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EP 51: Tactics Tuesday - Arsenal (H)
22 Plays1 month ago
Join Jake and Luke as they take a deep dive into the 1-1 draw against Arsenal on Sunday. We discuss starting 11 changes, Gusto inverting in the 8 role, Cucurella on Saka and has Palmer lost his form?
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Transcript
Chelsea vs Arsenal: Tactical Opening
00:00:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello everybody and welcome to the Daily Chelsea Podcast. It is, of course, Tactics Tuesday, a big game on the weekend, Chelsea drawing one all with Arsenal.
00:00:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
And to discuss the tactics from that game, I'm joined. I'm not going to go lyrical today. I'm going to go just, just lovely. Just the lovely Luke. How you doing mate?
00:00:31
Luke Charlton
Thank you. Yes, yeah, no, I'm doing very well. I'm doing very well. I'm hoping hoping I can be lovely and logical today when we discuss the tactics um of what was actually quite an interesting game, but we will come into that. I'm sure we will.
00:00:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, a hundred percent. A lot of logical was a good one. I should have gone logical, mate.
Kukarela vs Saka: Defensive Analysis
00:00:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, of course. it was It was a very interesting game. and Both managers set up. Maybe a little bit different to what we sort of expected throughout the week. Of course, we did do a full matchday review um match day review Monday yesterday. So if you want to, you know, listen to that, have a, you know, today we'll go into the details of the tactics specifically.
00:01:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
I ran down of the whole game, make sure to what listen to that episode as a little prelude to today. two today um But yeah, ah let's let's start, Luke, with with the starting 11 changes, because that was the first thing that surprised me, obviously. And I think, obviously, the biggest you know tactical but implementation of what we saw in that game came from a couple of those new players who came in. So obviously, Kookarela's first start in five games um was was the major change for us.
00:01:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
um What did you think of, of that change? And what do you think of the general sort of thinking of making an entire player change just to have one player locked down? Do you think, do you think that was probably worth it in in terms of, in terms of Pachayo Saka? I mean, the only rest the only reason I asked that is because as much as we kept Saka quiet, the, the player that scored the goal was Martinelli. So, you know, I've seen a couple of fans on Twitter saying, you know, it was maybe not the best approach to take. We should have taken a more of a holistic sort of approach. what What do you think about, about Kukarela and Saka?
Kukarela's Defensive Style and Influence
00:02:09
Luke Charlton
Yeah, I mean, I think, undeniably, you have to say that on on his day, Sak is probably asking the best player in terms of attacking throughout. I think he has an ability to go on the outside, cut inside, he can score with his left or his right. He has such confidence when he's dribbling against a defender that can't keep up with him. And ultimately it showed that Kukarela was we're certainly up for the task and and and and did his job manfully I think and and I don't think we we miss having
00:02:40
Luke Charlton
um kind of when when he's playing in that defensive sense, and because he plays so on the front foot, I don't think we necessarily miss having say, Augusto on that side and then James on the other side to kind of feel that rotation of a back three where we have more of a solid center half, on or if it's James playing on the left, but coming in almost at left center back to play more infield balls. I think because Kukarele is so naturally left footed, and aggressive, it allowed him to cover kind of all options for Saka. It was really interesting. I think I saw a piece afterwards breaking down a lot of how he's able to shut down players, um where he's a high risk, high reward defender, it's because of his his dribbling style. He does a lot of quick one step, one step on the tips of his toes. He's very quickly changing direction and making essentially making the attacker make the decision. um And if they don't do it within a split amount of time, he will just be all over them.
