Tactical View: A Look At Our Top 4

Now when I say our top 4, I don't mean our 4 best players. I mean the players who will play in the positions of the right & left wingers, the attacking midfielder & the striker.

Last season, when Roberto Di Matteo was appointed interim manager, the first thing he did was change our formation from AVB's preferred 4-3-3 to the 4-2-3-1. The change worked well, but one could tell that we didn't quite fully utilize the formation to it's full potential. That wasn't because the players were doing anything wrong, but simply because we didn't have the players who could fully flourish in those positions. However, that is not the case this year. With Marko Marin & Eden Hazard arriving at the club, we can now become a fluid attacking unit because the "Top 4" positions will be occupied by players who will be comfortable playing there.

Assuming there are no other signings made this season, I expect the standard Top 4 to line-up as: Marin, Mata, Hazard, Torres i.e Marin & Hazard will play on the right & left wing respectively, Mata will play as the attacking midfield player & Torres will play as the lone striker. However, having seen the playing style of the 3 players lining up behind Torres, expect a little more dynamism from Chelsea FC.


Given that Hazard has said that he would like to play in the hole behind the striker (the position Mata made his own last season), I expect to see both Mata & Hazard interchange positions during play, something we've seen Manchester United's wingers do over the years. If & when they do interchange, it will give the opposition defence a few more headaches. While Mata is an extremely creative spark in the middle, expect Hazard to pose a different threat, as he isn't afraid to take on a defender & (more often than not) beat him. Hazard can also provide that killer pass, something he proved more often than not last season. Of course, this would mean that the opposition wing-back will now have to deal with Mata, someone who isn't afraid to cross or even beat a man.

I also expect a similar interchange of positions to take place between Marin & Mata. Marin isn't the type who is extremely creative down the middle, but he has the ability to beat men for fun, which can result in chances being created. And once again, the opposition wing-back will be left with the enviable task of marking Juan Mata.

If what I've written indeed turns out to be true, expect a lot of goals & trophies from Chelsea FC. I, for one, cannot wait for next season.


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