Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperMatt18
Biggest issue Frank had is playing guys in their natural positions.
I went and looked at past RB Leipzig formations and Werner generally played more on the left side. Either on the left side of a front three, or on the left side in a two striker formation. Looks like he rarely he was played as a sole striker.
For Chelsea he's played mostly up top as a lone striker or on the right side.
It's the same thing with Havertz. His best season for Leverkusen was this past season when they deployed him in more of an attacking role - some times as the center forward of a three forward formation, or as the Right Wing of the attacking 3 in a 4-2-3-1 set up.
For Chelsea they've had him in a deeper role playing more as a traditional Right Midfielder, which doesn't suit him.
Ziyech played as the Right Wing on the right side in a 4-2-3-1, or in a 4-3-3 formation at Ajax.
Been the same thing with Pulisic - if you look at his last season in Dortmund he played mostly as a RW or CAM. Then goes to Chelsea and they play him on the left almost exclusively.
I'd almost be trying this if I were Chelsea:
Werner - Havertz - Ziyech
Pulisic
Kante - Kovacic
Werner and Ziyech were both used more in these type of winger positions. Havertz actually had a lot of success as the CF in almost more of a False 9 role. Pulisic has stated that he personally thinks playing in the Center is his best position, and then you have Kante/Kovacic/Jorginho behind them to protect.
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I think looking at a more fluid formation may be the answer. Back when Chelsea had Drogba and Anelka, they played a front 3 that was essentially a striker as a fulcrum (Drogba) a shifty second striker in the half spaces on the right (Anelka) and a more traditional winger/creator from wide on the other side (Malouda). That then allowed the right fullback to jump in as the extra man wide on attack.
Do that with this team now, and you have Giroud as your hold up/target man, Werner in half spaces on the left, Chilwell joining as the wide option coming forward from leftback, and Ziyech as a creator on the right. Ideally you bring in a better long term striker (Haaland as out and out striker, , but Giroud fits the bill for now.
That midfield 3 back then was immense - we are talking Lampard, Essien, Ballack. It is very tempting to look at the team now and say that there is potential for that kind of a trio again with Mount, Kante and Havertz. That team relied on a dynamic and smart player shuttling (Essien) and two players with eyes for goal/creating and able to break forward to receive the ball in scoring areas.
I would go for this kind of a lineup personally:
Giroud
Werner - Ziyech
Mount - Havertz
Kante
Chilwell - Zouma - Silva - James
Mendy
Looks like Werner on the wing, but he would be drifting in as Chilwell comes up, so in attack it is a 3-3-4 effectively, whereas in defence it is 4-3-2-1, which would allow for more compact pressing, not being stretched and leaving spaces for teams to break and counter as effectively