer, however, which may be his price and availability. Fresh off the back of winning the Italian Serie A’s award for best defender of the season, there will be no shortage of suitors lining up for his signature. And further complicating any potential transfer is that Atalanta recently made his loan move from Juventus F.C permanent by activating the €16 million buy-option in his loan agreement. Even so, Transfermarkt.com lists the defender at €30 million (pictured below) and if reports are to be believed, Atalanta may be willing to sell him for a quick return of just under £40 million.

Building From The Back – How Chelsea Could Lineup with Romero

Romero would be best utilised in the right centre-back position for Chelsea. Though Azpilicueta has done a phenomenal job slotting in at the position, his minutes will need to be managed as he is getting older and is more susceptible to injuries . The same can be said for Thiago Silva, who I believe will play a role in the more important games of the season, but will be rested in order for Andreas Christensen to get minutes in the centre of the back three.

Conclusion

Defence is Tuchel’s bread and butter, so he will be trusted to make the right decision when identifying the player he wants to target at centre-back. Reports from the Athletic state Chelsea have drawn up a short list of names that includes the likes of Niklas Sule (Bayern Munich), Maxence Lacroix (Wolfsburg), Jose Maria Gimenez (Atletico Madrid), Jules Kounde (Sevilla) and Pau Torres (Villarreal), however, Romero is the player that I believe will seamlessly fit in to the Blues current set up and I also believe he has the most potential out of all the players short listed.

If you enjoyed this read, please follow this page and subscribe for updates on when new postings come out. Part 2 of this 3 part series will explore the centre-midfield target the Blues should consider signing that just makes sense.

Thank you for reading! Let me know your thoughts on Twitter @CFCBlue_Nation.

‘Tournament Tuchel’ Tastes European Glory – How The Blues’ Boss Stifled Pep Guardiola’s Cityzen’s On Both Ends Of The Pitch

In what was an enthralling fixture on Saturday, Chelsea F.C defeated Manchester City F.C 1-0 in the UEFA Champions League Final in Portugal. As the proceedings came to a close, the underlying feeling surrounding the encounter was that Pep Guardiola got his tactics wrong on the day. However, little attention has been paid to how Thomas Tuchel’s Blues were able to conquer City (and the rest of Europe) with and without the ball.

Without Possession of The Ball – The Gegenpress

First introduced to England by Liverpool F.C. boss, Jurgen Klopp, ‘the Gegenpress’, as it is referred to in Germany, took the English league by storm. At its core, the Gegenpress is a style of counter-pressing whereby the player in possession of the football is closed down by multiple players of the opposing team. Some years after its initial introduction to English football, Tuchel has adapted this style of counter-pressing and he has instilled it in Chelsea’s identity. When the German boss first took the reign as Chelsea boss, at the conclusion of January, he stated: “We will build a team that nobody wants to play against,” (pictured below) when discussing his plans for the team.

Four months and a day to the date, his prophecy took centre-stage in Porto, as Pep Guardiola’s, Manchester City, conjured up just one shot on target in ninety minutes of play. This miraculous feat was achieved by way of the Gegenpress. Chelsea players were relentless in their pursuit of the ball and it completely offset City’s possession-style of football. In the illustration created below (tacticalboard.com), Chelsea (in royal blue) closed down the City player in possession of the ball (in light blue) and committed multiple players to counter-press whatever opposing player was in possession of the ball at the time. This constant pressure applied by Chelsea meant that the passing lanes that City would usually exploit were not available. And on the rare occasions where City were able to get past Chelsea’s relentless counter-press, the Blues defenders threw their bodies on the line as they racked up multiple blocked shots and successful tackles on their way to victory. As testament to Chelsea’s successful Gegenpress, N’Golo Kanté took home Man of the Match honours for his incredible work-rate and constant pursuit of the ball.

With Possession of the Ball – Create Overloads on the Wings

The key to Tuchel’s offensive gameplan was to create overloads on the winged areas of the field. Pictured below (courtesy Whoscored.com), are the sides that Chelsea occupied when in possession of the ball. From this chart it is clear that Tuchel wanted to attack the right side of the field and create overloads in that area.

Further confirmation of this, can be shown in the picture below (also from Whoscored.com). the picture shows Chelsea players’ average positions occupied on the field for the entirety of the game.

