Had someone claimed at the turn of the year that Chelsea would have the most explosive transfer window out of all the teams in Europe, it would likely have been laughed off by many. The mood around the club has changed completely now, as the helpless image that they were perceived with at the start of last season is now a thing of the past. Frank Lampard’s reign as the main man at Chelsea is well and truly underway, and how their upcoming season plays out could end up being an extremely intriguing watch. Lampard hasn’t used the window to buy the players that are in demand but instead has cherry-picked the names that would effortlessly slot into his youthful setup.
Timo Werner and Kai Havertz have often been branded the two most exciting German talents in the world right now, and they will both don the famous royal blue kit next season. The arrival of Hakim Ziyech from Ajax is beyond exciting, while the acquisition of Leicester City left-back Ben Chilwell has been greeted with massive plaudits as well. Former PSG defender Thiago Silva has also now moved to Chelsea, with the 35-year-old expected to add structure and experience to what was a struggling back-line. Let’s take this opportunity to identify four formations that Lampard’s Chelsea could use next season
Here Are Four Formations That Lampard’s Chelsea Could Use Next Season:
3-4-3
This was Lampard’s go-to formation for the biggest games as it allowed the Blues’ back-line some much-needed extra security. Their fragilities when defending set-piece situations were no secret, and the presence of an extra man in the box should have helped with that. This formation would also warrant the use of wing-backs, which means that Marcos Alonso could be preferred to Chilwell down the flank. Moreover, with just two spots available in the engine room, deciding on a midfield duo could become quite the challenge for Lampard.
4-3-3 (Double Pivot)
This version of the 4-3-3 features two holding midfield players, who would both be responsible for linking up play as well as offering defensive cover. Arguably the role that would suit French World Cup winner N’Golo Kante the most, this system would also allow the player in the number ten slot a degree of freedom to move about. A creative footballer of Havertz’s stature and ability could be perfect for the lone number ten slot, where he would have space and time to make things happen in the final third.
4-3-3 (Double 8s)
Probably a more attack-minded formation than the former one, this system would involve the use of two attacking midfielders with just one player acting as the pivot in front of the back-line. Playing Kante in this formation wouldn’t work as it would limit his ability to get out of position to win the ball back. What it would instead allow though, is the use of more players in attack. The main reason that this formation wasn’t used too much last time out was due to a lack of personnel in the offensive positions, but with that now sorted out, this could end up being the Blues’ go-to setup for the upcoming campaign.
4-4-2
The use of two strikers isn’t something that’s seen very often in the Premier League nowadays, with Burnley one of the few teams who still depend on it regularly. Despite this, it’s a formation that Lampard should perhaps consider more often. Timo Werner’s best performances have all come as part of a front-two, and deploying him alongside one of Abraham or Giroud could end up paying massive dividends. This would also allow the likes of Pulisic and Ziyech the width required to impact the tie, with the only drawback being that the two midfielders would be flooded with defensive responsibilities.
