Chelsea Tactical Analysis: Attacking prowess and defense

Chelsea’s renaissance under Thomas Tuchel in recent months has been nothing short of extraordinary. The Blues struggled to come to terms with the Premier League’s competitive nature at the start of the season but have become a formidable force as a result of their German manager’s tactical methods and system.

The Blues are in fifth place in the Premier League standings at the moment and have also reached the UEFA Champions League semi-finals. With Tuchel at the helm, Chelsea can potentially win a trophy in what has been a largely transitional season and mark a new era of success and silverware.

In a recent episode of the popular series ‘Talking Tactics’ by Chelsea FC, avid Blues fan Arjun Kapoor engages in a discussion with former Bengaluru FC coach Pradyum Reddy and the duo delves into the tactical tweaks that Thomas Tuchel has implemented in the Chelsea squad this season.

Thomas Tuchel has introduced a 3-4-3 formation at Chelsea and the new system has worked wonders with the Blues’ squad. Chelsea have shown tremendous improvement in both the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League and their performances against some of Europe’s biggest teams are a testament to Tuchel’s ability to bring about a transformation in the team’s fortunes.

Chelsea’s general approach to Premier League games involves a three-man defense and rigid defensive lines. Tuchel is known for his ability to bring the best out of individual players in his squad and the new formation has worked wonders with most of Chelsea’s talented stars.

With the former Borussia Dortmund manager at the helm, Chelsea keep plenty of the ball and their possession statistics have skyrocketed in recent weeks. With over 60 percent of the ball in most of their games this season, the Blues have been a dominant force in the Premier League and are rarely troubled on the pitch.

With Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic holding the fort in the midfield, the likes of Mason Mount and Callum Hudson-Odoi have been able to express themselves in the final third. Chelsea’s positive and aggressive approach to Premier League matches has also resulted in an excellent defensive record under Thomas Tuchel.

Chelsea have kept 13 clean sheets in their 18 games under Thomas Tuchel so far and their impressive defensive statistics are a result of their manager’s attacking approach to the sport. With five players in attack and five others in defense at all times, Tuchel’s balanced tactical setup could make Chelsea a force to be reckoned with in the UEFA Champions League.

Real Madrid have a rich history in the competition, but Chelsea are much harder to beat under Tuchel than they were under Frank Lampard and will look to give the record European champions a run for their money over two legs. The German tactician claimed earlier this month that Chelsea are ready to compete for titles, and it remains to be seen whether they manage to do so in the coming months.