From this, it can be stated with some certainty that Tuchel wanted to exploit City’s defence of its left-wing. This was done to accomplish two things, 1) It forced City’s players: Raheem Sterling, Aleksander Zinchenko, Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne backward, and 2) It made Manchester City defenders; Ruben Dias and Zinchenko advance forward to create spaces behind City’s line of defence.

Though Chelsea’s created the majority of its chances from the right side, the goal actually came from an attack that started down the left side of the field, but the same principle applied. Shown below, Timo Werner’s fantastic run to the left wing, forced City defender, Ruben Dias, to pursue him, which resulted in an open space through the centre for Kai Havertz to run into. Mason Mount found him with a brilliantly weighted through ball, and he rounded City goalkeeper, Ederson to give the Blues the lead.

Synopsis

When examining the underlying statistics for the game, and in particular, the glaring three combined shots on target between the two teams, it can easily be inferred that this was a boring final. However, for those that actually watched the final this was far from the truth. This game had the intensity of a world-class fixture from the kickoff to the final whistle and it was as intense a game as you were likely to see this season.

Billed as a tactical battle between two of the best coaches in Europe, it turned out to be an impeccable showing by both groups of players. Every player that stepped on the field left their hearts on their sleeves, and it was one moment of magic that went Chelsea’s way that proved to be the difference in the final.

‘Tournament Tuchel’ as he’s been come to known was victorious on the night, but this is just the beginning of his journey as Chelsea boss. In the coming months the German head coach will have to prove that he can conjure up a plan that takes Chelsea back to Premier League glory (while competing on multiple fronts) and he knows Chelsea owner, Roman Abramovich will be breathing down his neck the entire time. On the other side of the dugout, Pep deserves immense credit for City’s transformation this season, however, the cracks in his upcoming title-defence are starting to show and this certainly won’t be the last he will hear of his admirer, Tuchel.

This final may go down in history as the ‘Pep disaster class’, but Tuchel set his team up to conquer both areas of the field and he deserves immense credit for his inspired victory. The sky is the limit for Chelsea once Tuchel gets the backing of Abramovich and that is a scary prospect for the rest of the footballing world. Tuchel will forever be a legend amongst the Chelsea supporters, but his time to conquer the footballing world begins now.

Are We In For A Tuchel Tombola? – Picking Chelsea F.C’s Strongest Starting XI for the UEFA Champions League Final.

Following its disappointing 2-1 loss away to Aston Villa on the final day of the Premier League season, Chelsea F.C will travel to the Estádio do Dragão (Dragon Stadium) in Portugal as it plays Manchester City F.C in the UEFA Champions League Final. Much has been made of Tuchel’s remarkable Blues’ turnaround, but there still remains one question for the German head coach to answer on Saturday; who makes his starting eleven?

The Stalwarts

As the title suggests, ‘the stalwarts’ are the players who I can confidently predict Tuchel will start in the final. ‘Apps’ will refer to the appearances each player has made, whereas the number in brackets will indicate appearances made as a substitute in this seasons Champions League competition. The players grouped in this category are as followed:

Goalkeeper (GK) – Edouard Mendy

Apps – 11

‘Big Edu’ pretty much picks himself for this game as he currently leads the charts as the goalkeeper who has kept the most clean sheets in this years edition of the tournament (8). Perhaps Kepa Arrizabalaga may have a role to play off the bench, if the game goes to a penalty shootout, but in terms of who is starting between the sticks, it is undoubtedly going to be Mendy.

Centre-Back (CB) – Thiago Silva

Apps – 6(1)

Following the signing of Thiago Silva on a free transfer in the summer transfer window, some fans speculated whether the Brazilian centre-back would serve as a ‘stop gap’ at the position. He quickly silenced his critics, as he played his way into the starting lineup and has been a mainstay at the centre of the back three since Tuchel’s arrival. He will hope to inspire his team to victory at the second time of asking in the Champions League Final, following last seasons disappointing loss to FC Bayern Munich, while playing for Paris Saint Germain F.C (PSG).

Right Centre-Back (RCB) – Antonio Rüdiger

Apps – 9(1)

What a turnaround it has been for, ‘Rudi’ (as the fans most commonly refer to him as), as the German defender has been a revelation for the Blues this season. He’s shown to be a liability in the past due to his unorthodox style of defending at times, but he’s gone from villain to hero this season for the Blues, and has made the right centre-back position his own in the process.