Chelsea's Defensive Setup: Player Roles
00:03:30
Luke Charlton
And because he's a fairly aggressive player,
00:03:32
Luke Charlton
but I think he has matured in terms of his tackling ability because he's always been very aggressive but I think now he times his tackles a little bit better so he's definitely been working on that in training and I think whether that's Maresco or just generally his own um personal development and what he's looked to try and improve in his own game um it becomes a lot more apparent where he can have that explosiveness in the tackle and be on the front foot and where in the past we've been caught out a lot by that I think because we naturally have Colwell filling in almost at that left left back position at points and everyone sort of shifts over um whether it be Gusto because he's higher up and then we have Lavio or Quesedo dropping at right centre back they all sort of seem to anticipate that Cooke Weller can be can spring that press and then be attacking on the front foot similar to the way of there was that season where we had David Luiz particularly with Rafa Benitez was playing a lot more in midfield because he is such a front footed defender
00:04:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:04:23
Luke Charlton
if he steps up too quickly or makes the wrong decision you leave a huge space in behind so if anything you want him a little bit further up the field because then you've got two centre halves behind him because if he does win it win it quickly and high up the pitch it really puts a transition in and I think we we saw a lot of that from Cucarello that it was just unfortunate we couldn't quite take advantage of it when we did win the ball high up because he has the ability to do that um But no, I certainly think our strongest 11 involves Kukarela. So we have to have him in there um in that capacity. And I think i think the decisions potentially dropped James in favour of Gusto. At the start of the game, I thought, yeah, I think that's that's a good decision because we still can't rely on James. I think in such an intense game for 90 minutes, that level of fitness, we don't want to overburden him because he's coming back from
00:05:08
Luke Charlton
a lot of injuries and and and a big surgery as well. So having Gusto in there who has that energy I think was was but was it was a good idea. In hindsight do I look at it and go maybe if we'd had James for 90 minutes he may have been able to do a little bit more creatively in the areas that Gusto ended up in potentially but we can't we can't I can't Beret Mareska for the decision he made before the game because I understood it.
00:05:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:05:30
Luke Charlton
So, um yeah, on on the whole, I think, i think yeah, that the from the defensive side of things, the setup and and we had going going into the game, i think I think made a lot of sense.
00:05:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. And it's very interesting to say that, Luke, because obviously one of our points we're going to talk about today is, is that fallback sort of pushing into that number eight role or the inverted midfielder, you know, whatever variety that Mareski uses, uses that player for, which he has, the he's used it for a variety of reasons this season, but more commonly we see yeah the fallback coming to number eight and fitting in that space. We'll move on to that um in terms of, is it working maybe? Is it not?
00:06:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Um, and maybe the players maybe dictate that a bit more as well. Um, one thing I do, I do find quite interesting. You said it's Kookarelo. I think what I want to talk about next is, is how Chelsea and Arsenal both typically have sort of been pressing a lot of teams in most of their pictures, but sort of on Sunday, you did, you did see it a bit, but it seems that it was also, it was almost as if a couple of players from both Chelsea and Arsenal was sort of press
Levi Colwell: Performance and Potential
00:06:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
resistant.
00:06:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
it was like It was almost as if they had been instructed not to press that player specifically. Stay in his space, don't give him more than one meter or two meters, but you know don't press that player right down because they will pass around us in that sort in that sort of instance. And I think Kukareta was definitely one of those players. Saka averages 2.5 fouls per game. He did not make one foul on Sunday.
00:06:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
And usually those fouls that Saka makes ah come come from him pressing or trying to close the player down. And he didn't attempt it once with Kukarela. He only won the ball off of Kukarela once in the entire game. um but So yeah I think, yeah, it's totally agree with you that Kukarela did well. I think another player for us on Sunday as well, he he really was sort of press resistant. And I think To be honest, to to give Arsenal their credit, I think Timber did sort of really well and Saliba did really well um in terms of playing the ball out. But for us, Kukarela, and I think also Levee Colwell as well, he he was absolutely fantastic in terms of... it Whenever he made a pass, it seems to open up Arsenal nearly every single time that he played that ball out.
00:07:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And if you look at he you know his stats for the game, he had the most accurate passes out of any defender in the game with 82%. Only one half his tackle was which wasn't the best. But um in terms of in terms of the amount of passes and what he's able to do for us, do you think, Luke, that Levi Colwell was maybe... Is he maybe the most important defender we we have in having a pitch now?
