3 take-aways from Chelsea's victory over Barcelona

Chelsea are going through a transformation at the moment. With a transfer ban looming, they are experimenting with all the players at their disposal. Ever since Frank Lampard's appointment, the Chelsea fanbase has been looking forward to a season featuring youth prominently.

Throughout the preseason, Lampard has given a number of opportunities to all players. Even forgotten players like Kenedy and Tiemoue Bakayoko have been playing regularly.

Chelsea took on Barcelona in what was a sort of a pre-season friendly. However, the match shaped up to be a little more competitive than expected, with both teams taking shots at each other on social media.

Chelsea turned out to be the better team as they won the match 2-1. Here, we take a look at 3 takeaways from their victory.

1. Chelsea will press higher off the ball

Chelsea didn't really press hard last season. The off press could be seen here and there but it always seemed half-hearted.

Pressing, in general, is a very difficult quality to inculcate into a squad. The players need to understand their manager's mechanism completely. At times, pressing can be very detailed as some coaches deploy certain players to press when the ball in is in a particular area of the pitch.

Now, Chelsea have a young and hungry squad at the moment. The transfer ban has ensured that Chelsea will try to exploit every possible resource they have before the beginning of the season.

Every player is getting a chance, and all players look determined to make a strong case for themselves.

Barcelona v Chelsea - Preseason Friendly

In the game against Barcelona, Chelsea were pressing high. The front line was constantly putting pressure on the opposition defenders. What this did is that it made those defenders nervous and conscious about their passing.

This was a beautiful tactic as it perfectly suited Chelsea's strengths. The starting men up top were Christian Pulisic, Mason Mount, Pedro and Tammy Abraham. These four men were pressing ferociously, and displaying intent and a positive mindset.

The game against Barcelona showed that Lampard considers pressing to be a very important feature of his squad. It is clear that this pressing will be on full display in the days to come.

The squad would also have to work on physical training to increase their stamina, as pressing is quite a tiring task. As we approach the upcoming season, Chelsea seem full of intent and their pressing will only get better and better.

Also check out: Premier League Premier League Table La liga table 2019-20

2. Chelsea will use the double pivot

The past couple of seasons there has been a lot of debate over the formations at Chelsea. First, there was a three-at-the-back formation under Antonio Conte. Then, Maurizio Sarri brought his 4-3-3 to the table.

This pre-season, Chelsea have lined up in some very diverse formations. There have been two striker formations as well as a 4-2-3-1.

It seems Lampard feels that the 4-2-3-1 featuring the double pivot is the best option for Chelsea. Mateo Kovacic and Jorginho have started together on many occasions this pre-season, showing that Lampard is interested in using his squad based on their strengths.

Kovacic isn't a goal threat and Jorginho isn't agile enough to play in an advanced role. Hence, Lampard has decided that these two will feature in a double pivot and will dictate play from the base of the midfield.

What this does is that it gives the No. 10 upfront even more freedom to roam about and attack without any major defensive duties.

Chelsea used a double pivot in the game against Barcelona and it helped them in deciding the pace of the game. Having two skilled passers at the base allowed Chelsea to keep the ball and move around accordingly.

While there were a few fumbles at the beginning of the match, Chelsea grew into the system and started moving the ball around with fluidity.

This formation has a lot of scope as far as this Chelsea squad is concerned, and should be explored even further in the last few pre-season games. If done correctly, Chelsea can settle at this double pivot.

When N'Golo Kante recovers from his injury, the double pivot would become more defensively solid, which would open further doors for the forwards to attack freely.

3. Barkley and Mount will wreak havoc under Lampard

There are two players at Chelsea who resemble Lampard himself - Mason Mount and Ross Barkley. Mount and Barkley are capable No. 8s but are stronger in the No. 10 position. They possess a good long shot and have the ability to beat their markers easily.

While Mount excelled on loan at Derby County last season, Barkley had a very average season at Chelsea. He struggled to keep his spot in the starting lineup and looked too cautious in his play.

Now, Lampard's system has given the No. 10 up front a lot of creative freedom. Since there is a deep-lying double pivot, the No. 10 doesn't have to backtrack too much. That allows him to run into spaces and look for key passes.

Against Barcelona, Mount linked up well with Pulisic and seemed to perpetually be on the lookout for chances. He looked confident and was playing the ball around cleanly.

When Barkley arrived, he looked energetic and was often involved in moving the ball into dangerous areas. He ended up scoring the second goal for Chelsea, which proved to be the deciding factor of the game.

Barkley and Mount are benefiting a lot from Lampard's arrival. It is important that they learn key details about playing as a midfielder from the maestro himself.

This pre-season has showcased what these two can do with freedom. The upcoming season will likely see them wreaking havoc in the Premier League.

Edited by Musab Abid