Left Wing-Back (LWB) – Benjamin ‘Ben’ Chillwell

Apps – 8(1)

Some fans questioned why the Blues paid a reported £45 million for the English left-back following mixed performances for Leicester City F.C last season. However, ‘Chilly B’ as he is more commonly known, has made that price look an absolute bargain this season. It took some time for him to adjust to the left wing-back role once Tuchel arrived, but he has made the required adjustments and will start Saturday’s final.

Left Centre-Midfielder (LCM) – Mason Mount

Apps – 8(2)

It is easy to forget that Mount is just 22 years old because he has the technical nuance of a midfielder who has played the game for many years. Chelsea’s Men’s Player of the Year this season will be one of the first names on the team sheet, and I’ll go on record to say there’s no chance ‘Money Mase’ or ‘Mr. Chelsea’ will be benched.

Right Centre Midfielder (RCM) – N’Golo Kanté

Apps – 6(6)

While he is respected in football circles due to his humble nature off the field, the French midfielder is anything but, on it. Twice named man of the match in the semi-final against Real Madrid, the World Cup winner will look to thwart out any Manchester City attacks, and add to his ever-growing list of accolades in football.

Centre-Forward/Striker (CF/ST) – Timo Werner

Apps – 9(2)

Though it pains me to do it, including Timo Werner amongst ‘the stalwarts’ is a decision I had to make based on Tuchel’s propensity to call on the German striker when he has needed to get a result. The £47.5 million summer window signing has been a shadow of the player he was last season, but he has started the last two games which Tuchel referred to as “finals” and I expect he will do the same on Saturday. If there was ever a time for ‘Turbo Timo’ to step up, it would be now, as all will be forgiven with a strong showing.

Positions Tuchel Will Need to Address

Left Centre-Back (LCB) – Andreas Christensen/César Azpilicueta

Apps – 6/10

It’s never easy to account for injury, especially when major European silverware is at stake, however, Christensen, who hasn’t played since May 8th, is who Tuchel should start at left centre-back for the Blues. If there is any indication that the Danish centre-back can play a full ninety minutes, he simply has to start. He will provide the team with the solidity and veteran prowess it needs to get over the line. This isn’t a knock to Azpilicueta, however, as you will come to see in my next position for Tuchel to address.

Right Wing-Back (RWB) – César Azpilicueta/Reece James

Apps – 10/5(4)

Tuchel is constantly considering ways to limit the oppositions best threat, as evidenced by him starting Reece James at left centre-back to negate Leicester City F.C’s striker, Jamie Vardy. I believe he will consider a similar approach to negating Manchester City, left-winger, Phil Foden, by starting Azpilicueta at right wing-back. The Chelsea captain will be tasked with knowing when to push forward and when to stay back in order to deal with the tricky English winger, and he will just edge out Reece James for that reason. Of course, this is assuming Christensen is fit enough to start at left centre-back, if he is not, Tuchel will most likely call on Azpilicueta to play there and play Reece James at right wing-back.

Centre-Midfielder (CM) – Jorginho/Mateo Kovačić

Apps – 11/7(2)

I was temped to put Jorginho in ‘the stalwarts’ category, however, that would be a disservice to Kovačić who can also put in an admirable shift at the position. The Italian midfielder has been in poor form, but, I believe Tuchel will continue to trust him to turn his fortunes around in the final. This one is truly a coin-flip, but I trust Tuchel will put his faith in the man who started both legs against Real Madrid and also played a pivotal rule in getting Chelsea to their third-ever Champions League Final appearance. For that reason, Jorginho just edges out the Croatian midfielder.

Centre-Forward/Striker (CF/ST) – Kai Havertz/Christian Pulisic

Apps – 8(3)/4(5)

Choosing the second centre=forward to play alongside Timo Werner will probably be one of the harder decisions Tuchel has to make. Havertz came in with a price tag of £71 million (with add-ons), however, he has not yet lived up to the exorbitant billing. It was no fault of his own, as he battled nagging injuries and a bout of Covid-19, but the fans have seen glimpses of the elegance and potency that made the German international the most sought after prize in last summers transfer window, and they’ll hope to see that again in the final. Further justification for Havertz inclusion is his clear advantage to the American as an aerial threat. This is not to say Pulisic won’t have an impact on the proceedings, he will still have a massive role to play in the encounter, albeit off the bench. Tuchel will hope he can create havoc to Manchester City’s defenders tired legs in the second half, as he did against Real Madrid in the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals.