00:07:56
Luke Charlton
you can certainly argue that. I think he has, he showed his quality obviously with his loan spells at Brighton and established himself in the first team last year and has consistently just raised his level. um he He has an edge to him which I think some of our other defenders maybe lack. um There is a presence about him where I feel he wants to be a leader, he wants to be dominant on the pitch, um maybe in a way that we we can see a little bit in Tosin when he plays but in a different style I feel where I think Tosin is a lot more
00:08:36
Luke Charlton
I want to be the kind of figurehead for the team in terms of that sense of, I am one of the more senior players here. Let me look out for my teammates. Whereas I think for Cole Will, he's no, this is Chelsea football club. This is what we stand for. It's almost a sort of different or level of authority that they're looking for, for different reasons. I think there's ah ah maybe a care and compassion that Towson has for his teammates. He wants to make sure that they're adjusting and developing and and and not being overruled in certain situations. But with Cole Will, it's like,
00:09:07
Luke Charlton
We shouldn't fear anyone. we we are We are superior to everyone we play. Let's show that. Let's be dominant. um And I think at times, him and Fafana at points, I really rate that they that there are a sense about pairing and are really doing well on a conceited progression, but there is some level of naivety there and some level of, like they're showing their kind of lack of big game experience at points, at moments in matches, where the only way you can improve on that is by playing more of those big games.
00:09:33
Luke Charlton
um So that's not to say that that that they won't won't they won't improve because I really think they do and I think their ceilings are are very, very high. um And again, we we have to to take into account that for Fafana in particular as well, he's had a lot of injuries and he's really only coming back to consistent first-team football for the first time in about two years really.
00:09:50
Luke Charlton
So it's so it's a lot it's a lot for him to really take on.
00:09:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:53
Luke Charlton
And again, Colwell is establishing himself. He's got the number six shirt now. He's he's taking it off of one of our best ever signings we've ever had for the amount of money we paid and the experience he brought in and the ability was in Tiago Silver.
00:10:06
Luke Charlton
And we we have to look at it and go, yeah I do agree with you. i think I think he is our most important defender. He's probably our best performing defender in terms of his passing ability is ridiculous. when When he gets to the right position, he can play such an excellent pass. I just think there's little moments where his in-game decisions may be, not even in the moment, it's it's the pre-empt in the moment, it's the it's the it's the quality that we always kind of, you didn't really notice it until you realised it was happening in John Terry and what made him such a great defender was he it was almost playing football like it's chess. He would see that because we're stood here, because this midfield is here, I have to stand back here because at any moment this can happen, which means I have to be in best-placed position because I'm not the fastest.
00:10:49
Luke Charlton
And it's those sorts of things that you can only pick up by playing football, seeing different in-game scenarios and and being on a pitch and in in ah in ah in a precarious situation. Alex, some of the goals we have conceded this year, we've been caught out with little lapses of judgment and little moments of um of indecision, I think, really, um where again, we touched on it yesterday about how a quality goalkeeper can improve on those sorts of things, but also the experience of ah of your defensive pairing can improve on those sorts of things.
00:11:18
Luke Charlton
So, um yeah, I think the future is really bright for our, for our centre half.
Chelsea's Defensive Depth: Rumors and Needs
00:11:23
Luke Charlton
There is talk I've heard today and like throughout the week as well. Again, we touched on it with silly season in terms of the transfer window, but we are linked with another centre half. Apparently there's a, there's a fellow that plays with Ben Fieke. I can't remember his name now when I, when I, as I come to think of it, but he's been linked with the club. um And it may be another reinforcement we need to make because I don't know if our backup options are at a level that we need going forward.
00:11:46
Luke Charlton
I think they're totally serviceable now in the conference league when they're being played most of the time but going forward when we're fighting hopefully on the Premier League and Champions League front we do want better depth there because we we we do we there is a significant drop off when someone like Levi Cole isn't playing.
00:12:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, completely agree with you there. And, you know, it shows in the stats, like if you look at compared to other center backs, Levee Colwell, early Bocco was, you know, touches 83% defensive action, 64% and Jones has created 44% in terms of, you know, he's consistently up there in the numbers for the Premier League. Fantastic to happen. We will discuss a bit more about our defenders and plus what we were just talking about as well, ah fallbacks in the number eight role. And if that's maybe, it's maybe time to change it up a little bit after this very quick break.
