Chelsea Tactical Analysis: Revival of crucial players 

Chelsea have made tremendous progress under newly-appointed coach Thomas Tuchel this season and have moved from strength to strength over the past few months. Tuchel is one of the best tacticians in the modern game and his robust formations and methods have transformed Chelsea into a formidable powerhouse in the Premier League.

The German manager’s 3-4-3 formation has revolutionized Chelsea’s fortunes in the Premier League and in Europe and has earned plenty of praise from several quarters. In the fourth edition of the popular Chelsea FC series ‘Talking Tactics’ with Bollywood superstar Arjun Kapoor, former Bengaluru FC coach Pradyum Reddy highlights some aspects of Tuchel’s work at Chelsea and explains his role in the development of some of the Blues’ key players.

Chelsea’s string of clean sheets this season has been a result of Thomas Tuchel’s tactical tweaks in the Blues squad. With the former PSG manager at the helm, every player at Chelsea has a well-defined role in the system and this clarity of thought has yielded exceptional results in the Premier League.

Chelsea stars like Rudiger and Hudson-Odoi have shown immediate improvement under Thomas Tuchel

FC Porto v Chelsea FC - UEFA Champions League Quarter Final 3: Leg One

Several players have shown immediate improvement under Thomas Tuchel’s regime and are beginning to hit their peak at Chelsea. Antonio Rudiger, in particular, has benefitted from Tuchel’s decision to implement a three-man defence and his wide array of skills has come to the fore for Chelsea in recent weeks.

Rudiger has made the left centre-back role his own under Thomas Tuchel and his brilliant performances against the likes of Joao Felix and Luis Suarez in Champions League ties against Atletico Madrid have established his status as one of the Premier League’s best defenders. Rudiger was on his way out of the club less than a year ago and Thomas Tuchel deserves immense credit for bringing the best out of one of the Blues’ most promising defenders.

With Reece James and Marcos Alonso excelling in their wing-back roles for Chelsea, Callum Hudson-Odoi has also started to prove his mettle in Thomas Tuchel’s system. Operating in wide areas in the final third ahead of his wing-backs, the young English forward facilitates Chelsea’s tactical transitions from a 3-4-1-2 system to a 3-4-2-1 formation on the pitch and has become a key component of the Blues’ successes in recent weeks.

Tuchel’s fluid forward line has also given the likes of Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic a new lease of life in Chelsea colors. Christian Pulisic, in particular, has thrived in his newfound free role in the final third. The American youngster blew Crystal Palace away with a brace in the Premier League last week and his impressive return of four key passes and three shots on target earned him a well-deserved man-of-the-match award.

Christian Pulisic won ELEVEN fouls against FC Porto, the most recorded by a player in a single Champions League game in the past five seasons.Absolutely battered. 🤕 pic.twitter.com/sS5pDmfsfa

— Squawka Football (@Squawka) April 13, 2021

Chelsea’s youngsters have led the way for the club under Thomas Tuchel this season and their revival bodes well for the club’s future. Tuchel has brought the best out of the likes of Rudiger and Hudson-Odoi and will be intent on perfecting his impressive managerial abilities in the coming months.