Predicted Starting XI

Chelsea come into this final as the clear underdogs, but it is a label both the team and Tuchel will embrace. The Blues’ have arrived here before in 2012 with less and were able to get over the line (albeit with some divine intervention). Tuchel also has unfinished business to attend to, as he was a losing finalist in last season’s competition. This may be the spark that Chelsea needs to enter the history books as the only club to win all three main European club competitions (UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, Cup Winners Cup) twice. If Chelsea’s players are clinical enough and Tuchel can correctly address the current positions of uncertainty, the team will have every opportunity to better Manchester City in Portugal. Let’s hope both will get it right on Saturday.

3 Tactical Takeaways From Thomas Tuchel’s Transformed Blues – Chelsea vs. Leicester City Review

After increased uncertainty surrounding head coach, Thomas Tuchel’s, lineup for Tuesday’s encounter against Leicester City, the Blues boss stuck with what he knows best; patience. It would have been easier to reel under the pressure of consecutive defeats and ring in the changes, especially considering the players had just two full days of rest before the match, however, the changes were minimal and the result was anything but. Here are the three things Tuchel did to get the Blues back on track.

Minimal Changes To The XI

While the media and fans collectively discussed multiple changes to the team sheet, Tuchel made minimal changes to the side that lost the final. Without counting Edouard Mendy replacing Kepa Arrizabalaga in goal (following the Spaniard’s inevitable cup appearance) the Blues boss made just two changes to the starting eleven. At left wing-back, Marcos Alonso dropped to the bench in favour of Ben Chillwell, and Christian Pulisic replaced Hakim Ziyech as one of the centre attacking midfielders behind Timo Werner. It can also be argued that Kai Havertz would have led the line in favour of Timo Werner, but, because Havertz got injured before the team sheet was released, it is just mere speculation that this would have happened. Pictured below is the lineup that lost the FA Cup Final (left), and the lineup that won on Tuesday (right) (data from Whoscored.com). Also pictured are the player ratings for both. From the data we can see that Chillwell gave the Blues the extra effort, while Pulisic was just marginally better than Ziyech. Still, these changes were the difference between a win and a loss, and Tuchel must get deserved praise for sticking to his guns.

Utilising the Wings To Stretch Leicester

One of the notable adjustments, Tuchel made tactically, was stretching Leicester by situating more movement to the wings of the pitch. It was a subtle adjustment as the wing-backs had more license to push forward, however, it made all the difference in the fixture. Additionally, the introduction of Pulisic to the lineup resulted in the American winger occupying spaces on the right wing, as opposed, to him taking up the more central positions, that Ziyech occupied in the final. Pictured below are the players average positions in the lineup that lost the FA Cup Final (left), and the lineup that won on Tuesday (right). It is also important to note that because Pulisic played more wide, Mount was able to dictate the play in a more central position, where he operates at his best. While fans and the media speculated that Reece James would return to his right wing-back position in order to create the much needed threat down the right side of midfield, this was not necessary as James had a solid showing at right centre-back. The last thing to note, is that Kanté in his brief time on the pitch (before he exited due to injury prevention), was also playing more advanced and tried to impact play on the wings as well. Due to Whoscored.com not displaying average positions for substitutes, it is not clear whether Matteo Kovacic, who came on for Kanté was tasked with the same role. From the eye test, however, he was in a more central position and tried to advance the ball when the opportunity to do so presented itself. Leicester’s players average positions are also pictured below. As pictured, the side that won the final remained more compact and narrow (left), yet the side that lost on Tuesday was more stretched and wide (right).

Trusting Timo Werner To Get The Job Done

Examining Timo Werner’s performances this season is not a job for the feint hearted. Putting things lightly, the German international has had a torrid start to his Chelsea career if you’re judging him on just goals scored. However, though he has missed countless chances for the Blues this season, he’s contributed in other areas of the pitch. Still, Tuchel had options to replace the misfiring German on. Tuesday. He could have called on the experienced Olivier Giroud to lead the line, or he could’ve even deployed Ziyech in a false nine role, yet, he did neither. He stuck with Werner, and it paid off handsomely. It was Werner that won the crucial penalty to put the Blues 2-0 up (after Jorginho converted) and he contributed to drawing the Leicester City defenders to the left wing, which created spaces in the middle of the field. Pictured below are his heat maps from the two matches. As pictured, Werner showed a tendency to occupy positions on the left wing in the win (right), as opposed to sort of being all over the field in the cup final loss (left). Surprisingly, he only had just one more touch of the ball in the win (despite playing ten additional minutes), but he definitely made the most of them.