00:12:35
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00:12:56
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00:13:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we are back on the Deadly Chelsea podcast.
Inverted Fullbacks and Tactical Impact
00:13:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
This is, of course, Tactics Tuesday. Me and Luke have just discussed the starting 11 changes. Kookarela vs. Saka. And now we're going to move on to something that Chelsea fans are getting very accustomed to and something we've hit we we spoken a little bit about before. But I think maybe this is one of the games that we can start to question it a little bit. And not that it's a tactic that's not working, but Obviously, one of one of the big things in Maresca is that a a fallback typically inverts and it it doesn't necessarily need to be he inverts to go into a number eight or something like that. We just we we do know one of our fallbacks is going to sort of sit in a midfield area, um similar to what Kukarela started doing last season under Pochettino. What we've seen in the last few games, especially games, but maybe it's because we're playing bigger teams now when we get we're getting worked out a little bit more, but um
00:14:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
where we've seen sort of Palmer's form maybe dropping a little bit, and I don't want to say his outer form at all, it's Col Palmer, but his form is dropping a little bit. It seems that whenever the sort of fallback is coming into, the fallback is in the midfield, the the space they seem to be occupying at the moment is Col Palmer's space. It's where he's, last season it's the it's the you know the sort of area of the pitch where he created most chances from.
00:14:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know it's maybe why we're seeing Cole Palmer drop back a little bit more now and having to pick up the ball a bit deeper. And obviously that doesn't reflect, you know, if he's picking up the ball deeper, doesn't it means he may not get as many goals or assists, it may not reflect as much in numbers. um But what, Luke, what do what do you think about what we've sort of seen this season from the inverted midfielder sort of tactic that Maresca uses? And do you think maybe the last couple of games it's starting to wear off, the you know, the
00:15:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
the advantage of it is starting to wear off a little bit.
00:15:04
Luke Charlton
There has to be a sense of balance, I think, and and it's really interesting because as you say, as the season sort of progressed, it's become very established that our fallback that is inverting into midfield is not doing so in a defensive manner. It is a lot higher up the pitch than maybe we would be used to when someone would say you've got an inverted fallback. and um we've seen We've seen different deployments in that position, as you said, like you've got Cucarello inverting, we've had Gusto inverting, we've had Renato Vega inverting, um and I think there's certainly merit to it because it allows a different level of presence in that area of the pitch. But I think as you say,
00:15:42
Luke Charlton
In the long run, is it hampering us in attacking sense? Because we're having a lot of players that like to dominate in those areas, almost stepping on each other's toes. And and I think that the the biggest point that we've we've probably seen over the last few games that that's hindered is someone like Cole Palmer. Because the amount of times we've seen him drop incredibly deep, almost behind Lavier and Quesada to pick up the ball and to start attacks, immediately means that he's draining himself of being in the position where he can make quicker decisions at the top end of the pitch before a defence has time to settle itself. and and that And that ultimately is where you want a player of Karl Palmer's ability to be a lot further, a lot a lot closer in that sort of that half space behind.
00:16:21
Luke Charlton
the the the either center half on the left or the right. So um I think seeing Kukarela be there in ah in an attacking sense a lot more. And then conversely, when Reece James came in, it was a lot higher at that point on that side. It does make you think maybe what the long-term solution is because particularly where we've seen Madaweki maybe taper off a little bit in terms of his output in ah in Chelsea games recently. Does it mean that we shift Palmer out to the to the left, but start potentially with five defenders with the view that that one of them is an out-and-out fallback but playing a lot higher up. So for example in this sense it would be theoretically we could say play Gusto instead of Madaweki and James plays at right back so Kukarela can invert into the left eight. Gusto can be overlapping and play a lot higher on that side but also he can drop back if Parma wants to be in that position to be able to create space on the right hand side.
00:17:13
Luke Charlton
I don't know if it would work, theoretically, but but you do look at it and go, well, if Madaweki is not being as effective in that position, why don't we have more of and a presence in that sort of space?
