Pochettino's 4-3-3 revelation sees a revival in results
The use of the 4-3-3 formation has helped see Chelsea win twice in the last week. Why is that and how do we keep progressing forward?
It seems like Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has finally seen that the 4-3-3 formation suits this team perfectly and we’ve already seen an improvement in our results and performances in our last two games against Brighton and Fulham. Our squad building over the summer blatantly pointed towards the 4-3-3 being our strongest formation with everyone fit, and Poch has made use of the system in the last week.
Against Brighton and Fulham, we played different personnel in midfield, but the structure was more or less the same and it has been a key reason for a huge increase in the balance of the whole XI.
Against Brighton (left), we deployed Ugochukwu (16) as the sitter, Caicedo (25) slightly higher up as the destroyer and Palmer (20) as the box-to-box.
Against Fulham (right), we deployed Caicedo (25) as the sitter, Enzo (8) slightly higher up and Gallagher (23) as the box-to-box.
Both of these midfield trios contained very different personnel, but both worked really well. In both games, we dominated the contest in the middle of the park and I’m sure Pochettino was delighted with what he saw. Brighton had more possession than us when we took each other on in the Carabao Cup last Wednesday, but the bulk of their possession was their defenders passing it to each other. Their midfielders couldn’t get into the game.
I wrote an opinion piece recently about Chelsea’s midfield conundrum where I wrote that I feel our best chance of winning matches was with 4-3-3 and specifically a midfield three consisting of Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia and Enzo Fernandez.
Whilst the midfield we saw against Fulham had Conor Gallagher in it over the injured Lavia, I saw a blueprint there, and I was a big fan of what I saw.
I’ll caveat this by saying I don’t want this to come across like I’m disregarding Gallagher, who has been an absolutely excellent player for us so far this season and has captained the club with immense pride. I’m not taking away from his performances at all, but I still expect Lavia to come into this side when everyone is fully fit.
The 4-3-3 suits our squad so well and we have the ideal players to play it perfectly, especially in midfield. The three parts, as said before are the sitter - who will be Lavia, the roaming destroyer - who will be Caicedo, and the box to box - who will be Enzo.
The main aspect I was happy with against Fulham was the fact Enzo wasn’t playing with his back to goal. He had his best game in a Chelsea shirt since we played Liverpool on the opening weekend, which was the last time he played as an 8, rather than a 10.
In my ideal midfield, he would play the furthest up the pitch, but crucially he’d enter that zone of the pitch by running from deep, rather than receiving with his back to goal. I’m certain we’ll see him score and assist more this way, which will be a huge added bonus.
Conor Gallagher has been defensively excellent recently. He has the most tackles, the most possession won in the final third, the most duels won and the most interceptions in the league for us this season. Opposite to Enzo, he’s benefitted from playing higher up the pitch and I’m glad that experiment where he was the deepest midfielder has stopped.
The current stats and form point to Gallagher being one of our most important players and I’m glad this change to a 4-3-3 has helped get the best out of him. I really feel harsh when I suggest he’s not in my preferred midfield trio but that’s a testament to just how highly I rate Lavia, Caicedo and Enzo. Lavia coming in allows Caicedo and Enzo to push up slightly and Lavia has a level of technical security and press resistance which is arguably the most important trait in football. I cannot wait to see him in action.
I’m also looking forward to having Reece James back playing with this midfield trio as he’ll have almost unlimited licence to bomb forward with the knowledge that he has some of the best defensive midfield cover in the league ready to sweep up.
Cole Palmer is another player who Chelsea fans are just in awe of right now. He can play as the most advanced player in the midfield as seen against Brighton, or on the right-hand side of attack like he was at Craven Cottage.
Palmer was excellent in both games and he interchanged positions with Gallagher very effectively on Monday. The former City man seems comfortable anywhere in the midfield and attack. He’s looking like a real find already and he’ll benefit from the ideal midfield trio too as in that side, he’ll be linking up more with Enzo. If that doesn’t excite you, I don’t know what will,
I’m trying not to get too far ahead of myself and I know we’ve ‘only’ beaten Brighton and Fulham, but it’s worth remembering Fulham have one of the Premier League’s best midfielders in Joao Palhinha (who absolutely dominated Arsenal’s midfield on his own), and Brighton’s midfield contained Dahoud who had been playing very well in the league, and Baleba who is extremely highly rated.
It really does feel like we’re turning a corner as I keep saying. We have a trip to Burnley up next on Saturday and I hope we’ll witness another midfield masterclass before the international break. We just wait on the news and see if Caicedo can recover from the blow he took to the knee on Monday (Nizaar Kinsella of The Evening Standard is currently reporting Caicedo will be OK), but if he can, same midfield again please, Poch. UTC.
By Will Reyner
Another very interesting article Will.... enjoyed it😁👍
For me Enzo, given his low goal scoring stats and lack of round the box nous is still playing too high. And with Lavia it would be even more defensive. Rather than Lavia I'd like to see Chukwumeka playing in the box to box or advanced role with Enzo and Caicedo doing the water carrying. Enzo can do his switches and aerial passes as well as his short and through ball work and give the naturally more gifted attackers the opportunities and ball they need.
That said I have alway thought and continue to think that 4 3 3 is the natural formation for this squad with the evolution of moving Colwill infield, Cucu going back on the left and Silva moving to the bench.