Looking Ahead

Attempting to dissect Tuchel’s brain is not an easy task. As he’s shown this season he can change his personnel in an instant, but for the most part the shape of the team tends to remain the same. The German coach must be commended for the Blues quick turnaround, and it is the hope of the fans that this momentum will continue to carry on into the final day of the season. A win at Aston Villa on Sunday will guarantee the Blues third place in the league, and a position in next season’s Champions League and following that match, the Blues will play Manchester City in the Champions League Final for Europe’s ultimate prize on May 29th. For now Tuchel, has silenced the doubters, but he will need to continue moving the bar of expectations if he wants to remain at the club.

The Trials And Tribulations of Tuchel-Ball – Analysing The Week From Hell For Chelsea Fans

It was an all too familiar feeling for Blues fans as the final whistle blew at Wembley Stadium on Saturday. Chelsea had lost an FA Cup Final for consecutive seasons, succumbing to Leicester City in this years’ edition of the competition. It would be remiss, however, to believe that this was a one-off occurrence for the team as head coach, Thomas Tuchel had suggested in his post-match interview. Rather what culminated at Wembley, was a week of trials and tribulations for Tuchel that ultimately ended in heartbreak.

Stamford Bridge – Wednesday May 12th

The week from hell started at home to Arsenal. A win in the contest would put Chelsea one step closer to the top four and all but guarantee its placement in next seasons Champions League. But as Blues fans have come to realise, nothing comes easy for the club when the pressure is on. A torrid spell for the hosts, that started with Kai Havertz, who fluffed a glorious opportunity to put the team ahead after skying an effort over the bar, ended with a moment of madness from Jorginho who proceeded to pass a ball back into an open Chelsea net. Chelsea goalkeeper, Kepa Arrizabalaga tried his best to spare the Italian midfielders blushes with a miraculous save off the line, however, the ball fell to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who teed up Emile Smith-Rowe to cooly slot the ball into the far corner of the Chelsea post. The Gunners had managed to hoodwink their way to a 1-0 lead and managed to see out the result after a resilient defensive performance.

Where did it go wrong for Tuchel?

Tuchel’s pragmatic approach to falling behind cost Chelsea a way back into the game. Instead of withdrawing Jorginho, he opted to take off the inexperienced Billy Gilmour at halftime, for Callum Hudson-Odoi. The second change of the evening came in the 65th minute as Olivier Giroud came on for Kai Havertz, and Tuchel’s final roll of the dice saw Cesar Azpilicueta withdrawn for Hakim Ziyech in the 78th minute. While this change forced a reversion to a back four system which allowed Chelsea to exploit spaces on the wing, it came too late for any Chelsea players to have an impact. The loss was disappointing, but fans hoped Tuchel would learn from his mistakes as the focus quickly shifted to the FA Cup Final on Saturday.

Wembley Stadium – Saturday May 15th

Buoyed by the belief that Tuchel would learn from his mistakes in mid-week, Chelsea fans came into this encounter with renewed optimism. Unfortunately, that optimistic approach sonly turned pessimistic as Blues fans yet again witnessed Timo Werner spurn a number of chances to put the team ahead. One moment of brilliance from Youri Tielemans separated the two sides, and though the Blues dug deep and managed an equaliser in the 88th minute, it was heartbreakingly chalked offside after VAR deemed Ben Chillwell offside in the build up to the goal.

Where did it go wrong for Tuchel?

Pragmatism again rung true for Tuchel in this encounter as he stubbornly stuck with the formula that has worked for most of the season. Instead of conjuring up a strategy to beat Leicester he was seemingly more focused on how he could stop them. The result? Recce James dropped to right centre back and Cesar Azpilicueta was deployed at right wing back. As fate would have it, it was James’ misplaced pass that eventually fell to Tielemans that proved the difference.After falling behind, Tuchel, to the surprise of most, turned to his bench after just five minutes. A double change saw Marcos Alonso and Hakim Ziyech replaced by Ben Chillwell and Christian Pulisic, but one must beg the question as to why those players didn’t start in the first place. Less than ten minutes after that change, Tuchel again went to his bench and withdrew Jorginho and Cesar Azpilicueta for Kai Havertz and Callum Hudson Odoi. Chelsea finally had its much-needed threat down the right side of midfield, but it was again too late. As desperation kicked in, Werner was finally withdrawn for Olivier Giroud, but the Blues came up short.