00:17:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that's that's interesting you say that, Luke. Just quickly on that in terms of what you've what you've mentioned with Mada Waikae there, do you think maybe, because what we said what we add what we have actually seen um before before the Arsenal game was actually, it it seems to be the left-sided player has been inverting more. um do you think Do you think maybe Mada Waikae is not doing Do you think that Madaweke, because he doesn't have maybe the backup of a fullback and typically that fullback is actually going into midfield more and leaving him sort of on his on his own on the on the on the right, do you think that's harming Madaweke or do you think maybe even Mareska, that's why Mareska likes Madaweke because he can hold his own on that side maybe?
00:18:12
Luke Charlton
i think I think it might be a reason why Medoweche has
Attacking Lineup: Strategy and Changes
00:18:15
Luke Charlton
persistently been starting is because he has that ability to go inside or outside. um He's definitely more comfortable when he's left and and I think from a scoring point he's a lot better, but he has that ability and that quickness on his right foot to go in and get to the byline and cut it back, um which I i think Mareska loves that because it means that the fallback that has inverted can get up and be an extra man in the box on the edge of the area. so um and what we did We did see a lot of the time Gusto was overlapping, but it was usually inside of Timba, so he would go through through past Saliba and Timba on that left channel ah in the AR sort of defence, whereas we
00:18:54
Luke Charlton
ri I mean, what's the word? ah Historically, you'd say if you had an overlapping fullback, they would be going behind the attacker.
00:19:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:00
Luke Charlton
So it would almost be the defender would see where they've gone. But I think what he's trying to do is have to have the left back be completely fixated on what Madawecki is doing in a dribbling sense.
00:19:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:09
Luke Charlton
have Gusto running his blindside, not get a shout from the defender and he'll be played in behind with with loads of space.
00:19:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:15
Luke Charlton
So there is that, it's harder for a defender to pass off the role, which means that your midfielders have to do more work, so a Thomas party in this case probably would have to come back and track. So I totally understand why he likes to do it, and I think Madaweki is the best profile to fit in on that right-hand side to do that, um in the same way why I think Sancho was so effective for us on the left-hand side, when we would have gusto inverting in those games and Cucarello overlapping.
00:19:42
Luke Charlton
because there was a lot of the time when people were questioning in the games that Sancho played, why is Gusto, who's the quote unquote more athletic outgoing fallback when we've seen Cucarello reverting under Pochettino, why is he the one that's inverting and Cucarello is playing mortar in a traditional style?
00:19:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:55
Luke Charlton
And I think it's because he likes his foot his foot he the fallbacks that overlap to almost I'd say half underlap, is that even a word? I mean is that even a phrase?
00:20:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah well Yeah.
00:20:04
Luke Charlton
But it is that idea.
00:20:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:20:06
Luke Charlton
So because they because they are trying to get into the box and to the byline, but are they they're doing it in a way that they're trying to take a defender out of the game because they're concentrating on the dribbler. So um I think yeah, it's interesting.
00:20:19
Luke Charlton
we seem to have sort of stalled a little bit recently in terms of being free flowing in our goal scoring. We also have to take into account the quality of the opposition we've been playing. So um yeah, and as I say, for every game where we're struggling to get more than one or two goals, we go and blitz Noah by a ridiculous amount of goals. So it shows that we have the ability to do it. um But no, it's interesting. And and I think there is a reason why he's he he's very sure of himself in the wingers he wants. and there's ah I read an article as well, I wear an excerpt from an article in The Athletic, talking about why Raheem Sterling in particular was iced out during our pre-season because there was a specific game, or a specific 45 minutes, that Mareska saw from him, and there was just no output from a winger that he wanted, where he takes on a player, which is why Neto and Madaweki have been so explosive and so
00:21:06
Luke Charlton
And so performing in terms of at different points in the season so far, because they have that ability. And when they have that confidence and they're informed, it really makes a difference.
00:21:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, 100% agree with me 100% agree with you guys. long Long gone are the days of 442 and just the typical overlap out there. and Well, we will keep talking about the attack and maybe if we need a bit of a refresh tactically as one of the players as well after we take our last quick break before finishing the episode. We'll see you shortly.
