Can Chelsea roll back to the 4-3-3? (Part 3)

In Part 1 and Part 2 , we saw the options Chelsea had if they were to move away from 4-2-3-1 and into a more comfortable 4-3-3 or 4-1-3-1-1. So now we have another formation, which in my opinion can be very useful against teams that crowd their midfield and apply pressure on specific players that tend to make mistakes.

4-4-2 is a formation which almost every football fan has heard of at least once. It’s probably the oldest formation out there and has been used by almost every team. Even though it is pretty vintage, if used properly and efficiently, it can prove to be very dangerous for other sides. It completely destroys the logic of man-marking and it soon becomes difficult to control players.

Basic 4-4-2, with the most effective players in that position

This looks to be pretty decent with enough cover at the back in the form of Mikel and Lampard who will perform a role both in attack and defense. The fullbacks will push forward like always and Moses behind Torres, will be instrumental! Believe me, if Di Matteo does try that out, it will work out very well. Football Manager can vouch for that!

So, it does look like 4-4-1-1 on paper but as the game eventually moves on , Moses plays a higher role. Torres has often looked lonely upfront and tries to do his best to get past the big guys that try to push him off. Moses can give them a false incentive by starting with a role of a Trequartista or a attacking play maker and suddenly shift right beside Torres. If perfected, it can be devastating for any defenders that try to counter it.

So after Moses has settled into the position right beside Torres, the space right behind the two lethal forwards becomes empty. That’s where our natural play-makers come in. They can cut in periodically and move back to their places in time. Moreover, Mikel can provide extra defensive cover by moving back so as to stop fast counter attacks.

Now 4-4-2 is rather old and Sir Alex Ferguson is one of the few admirers of this formation but it can be a bit boring sometimes if not used in the right manner.

Ever imagined how it would look like if Cahill, Terry and Ivanovic formed our back three? Barcelona used to field three at the back once upon a time. Let’s have a look at another peculiar but efficient formation. The 3-2-4-1

PS : I have taken this formation into consideration, only with Essien in the team when he comes back from his loan, which is probably next season. Would love it if you could suggest me any changes for that !

Take a deep breath, sit back and concentrate hard on the image above.

First things first. Essien is partnering Mikel, but it’s a well known fact that during the era of the Special One, Essien was regularly used as a right-back where he can be very effective. With 3 at the back Essien can provide much needed cover at the back when needed.

Bertrand as the left winger, because just like in the present formation of 4-2-3-1, he can go deep inside as a defensive midfielder and as a natural left back to cover the back three. Terry does not have the fastest of legs and Ryan Bertrand can do a good job of covering that area.

Now coming to the play making trio, Oscar, Hazard and Mata. I have added Lampard as well , because he could do well pushing forward and anchoring the area right in the center of the pitch.

Yes, I created a nameless circle called the EMPTY CAM SPACE. That’s the exact area where Oscar, Hazard and Mata can make quick runs to release Torres, Sturridge or Victor Moses. The ECS is a very important part of this formation as the players start very deep and soon start pushing further up the pitch in a bid to release the central striker.

In my 4th and final part, I will discuss the possibility of actually fielding 3 strikers up front.