It’s been a while, let’s have a look at some lineups for next season!
We obviously still need more additions to our squad this summer, and we will make them. But let’s have a look at what we currently have to work with already and how the setup might look going into next season.
The Athletic reported yesterday that Chelsea are expected to adopt a 4-3-3 formation with a single pivot, allowing two advanced 8s to play between the lines and attack the final third.
So with that in mind, today I am looking at 4-3-3 formations….
This would be my default IF everyone is fit and with the current options we have:
However, there are other options and top competition too.
I also think we still need to sign a new right winger, more of a 1v1 option.
But for now I’ve selected Raheem Sterling there as another option. I do think Noni Madueke is decent, but he’s still not done enough consistently yet to convince me. Sterling on the right allows Palmer to drift wide too and link up as he wont be cutting in like Madueke would.
I realise I forgot to select a GK here! False number one it is then!
Then of course, there is the inverted full back that Enzo Maresca would be using, and for me, that would look like this in a 4-3-3, obviously switching up in and out of possession:
It will be interesting to see how Maresca sets up the back line and whether he picks three centre backs and has Levi Colwill operating in that hybrid full back/centre back role. We of course are still looking for targets of that description too.
Reece James as an inverted full back for me is an absolute no brainer. I’ve been saying for years he would be a fantastic defensive midfielder, but using him like this is the best of both worlds as he can also still get down the right flank and attack. I think he’d be our best performer here, IF he can stay fit of course, and we all know that is a huge IF. Cucurella can do the inverted full back role to a decent standard too, as we saw last season.
There’s a lot of players who will be eager to start and wont be starting much, so it’s lucky we have got an extra competition to play in this season. Malo Gusto I am sure will get plenty of chances with James being injury prone, and I’d be intrigued to see if he can be inverted too.
Up top we absolutely need an established striker to come in and compete with Jackson. I’m still concerned by the balance and that our best starting Xl (in my opinion) does not feature an out and out winger. Palmer and Nkunku surely both have to start, but if they do, we then lack 1v1 wingers, which for me could be an issue.
We still need to sign another winger, a striker, a left back, and I even think we need a new goalkeeper too.
We have some great foundations in place now though, and if we do the right business this summer then we can kick on next season.
I’m excited and intrigued, whilst also very cautious to see how Maresca is going to set us up next season and his style of play/how he will use players. My formations are of course all speculation, and we know that he might also use a double pivot and a 10. I’d be concerned about using Enzo Fernandez and Caicedo as our 8 options as I’m not sure about the creativity there whilst lacking a 10 to do that role. I think we’d need a creative 8 like Palmer, Dewsbury-Hall, Carney Chukwuemeka, or even Nkunku.
Conor Gallagher and Ben Chilwell have not bene mentioned here because for me, I am OK with both being sold this window.
So there are a lot of question marks and also, a lot of players to keep happy and content, with more expected to arrive. As I always, say, rather Maresca than me, but it’s a ‘good’ problem to have!