00:21:39
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00:22:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we are back for the final third of the Daily Chelsea Tactics Tuesday podcast. We, of course, are running over the Chelsea 1-0 draw with Arsenal. And and maybe, Luke, this is this is us now maybe thinking ahead a bit more rather than looking as much on the Chelsea versus Arsenal game, but we've had a very similar sort of attacking front four this season. You know, we we have mostly seen Madaway K. Palmer Jackson, you know, sort of play in there and sort of Sancho, Neto seems to have sort of pushed into Sancho's place. But of course, I just had a bit of an injury as well.
00:22:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
and We also have attackers knocking on the door as well, you know, I think, I think it was you said, you know, the last podcasting has been on Cuckoo so late, you know, it didn't allow him to have any effect on the game. Madrid as well, I think, you know, has been putting in some solid performances.
00:23:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
and Do you think considering, you know, in the Premier League, to talking about the Premier League specifically, do you think with the with the fixtures we have coming up, is it maybe now time to refresh the attack a little bit, show some of these, see what, you know, Unkuku, maybe Madrid can do against one of the lower Premier League sides and, you know, give them a full 90 minutes in the Premier League and and start to refresh that a bit?
00:23:22
Luke Charlton
I wouldn't be against it, no, certainly, because particularly players like Mudrikin and Kunku have seen to impress in our other fixtures, in other league, in other competitions, sorry. And again, I saw a note that apparently Zhao Felix was ready to come on, but he wasn't picked at the last minute, and he was actually in Kunku brought on, and he was quite frustrated. He apparently tore his ankle tape off or something, and something like that. And I do remember actually when I watched the game on Sky that you could see there was a shot of his shirt over the back of his chair.
00:23:52
Luke Charlton
and when he from when he was warming up. So he's clearly ready to come on with the kit, but he didn't he didn't obviously get get picked on. And I think, yeah, that these players, they're doing and themselves no harm in the games they're playing. And I think it would be a chance to see if they can fit into the starting 11 now, because there is a couple of places and say that maybe are up for grabs. um But ultimately, I think I did sort of touch upon it yesterday. I think I'd be interested to see more if Maresca experiments with a slightly different attacking setup, because I do think the way that we are playing at the moment is slightly different to how he lined up with his Leicester team. Granted, it's a lower competition in the championship, but I think
Maresca's Tactical Adjustments Across Leagues
00:24:30
Luke Charlton
they were still a top team in the championship with the level of players they had. They they sort of set up in a slightly different way. and And I think it would be interesting to see, because there has been talk of of Felix and Palmer both playing as as the attacking 8s, so who would drop out in that scenario? Would it be one of the wingers or would it be
00:24:46
Luke Charlton
um Jackson that that drops, but then do you need that present upfront at presence um and It's really tough to call, it's really hard to say. But but yeah, but when when we look at the strength and depth and the options that we have and you consider the rotation that could be there, I think that there's no reason that those players shouldn't be wanting to start and and and shouldn't rightfully get the opportunities to do so in games that that maybe aren't as season defining put it that way if if we if we do drop points or whatever because um but we we just want to see progress and so far that's what we have seen.
00:25:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, this that's that's what I was going to move on next to next to, to be honest, because obviously we we can talk about the players and obviously we know we have attacking players knocking on um Chelsea players doors for those roles. um And there's there's also not a lot of history to look at in terms of, oh, if Maresco does want to change something, what does he do? You know, he's not that long on the top level.
00:25:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
which is a bit exciting, but also, yeah, it means we can't point towards too much. um One of the things I was looking at before the podcast is sort of what Maresca did. Obviously, I think people are aware the less obviously took a massive hit and form towards the end of the season and also.
00:25:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
um at the start of the season you know that it was absolutely different than that they won 10 in a row i think in the in a championship or won 10 only drew one of those or something like that um and the only major change he did was obviously was was sort of playing with a four three three rather than a uh four two three one but typically what people said is that sometimes turned into a four triple two um if we were to play let's say for the sake of it Luke just to finish uh we were to play a four triple two system What would, obviously with a four trouble two as well, obviously quite allows quite a lot for um a player to invert, um take up a midfielder's base, it leaves it a bit more dynamic. What would your lineup be in terms of the front six going from the midfield to the attack? What would your front six be? So midfielders, the sort of two wide men and two up front. Who would you choose if we did go for a four trouble two?
