The Soccer Blog: What would you do? Your team, your system at White Hart Lane

Saturday, 11 December 2010

What would you do? Your team, your system at White Hart Lane

By: Jack | December 10th, 2010

How would you muzzle the wunderkind?

Many have begun to question the tactical nous of King Carlo in the wake of this nauseating run in which we are currently mired. Where’s the Plan B, some say – a question even myself has asked. Another would be: Why has a man with such a coaching pedigree yet to recognize that the way we are playing isn’t working and thus needs reassessment? It’s a logical query.

There are more, but you get the drift. So, with that being said, how would you, if you could, change it? More to the point, what would you do this weekend to give the famous CFC its best chance to win?

So, summon your inner Mourinho and tell us what needs to be done. Let’s hear them people. I’ll go first.

Jack’s proposition (aka the wrong one)
There are, in my view, two keys to Chelsea having a successful afternoon at WHL: 1. Slowing Gareth Bale; 2. Crowding the midfield. We failed spectacularly on both counts in our previous meeting with Spurs (April 2010). Frankly, this means a change in formation – something Carlo simply will not do; he pretty much said so in today’s news conference. Whatever. The man needs to look at playing a more conservative game. We’re not playing well, and, as such, need to make sure we are not conceding. Against a team such as Spurs, who are conceding regularly, would it hurt to sit back and see what happens? I mean, you have to think an opportunity – or three – are going to come our way regardless of how we set up.

That’s why I would opt for a 4-2-3-1. Flood the midfield, apply pressure from the top and see how it plays out. Sure, we’re not going to roll over opponents – sorry, Roman – but at least it will give us a chance to win.

Personnel-wise, Ferreira is the only logical choice at right fullback. Yes, he was absolutely embarrassed by Bale in April. So. Bale embarrassed arguably the world’s greatest right-back (Maicon) a month ago. Ferreira wasn’t fully fit the last time around, and, to be honest, while I’m not sold on him, I’d much rather play Paulo and have Bane alongside Terry than have Bane out on the right and Bruma in the middle. Do you want to see Crouch have a field day against the young Dutchman? I don’t.

Let Mikel and Essien do what they do best in the holding roles. Drogba in the lone striker role, with Malouda, Anelka and Ramires behind him. Yes, I said Ramires. I said yesterday I thought the Brazilian would do well in a front three and I’m not changing my mind. Let him have the right side, and tell him to harass Bale at all costs. His supreme fitness would serve us well in quelling the Welshman’s significant threat.

Even if Carlo goes 4-3-3 – a certainty – he could still keep with this lineup by dropping Malouda into the midfield three. Unfortunately, I see our best friend, Salomon Kalou, starting once again. Bah.

My XI
Cech
Paulo-Bane-EBJT-Cole
Mike-Essien
Ramires-Anelka-Malouda
Drogba

KTBFFH

Some Related Chelsea Posts:(Woeful) Recap: Tottenham 2-1 ChelseaPreview: Tottenham v. ChelseaCarlo Speaks: Lampard still out (shocking)Preview: The Big OneRecap: Chelsea 7, Aston Villa 1

Category: Analysis, Chelsea Team News, Fixtures, Premiership

Tags: Analysis, Carlo Ancelotti, Chelsea Team News, Didier Drogba, Fixtures, Frank Lampard, Gareth Bale, Harry Redknapp, John Terry, Premier League, Premiership, Spurs, Tottenham, White Hart Lane
« Carlo Speaks: Lampard still out (shocking) | Home | JackInteresting, and good, stuff. No way McEachran plays, though.arn00bYou never know, he might pull a Danny Rose.arn00bI only see one realistic option here. I would prefer packing the midfield like last year, but considering there's no attacking midfielder and the midfielders that are available - Josh, Ramires, Mikel - are not goal scorers or play makers. Essien is the exception, as a scorer, but not much of play maker.

Chelsea are too reliant on the wings. I said this a million times.

Your starting 11 sounds interesting, Anelka is willing to drop back, Drogba will do fine alone up front... it's just that it's Spurs and 'Arry. The self-proclaimed non-tactician will keep it simple with 4-4-2.

The problem with your lineup is that you'll have too Mikel and Essien basically keeping Crouchie company while he does the robot thing. They're stuck in the middle while spurs have fullbacks and wingers rampaging out wide.

Yes, the idea is to make a plan to neutralize the spuds, not to develop a new Chelsea.

Play something unpredictable. 5-4-1. What? Chelsea 5-4-1? Yeah.

Cech
Essien, Ferreira, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole,
Ramires, McEachran, Malouda, Zhirkov,
Drogba.

IT CANNOT BE SYMMETRICAL. Essien is slightly more advanced, more on the wing and encouraged to attack, Ferreira doesn't cross the half-way line, Ivanovic can come forward corners and free kicks, Terry doesn't, Cole can.

In the midfield, Josh and Ramires form a straight line, Malouda more advanced and Yuri on the wing, less advanced than Malouda but more than the rest.

Drogba alone up front.

The defense will be tight, and whatever Crouch knocks down will be cleared. The flanks are packed on both sides, neutralizing their wingers and fullbacks before they even cross the midfield line.

It sounds very defensive, but it's all about ball retrieval and overlap. Midfielders retrieve and supply the flanks, that's all they need to do. It's not about long balls to Drogba, but using Drogba to create chances for Malouda. When Essien is coming with the ball, they'll mark Drogba waiting for the cross, but he'd shoot on target instead. Yuri will shoot when he gets the chance. Ramires will not shoot. I repeat, RAMIRES DON'T SHOOT.

Unfortunately, Ancelotti is more traditional and careful than revolutionary. So...NickCiccI think the threat of Bale is pretty obvious. His pace and his form require that we pay special attention, especially given our dearth of options at right back.

I'd play a 4-3-2-1 in a slightly asymmetrical shape - with Essien tasked with doubling up on Bale with Paulo. This would mean Essien on the right of the midfield three, with Mikel in the centre - and Josh McEachran on the left side.

Then, I'd tuck Malouda and Anelka just ahead of the 3-man midfield, so with their ability to drop back we put pressure on Spurs lightweight central midfield (Modric-Palacios) to cough up the ball. Drogba obviously up front.

There is a need for McEachran in this game - yes, they will hound him and put a lot of pressure on, but there are no big guys in that Spurs midfield who will rattle him apart from Palacios, and he will need to look after Malouda & Anelka (dropping deep). McEachran has the ability, which Ramires doesn't, of putting his foot on the ball, slowing play down, and finding a pass.

If we play at Spurs pace, we will get slaughtered. We need to slow it down and use our strength and grind a way to a 1-0 or 2-1 win.

My Team:

Cech
Paulo-Ivanovic-Terry-Cole
Essien-Mikel-McEachran
Anelka-Malouda
Drogbaarn00bYour idea is similar to mine, but is inverted in a way. You have attackers dropping back, I have defenders going forward.SeanPetr Cech GK
Ashley Cole RB
Branaslav Ivanovic CB
John Terry CB
Patrick Van Aarnolt LB
John Obi Mikel DM
Ramires DM
Michael Essien AM
Nicolas Anelka LW
Florent Malouda RW
Didier Drogba CF

Ala Inter Milan 2010. 4-2-1-3blog comments powered by Disqus