What’s next for Tuchel?

Tuchel will have to pull out all the stops to win the ensuing three fixtures of the season. As he referred to it himself, the three remaining fixtures are three finals. Chelsea will host Leicester City again on Tuesday, close out the season away to Aston Villa on Sunday, then play the Champions League final six days later in the ensuing Saturday against Manchester City. What’s in store for City? The club has already won the league, so all that Pep Guardiola’s side have left to play for is total points and pride.

Some can argue this could fall in Chelsea’s favour as they will be sharper than City entering the encounter, however, the added rest for City could also prove the difference. Among the many discussions which will take place in the build up to the game, one thing rings true, Tuchel must change his pragmatic approach to games and begin to take more risks if the Blues are to have a chance. He has to push all the proverbial chips in, or possibly end the season empty-handed. Blues fans should not dwell too much on what was possibly the worst week for Chelsea in recent history, instead they must look to the final three fixtures (finals) with optimism that Tuchel can and will eventually get it right.

Manchester City F.C. VS Chelsea F.C. Preview

Chelsea F.C. will travel to the North West of England, On Saturday to take on a Manchester City F.C team that is desperate for a win. At the moment, one point is all that separates the two teams, with the Blues occupying third place in the table with 26 points, while the defending champions, City sit in 4th, with just 25 points.

Tactical Analysis: Josep ‘Pep’ Guardiola VS Frank Lampard

This will be the first career managerial meeting of Josep ‘Pep’ Guardiola and Frank Lampard. Guardiola’s record against Chelsea, however, shows mixed results. In the previous thirteen meetings in all competitions, he has won 6, drawn 3, and lost 4, and surprisingly, is is only against Liverpool F.C (5) that the Spaniard has lost more than he has against Chelsea (4). Lampard, on the other hand, has never faced City in his managerial career, but has played for both teams in the past. From a tactical perspective, Guardiola will undeniably have the upper hand as he has been managing in Europe’s top leagues for eleven years, whereas Lampard has only been in management at the top level for a little over four months.

Playing with the backing of a home crowd desperate for a victory, Guardiola will set his team up to play expansive attacking football and will throw everything at Chelsea. Lampard, however, will acknowledge this threat, and he will adjust his tactics to counter City’s approach. Both managers’ share similar philosophies of possession-based football, however, they differ when it comes to the battle of possession over space. Guardiola favours the former, while Lampard favours the latter. This differing in opinion will be shown on the field in the sense that Guardiola will ask for his team to dominate possession in all phases of the field, whereas, Lampard will ask for his team to possess the ball in the meaningful quadrants of the pitch, mainly the oppositions final third.

Knowing that anything but a win will not be good enough to sustain a title challenge, Guardiola will stick to what he knows best, which is to throw everything at Chelsea for ninety minutes. From the onset, Lampard will try to match City’s attacking output, but he will adapt to a more conservative counter-attacking style of play if he sees his team being played off the park in the early stages. While defending the football, both managers will ask for their players to press the opposition relentlessly, which will set the fixture up to be open and exciting.

Predicted Chelsea Lineup:

Predicted Manchester City Lineup:

Prediction: Manchester City 2 Chelsea 1

Southampton F.C. VS Chelsea F.C. Preview.

Chelsea F.C. will travel to the South East of England to take on Southampton F.C. at St. Mary’s Stadium for game week 8 of the Premier League season. Currently sitting in 7th place in the table, the Blues’ are chasing a Champions League qualification placing, and can climb as high as 4th with a win. Conversely, the Saints’, sit in 14th place in the table and are 2 points adrift from a relegation spot.

Tactical Analysis: Ralph Hasenhüttl VS Frank Lampard.

This will be the first meeting of managers’ Ralph Hasenhüttl and Frank Lampard. Both managers share a mutual respect for one another and they are drawn to similar philosophies of football: they both want to play a high tempo game, want their teams to press well, and want their teams to play exciting attacking football.

Dubbed the “Austrian Klopp” due to his footballing similarities to Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, Hasenhüttl plays an aggressive form of pressing football, referred to by Klopp as the “counter-press”. Where the Austrian differs from the German coach, however, is that he utilizes a long-ball approach instead of a possession-based style of play.

