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The Ben Jacobs Chelsea column!
Chelsea suffered a disappointing 1-0 loss at home to Nottingham Forest on Saturday. It felt like a game from last season under Graham Potter.
It's a shame Nicolas Jackson missed such a clear-cut chance to equalise, but he is a very strong-minded and ambitious character and I don't expect it to knock his confidence.
I do think Chelsea lacked a bit of identity. Pre-season chemistry was really strong, but Mauricio Pochettino is now playing a slightly more fluid 4-2-3-1. Not everyone seems clear on their role.
It looks like a 3-4-2-1 on paper, and it is at times. Chelsea tend to revert to a back three in the build up. Malo Gusto and Levi Colwill are the full-backs in the back four, but we also see times when Axel Disasi, Thiago Silva and Levi Colwill are just in a back three.
There is not much balance because on the other side Ben Chilwll is not fulfilling quite the same role as Gusto. He is being utilised as a left winger more than a full back. I think he's far more comfortable in the latter position.
To reiterate a point I have made before, the challenge Pochettino faces is the best formation to keep the centre-backs happy (when all fit) and get the best out of Chilwell and Reece James (when he returns) is a back three. But a standard 4-2-3-1 feels like Chelsea's best chance of scoring freely. And it's Pochettino's preferred style.
Pochettino said in pre-season Chelsea must win "today" but I think he's quickly appreciating time and patience are needed. That doesn't mean the project is failing, though. Quite the opposite...
The summer window was all about a squad transformation, and ensuring outgoings, and Chelsea succeeded in both. £448m was spent (taking transfer fees over three windows to £1bn!). But £295m was brought in via sales and loan fees. The average age of new signings this summer was 20.5 and the average squad age is 22.5. We mustn't forget that. Chelsea is a club that demands success now but this is also a team for the future.
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