Jorginho arrived last summer as a package with Maurizio Sarri, and as such a specialist player in his system it was a serious concern that he would struggle to adjust his game to Frank Lampard’s entirely different style.
The Italy international’s game has actually suited this new role very well too. Jorginho doesn’t have much speed, but he doesn’t mind getting stuck in to a challenge when he can, and his little bit more spatial freedom here means he can pick up more interceptions and tackles further from his central zone.
https://twitter.com/talkchelsea/status/1179144011732439040
His passing patterns are radically different too. The WhoScored stats here show that against Brighton, sitting deep and allowing us to push high up with the ball, Jorginho was playing incisive balls. He had 3 long balls, 2 of them accurate, and 2 through balls, 1 accurate. That was the join most in the team with Ross Barkley and Fikayo Tomori, who also took their chances to hit long passes when given the chance.
Jorginho was ridiculed for not getting an assist last year. He already has one this season – the pass preceding Tammy’s lovely goal on the counter against Wolves, and in this new role should pick up plenty more too.