Chelsea manager, Lampard on the other hand, will utilize a counter-press of his own, however he will also try to dominate possession of the football and take the game to the opposition. Unlike his counterpart, he will play patient football and will try to break down the opposition by forcing them to chase the ball for 90 minutes.

Ultimately, Hasenhüttl’s counter-press approach in combination with his teams propensity to play high-risk long balls, will make for a demanding afternoon for the Chelsea backline. Still, on the back of a two game win streak, the Blues’ will make it three in a row at St. Mary’s Grounds as the team heads toward the international break.

Chelsea Predicted Lineup:

Southampton Predicted Lineup:

Prediction: Southampton 1 Chelsea 3

Chelsea F.C. VS Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. Preview

Chelsea F.C. will host Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. (Brighton) at Stamford Bridge, on Saturday, for game week 7 of the Premier League season. Having won twice this season, the Blues’ head into this encounter occupying 11th place in the table. The Seagulls, meanwhile, have won just once, and occupy the 15th place in the table.

Tactical Analysis: Frank Lampard VS Graham Potter.

This will be the third meeting of managers’ Frank Lampard and Graham Potter in league play. The pair butted heads twice in last seasons English Football League Championship, when Lampard was managing Derby County F.C. and Potter was managing, Swansea City A.F.C. Lampard led his team to 2-1 and 1-1 results at home and away, in those games respectively.

Both coaches share similar philosophies of football and want their teams to dominate possession of the football. The main difference between the two coaches is that Potter swears by his 3-4-3 formation, but, Lampard is more adaptable, and can set his team up in both 3-back and 4-back formations.

Playing at home, Lampard will ask for his team to show its attacking intent early on in the game. He will ask for his team to press relentlessly to try to win the ball back in advanced positions and counter attack with pace and skill.

Potter, on the other hand, will ask for his team to sit back and absorb whatever pressure Chelsea sends at them in the early stages. His 3-4-3 formation will revert to a 5-4-1 and he will try to break down Chelsea on the counter-attack. When his team finally grows into the game and is able to possess the football for extended periods, he will try to play a brand of possession-based football and press Chelsea.

While this shouldn’t be considered an “easy” contest for Chelsea, it should be a match that the team should comfortably win at home. Potter will give it his best effort, but Lampard’s Chelsea will prove too much for the team from East Sussex.

Chelsea Predicted Lineup:

Brighton Predicted Lineup:

Prediction: Chelsea 2 Brighton 0

Chelsea F.C. VS Liverpool F.C. Preview.

Chelsea F.C. will host, Liverpool F.C. at Stamford Bridge, on Sunday, for game week 6 of the Premier League season. Sitting in first place in the table, Liverpool come into this encounter on the back of a five game win-streak, whereas, Chelsea, who sit in 9th, have won just twice in the League this season.

Tactical Analysis: Frank Lampard VS Jurgen Klopp

Playing at home, Chelsea should attempt to play its own brand of possession-based football. Manager, Frank Lampard has experimented with a 3 backline formation in the past two games, however, he should revert back to his trusted 4-3-3 formation to facilitate the return of Ngolo Kanté to the team.

From the onset, Lampard will ask for his players to maintain possession of the football and press relentlessly when defending the football. In possession, initial build up play will start at the defence, as short balls will be played amongst the centre-backs and Jorginho, and once an opening is created, the ball will be played towards the advanced centre midfielders. Those players will then attempt to beat the first line of the oppositions press, and if the first line of press is successfully beaten, they will try to play passes towards the wingers or the centre forward. Once in this position, the team will rely on the creativity of its wide players to create a crossing opportunity for the centre forward to attack. If the opportunity to cross, is not there, the wingers will play the ball back towards the midfielders and wait for another opportunity to eventually present itself.

On the other side of the dugout, Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp will also try to play possession-based football, yet the key difference will be that his style of play will be more direct and his team will concentrate on attacking down the right side of the field.

Both managers will defend using a counter-press style of play, whereby the players will press the opposition relentlessly, in an attempt to win back possession of the football in advanced positions. In order to facilitate this style of defending, both sides will play a high defensive line, which will allow for space to be exploited behind both defensive lines. This will set the stage for a mouthwatering encounter of attacking football.

Chelsea Predicted Lineup:

Predicted Liverpool Lineup:

Prediction: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 1