Systems are, (sorry Roy), probably the most important aspect of football today. There is still an over-reliance on individual magic, but whether you win a football game or not at the end of the day, is down to how well-drilled your side is, how prepared they are tactically and, of course, the formation you adopt.
Still in France with Italy, there are big question marks over the formation tactical genius Antonio Conte will utilize at the helm of four-time Premier League winners, Chelsea, once he returns from the Euros. 3-5-2, 3-4-3 and 4-2-4 are the systems that have the greatest possibility of being used at Stamford Bridge next season, all complex shapes that need the correct players to work. I will explain the basics of each formation and look at the suitability of each one to the current Chelsea squad.
3-5-2
The Italian’s trademark shape, a 3-5-2 requires midfielders and wing-backs that cover every blade of grass, but also tactically astute players who know their job, what to do and when to do it. Everybody in Conte’s 3-5-2 offers something, while you can’t say the same about the players at Chelsea.
Firstly, the formation is unique as it allows teams to continue to field two strikers of a traditional 4-4-2 shape, but it still offers the luxury of three midfielders and the width that the wing-backs provide.
The formation also works best against opposition with two strikers, primarily the 4-4-2. The use of three centre-backs allows two defenders to man-mark both forwards and the other to pick up any marauding attacking midfielder or simply just have the responsibility of carrying the ball forward, while the width that the wing-backs provide neutralizes any kind of threat from the wingers.
The extra man in the centre of the park up against a 4-4-2 can be very useful for keeping possession of the ball, whilst allowing one midfielder to find space and create opportunities for the two front men. Up front, one striker may drop deep whilst the other plays on the shoulder of the opposition defence. This could be Diego Costa and Michy Batshuayi next season, or even Diego Costa and Eden Hazard.
If Conte wants to employ the 3-5-2 next season, it will need some serious work. For instance, a common aspect of a three-man defence is to have one defender, typically the one playing most central, who can bring the ball out from the back, join the midfield and have the confidence to pick out a pass—there is none of those type of defenders at Chelsea. Bonucci did it at Juventus under Conte and now does the same job for Italy under Conte. However, you cannot have John Terry playing on either side of a back-three.
The wide midfielders/wing-backs are a key part of the 3-5-2, probably the most physically demanding role in the formation. The increasing pace in modern football has made it almost impossible to find two wing-backs with enough stamina to last for 90 minutes. Jay Da Silva and Cesar Azpilicueta could play the wing-back roles, and it would be intriguing to see how the youth product, da Silva, and a less offensive Azpilicueta would fare in such tiring roles. This would mean Azpilicueta would be shifted out to right wing-back.
The 3-5-2 is still a solid formation—with a high chance of succeeding in England and at Chelsea Football Club. Teams such as Juventus, Napoli, Udinese and Italy have successfully adapted it into a very effective formation. It could be suitable for Chelsea, with the right manager to make it work, but it depends on the signings Chelsea make this summer. It requires two box-to-box midfielders working tirelessly for 90 minutes (two players Chelsea don’t have) and a player in behind, either dictating the play or just sitting back and anchoring. It was a case of the former with Pirlo at Juventus and is now a case of the latter with De Rossi for Italy.
Chelsea have that dictator in Cesc Fabregas but there is no point in utilising Fabregas in that role if you don’t have two B2B midfielders supplementing the Spaniard. Nemanja Matic could anchor but he can be dragged around by even the simplest of players. That’s why an N’Golo Kante type is ideal, Oscar could even do a good job in central midfield but it would be hard for the Brazilian to win back the Stamford Bridge faithful, as it seems that they are done with his inconsistency.
Suitability: 8.5/10
Possibility: 4.5/5
3-4-3
The 3-4-3 is a shape with three center-halves, two wing-backs, two central midfielders and three forwards.
Like the 3-5-2, any winger threat is neutralized with the wing-backs always stretching the pitch and providing an outlet for 90 minutes. But it is different from the 3-5-2 because of the wingers – there are only wing-backs in the shape revived by Antonio Conte at Juventus, while there are four wingers in a 3-4-3, rather than two. It offers that extra width and extra security if the wing-backs are being overwhelmed on their side.
If the wing-backs have everything under control, it gives the two other wingers the license to roam and contribute more to the general play. With only three central defenders, the two midfielders must find the perfect balance between defence and attack; if they are too offensive, it will be so easy for sides to break through the midfield.
With just two central midfielders and two wing-backs that hug the touchline for the entire game, you must have one midfielder that sits further back to help prevent counter attacks and a box-to-box midfielder that hustles and harries up and down the field. This will make the team much more secure.
Barcelona, under Pep Guardiola, would start as a 4-3-3, but Sergio Busquets would then drop between the central defenders and the full-backs would push higher up the pitch, thus a 3-4-3 shape when in possession and reverting back to a four-man back-line when the other team has the ball.
I just don’t think this could work at Chelsea, as you need certain players to pull it off. Not every player can play this formation because this is harder than it seems. It requires players with great intelligence, pressing, energy, mobility and passing ability. Not many clubs are stacked with those kind of players.
But if pulled off right, it can be a great formation, and like 3-5-2, it can be an excellent formation for us if the right signings are made and, once again, we have the right manager to implement it.
Suitability: 8/10
Possibility: 4/5
4-2-4
An unorthodox shape implemented by Conte during his stint at Bari, 4-2-4 requires two midfielders with skill and an incredible amount of fitness, performing both tasks of being an attacker and defender, playing as a half-back. The shape consists of four defenders, two center-halves and two full-backs, two midfielders and four forwards, two wingers and two strikers.
The real aim of the formation is to overload the attack and combine it with a solid back-line. playing with six attackers when charging forward and six defenders when not in possession. It is a strange concept but with many problems coming in the final third for Chelsea since 2011, a swashbuckling offensive set-up could very well be the way to go under Antonio Conte.
But with a possible new formation, the same problems arise. Chelsea have no real box-to-box midfielders in the current squad, however, with a couple of the right signings, like with the 3-4-3 and the 3-5-2, a 4-2-4 at Chelsea could look very good.
Suitability: 8.5/10
Probability: 4/5
