Chelsea back in form

Hello and warm welcome to the latest edition of our newsletter! In this issue, the following topics take center stage:

1. ⚽Chelsea back in form

2. 👉2 New Exercises!

3. ✒️Quote of the Week

⚽Chelsea back in form

Chelsea has made an impressive final sprint and is now unbeaten in five games. With four wins and one draw, they have positioned themselves in a place that could be enough for the Europa League next season. The victory against Brighton was particularly important. At the beginning of the season, the playing style of the young and newly formed team was not yet clearly visible, but in the last few games, they have shown clearly that they have stabilized and play attractive football. We have taken a closer look at the game against Brighton and analyzed it for you.

In Possession:

Zone 1: Pochettino's team relies on a patient and courageous build-up play. In possession, full-back Cucurella moves into the center and forms the double pivot with Caicedo. Gallagher advances to the number eight position, creating a compact box midfield in the middle. The defensive line is formed by Badiashile, Chalobah, and Gusto as a back three. While most teams in the first zone build up with a back four and two holding midfielders, Chelsea adapts to Brighton's cautious pressing strategy by having Cucurella move into the center very early on.

Zone 2: In the second zone, the formation remained unchanged, they continued playing in the 3-2-5 system. The fluidity of the game was striking: positions were constantly interchanged, so, for example, Palmer could suddenly be seen on the wing and Mudryk in the centre. Despite this flexibility, the crucial spaces were always occupied, making it difficult for the defending team as they constantly have to cover changing opponents. Chelsea also has technically strong players in this zone who can hold the ball well. However, compared to Manchester City, they operate much more directly, relying on the speed of their attacking players.

Zone 3: In the finishing zone, it was particularly interesting to observe how often Gusto, who is also responsible for the rest-defense, got involved in the game and overlapped his teammates on the side. This requires a very high work rate and a good sense of when it is appropriate to join the attack. Gusto did this extremely successfully in the game against Brighton and beautifully set up Chelsea's first goal. Usually, teams refrain from risking such additional runs when Cucurella (full-back) is already operating in the center. However, in this game, Gusto was an additional offensive weapon. Chelsea's second goal came from his side.

Out of Possession:

Zone 1: Chelsea defended very compactly in a 4-4-2 formation. They kept the field tight, making it very difficult for Brighton to combine through. Only in the last minutes of the game did Chelsea retreat deep into their own half.

Zone 2: As soon as Brighton managed to escape from the high press, all players immediately retreated and practiced midfield pressing, also in a 4-4-2 formation. The young and hungry team showed a high willingness to run. All players contributed, even striker Jackson provided strong defensive support. Additionally, they kept the distances short and stood very compact both vertically and horizontally.

Zone 3: As mentioned, Pochettino's team presses very bravely and high up the field, with the clear aim of regaining possession as early as possible. Chelsea pressured Brighton similarly to Manchester City and operated with up to six players in pressing. They played man-to-man marking at the back.

Transition after losing the ball:

Counter-pressing: After losing the ball, Chelsea immediately engaged in counter-pressing and was very successful in doing so. They acted as a unit and immediately applied pressure on the player in possession. Except for the last few minutes mentioned earlier, after they were already leading 2-0, they did not simply retreat.

Transition after winning the ball:

Counterattacks: In the transition phase after winning the ball, Chelsea demonstrated good balance. They were able to switch quickly and initiate swift counterattacks with their players.

Ball retention: On the other hand, it was good to observe how they could also initially secure the ball and calm the game down to prepare for a new attack. This, of course, depends on the individual qualities of the players. By combining both strategies, they are particularly difficult for the opponent to defend against in this phase of the game.

Conclusion: 

This season, Chelsea lacked stability as they were in a period of transition. However, in the last few games, Pochettino's ideas and principles have become increasingly evident, and it seems that the players now have a clear understanding of their roles. While money and good investments in players or other club members can accelerate the process, they alone are not enough to reach the top. It requires a clear vision and strategy from the club and the coach. Pochettino's team will surely be stronger in the next season, and we can look forward to an even more exciting Premier League season next year.

👉2 New Exercises!

2 new exercises are out. Get unlimited access to all existing and upcoming videos with our monthly or yearly subscription.

Exercises:

• Passing Drill with Movement Off the Ball

• Transition Play with Three Teams

✒️Quote of the Week

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