Starting XI Formation: 4-3-2-1 --Cech-- --Ivanovic--Cahill--Terry--Cole-- --Lampard--Mikel-- --Ramires--Mata--Hazard-- --Torres-- Substitutes: Turnbull Luiz Bertrand Meireles Essien Oscar Sturridge That still leaves Hilario, Ferreira, Romeu, McEachran, Malouda, Marin (still injured), Benayoun, Thor, Kakuta and Piazon. Plus we will likely make another few signings still (right-back, right winger and possibly a striker). We're gonna have a squad with very strong depth this year.
Indeed, but Lampard doesn't work in the new system, Romeu hasn't played in ages and Mikel was awful in the community shield. Better ideas?
Disagree regarding Lampard, I think after a few months playing in the current system he's taken to that DM spot very well, as proven on Sunday.
You mean Sunday when we had no link between the front and the defense? Well we did but it was so slow in coming that we had very little. Drogs,there is a reason we lost to City,we didn't have the ball long enough because it never got to the front players in time for them to do anything with it. Defend Lamps by all means but be realistic.
Likewise, we cant really blame one player for the ball retention and attacking failings of an entire team. Agree that Oscar could ultimately take on the role as key central midfielder but suspect he'll need to toughen up a bit first.
First I don't see it as the same role as Mikel it is the player to play alongside Mikel. Mikel is the more defensive role altogether. When Lamps has gone forward it has been in to the space occupied by Hazard and thus Hazard has no where to go. I believe Romeu is the best option now but Oscar I believe is the player to get the role. lamps IMO should be the back up for the centre role behind the stiker where he's always played. Him and Hazard should be in the same role. Not Mikel and Frank.
Lamps isn't meant to be the DM though; that's Mikel's role. If we're playing 2 DMs, then our full backs need to play much further up the park or the front 4 end up totally isolated, which is why we created next to nothing against City. For me, Lamps could maybe work in the DM role, in which case we drop Mikel and play Oscar or Josh as the other central midfielder. Lamps plus a DM won't work because we don't move the ball anywhere near fast enough and Hazard will just become another expensive misfit because we don't play to his strengths.
Hazard (or Mata) will be used in the 'number 10' role. Frank has never played this role. He's always been a box to box midfielder but has been so good getting forward his whole career that he can give the impression of playing further forward than he actually does. A number 10 plays off the striker much like Teddy Sheringham did in his career, or Zola for us. Not exactly the same role and no reason why Hazard/Mata and Lampard can't occupy the same team. Anyway, given the size of the squad, I think their are very few players certain of a start and we'll rotate most of these players around.
We won't be playing sides as good as city most weeks though and the new side will take time to gel and adjust. Our full backs in particular will have more freedom against most other sides in the division.
This is exactly what has happened preseason. In the first game in Seattle Hazard was excellent. Free moving and looked the player I thought he was. Once Lamps joined up and played Hazard became far less influential. They simply don't work together. Lamps still has a role to play but imo it should be the role he has always excelled in.
If teams work out that by getting quickly at Lamps and delaying his passing even more then the Stoke's and Wigan's will all be doing it.
I'm expecting Chelsea to line-up in an unusual 4-4-1-1 formation against Wigan on Sunday. The defensive back line almost picks itself, with the centre half partnership that was used against Manchester City in John Terry and David Luiz with Ivanovic and Cole on either side, albeit I wouldn't mind Ryan getting some game time after his increasingly impressive performances for Great Britain and England. He can also be used as left winger as we experienced in the Champions League final in May, so we may see him occupying that role if either Mata or Hazard are taken off for a rest or what not. I assume the club will go out with a two man centre defensive paring of Frank Lampard and Mikel, a player who Di Matteo has seen to favour over Essien since his managerial appointment midway through the last season. Although disappointing for Mata, I foresee Hazard to once again be playing behind the up front and on form Fernando with Ramires and Juan out on either flank. Nothing less than a high-scoring win is expected, and we shall hopefully witness a positive new looking Chelsea develop in front of our eyes.