00:26:49
Luke Charlton
Oh, that's interesting. I think, I think particularly in that sort of
4-2-2-2 Formation: Potential Lineup
00:26:53
Luke Charlton
setup where you have more exposure centrally, um I would be inclined to still play Lavia and Quesedo I think as they're starting to, because they are more box to box in a defensive sense, say, than Enzo Fernandez, who has the energy to get around the pitch and and I think would do a job, but but he's
00:27:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right.
00:27:12
Luke Charlton
when you have players that want to, and like, m kind of crisscross in an attacking sense, you maybe don't want as much cut and thrust from the center when you essentially want them to be that that but that box of four in front of the defense in front of the goal, sorry. um And then it also allows you to have an inverted fallback on one side or the other to create almost a kind of a five position where you've got three midfielders, two center halves.
00:27:39
Luke Charlton
and then an overlapping, maybe a fallback on one side. um But yeah, from from ah from that sort of point, sort of thing, sorry, I'd say, yeah, Lavi and Kiseido in that kind of center of defensive area. um On either side of the wing, I would say we put Palmer back out onto the right-hand side to be able to play in on that left and and to to sort of, to to ti ti yeah to overlap, underlap, wherever you want to sort of go, having a free row and roll. And ultimately, I think in a deeper position on the left-hand side, I would want um ah jar felix because he again could do a similar sort of position but for coming from the left he does it a lot more from the left hand side being predominantly right footed player so it's essentially he's the similar most similar profile I think we have in terms of how Palmer plays in in that sort of position and then up top I think you'd have to stick with Jackson and probably partnering with Nkunku because Nkunku can sort of drop and play um I'd also be interested to see Mudrik play a little bit higher up because he has played centrally a bit before and I think he has an excellent relationship working with Jackson
00:28:36
Luke Charlton
um And I think actually if he's given that option to sort of make darting runs either out to the left or out to the right from a central position, a little bit deeper than than Jackson, but also being able to interchange, that then we could see something quite exciting there. um But no, I think ultimately I would say in Kunku, but Madrid would be maybe a bit of a wild card that go up top. um But yeah, that would that would probably be the players that I'd want to be playing in a four to triple two.
00:29:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I'd agree. I'd agree with you there, I think. And obviously, I think the massively exciting bit about that is maybe seeing Nkooka and Jackson link up together and probably having that freedom as both of them being strikers, you know, although, you know, there'd be different instructions, but Nkooka sort of being the link up player, maybe a bit of a goals nine bet, bit of an advanced striker, and then having Jackson just sort of being the maybe even the poacher sort of thing I think would be quite interesting to see.
00:29:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
and Whether we see it or not, we'll we'll find out. um I think
Podcast Preview: Future Tactical Insights
00:29:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know we may be anticipating a couple of tactical changes as we come back from the international break. um One thing we'll ask each quickly touching is obviously that we've had quite a few players pull out of quite a few clubs have' had quite a few players spell out of this round of international friendlies. We'll comment in a bit more on that later in the week, maybe discussing a bit more about what's what's sort of happening with these he's these games.
00:29:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
considering people realize two shows was coming after Christmas, so maybe players are not really bothered about turning up. um But that's an issue for another day. Thank you so much for everyone for joining us for Tactics Tuesday. um It is the international break, but there is no break in the podcast. We'll be back with Wild Card Wednesday um and forecast. Yeah, we'll be forecasting on Thursday and Friday as well, although we'll probably be discussing and changing a couple of those episodes as there's no game in the weekend. And of course, we are back every single day.
00:30:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
leading up to their less the Leicester game, which will be a big one. um Luke, it's been fantastic to have you with me today. Thank you so much.
00:30:28
Luke Charlton
Thank you for having me. it's It's great to speak logically about Chelsea Football Club.
00:30:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Logically, and you was lovely why you did it as well, mate. I've been a been your co-host, Jake, and please join us for the rest of the Daily Chelsea episodes this week, Monday to Friday. Make sure you check us out. Thank you very much, and we'll see you soon.