Placing importance on tactics that can define a legacy

Mourinho’s return has sparked quite a lot of questions among which one delicate subject constitutes the most important part of any team. Tactics.

Jose has clearly indicated that he is here to stay and that his fiery tenure at Real Madrid was his last test before becoming a complete manager. He finds himself at a position where he can give Chelsea everything he has. Something no other manager has ever done for Chelsea.

Talking about formations, Jose played a 4-2-3-1 at Real Madrid. He employed fast counter-attacking football along with aggressive tackling. Wingers were pivotal in getting forward and a deep lying playmaker played long through balls to find both strikers and the wide men. Full-backs provided overlap helping wingers cut in. Think Ronaldo and Di Maria.

At Chelsea, Mourinho employed what many pundits see as one of the best formations the English Premier League has ever seen. The lineup was simple but effective ,

Cech

Geremi, Terry, Carvalho, Gallas

Lampard, Makelele, Tiago

Duff, Drogba, Robben

This lineup was tweaked during Mourinho’s reign by the addition of Ashley Cole, Gudjhonsen, Joe Cole and others. A formation which made sure that Chelsea never lost at the Bridge. How different will it be now that he is back though? Mourinho has the option of playing the 4-2-3-1 that Di Matteo left us with. He could change a few strategies and make it better. He can also go back to the formidable 4-3-3 though.

It all looks easy on paper. How exactly is it setup though?

First we deal with the 4-2-3-1. I have put in players who I think can fit in properly. We may not agree on this and I respect your opinion.

The slashes don’t mean players available , but players that would be suited for a particular tactic in that formation. I have gone with a center back pairing of Cahill and Luiz. For 2 simple reasons. One obviously that JT’s becoming old and I went for a younger pairing that can still develop. Secondly they are Jose types of players. Young, robust, fast and versatile. They can play at their best with Jose’s experience helping them. On the flanks I had Cole and Azpilicueta which was a natural choice. They can be replaced with both Bertrand and Ivanovic respectively. I would give Ivan a rotating spot in CB as well. The full-backs obviously push forward to provide additional width.

In the middle we have the pivot. Oscar will definitely be molded into a central midfielder as many believe he can flourish in that area. His ability to control the tempo at will is vital in Chelsea’s style of play. In the other role I have had Ramires, Mikel and van Ginkel. If Chelsea need a player who will sit back, assist defenders and provide a smooth transition between defense and attack, then Mikel will be used. If they need extra pace for counter-attack, additional cover for full-backs and someone who can push forward without being worried about leaving too much space behind , then Ramires will be used. For the mixture of both, van Ginkel will be used. His inexperience in the English game will be one of the biggest problems he faces. Lampard can also fit in the role of Oscar, but once again age will be a problem. The same goes for Essien who can fit into the defensive role. De Bruyne can also take up the position of Osca, thus increasing the depth of the squad.

In the No.10 role we have Juan Mata. It was a natural choice as the Spaniard had a stellar season last time around. Through balls and combination play with the pivot and wingers will be key. On the left we have Schurrle and on the right, Hazard. Both of them have the remarkable ability of creating havoc every-time they cut in, which will be another key component of Chelsea’s play. Victor Moses could take his place in the wings and Oscar could move into the attacking midfielder role as well. De Bruyne can also play on the wings, though I would prefer him in a CM role.

In front we have Lukaku who can be replaced by Ba or Torres. The forward will have to hold up the defense and bring other players into the action. He will have to make well-timed runs into the box and be a constant threat in the box. Aggressiveness in front of defenders is necessary.

Then we have the almost same players in a 4-3-3.

I have gone with same back 4 when it comes to defense. They will be playing the same roles they played in the 4-2-3-1.
In the middle 3 we can have Ginkel on the left, Oscar in the middle and Ramires on the right IF we are planning to attack more and hit on the break. If we need to defend the ball and build up our attack slowly with smooth transition, then we need Mikel in the middle, or van Ginkel if he puts on a little weight. I would only go with Oscar if he can buck up on his defensive attributes or Jose works out a plan where Ramires and Ginkel come back to defend and give the opponents a false sense of security down the middle.
In the front 3 we have 2 wingers on each side who can cut in and put in crosses from the sides. I have had a difficult time fitting Mata in this formation, so he can take up any of the sides, preferably right so that he can cut in and unleash a shot with his left leg. He can also move into the No.10 position and change the formation in a matter of seconds. Lukaku or any striker will lead the line and should always have in mind that sometimes he will need to drop back and cover up empty space in the middle. If Jose really wants to spice things up then he can use Hazard upfront as a false nine while Mata takes up the right flank.

Now thats just the formation, applying tactics to that said formation is an entire different thing. I won’t be saying much about the 4-2-3-1, I place complete confidence in the fact that if Mourinho uses the same strategies that Benitez used with the 4-2-3-1 then Chelsea can win more trophies. Provided they work very hard and not look lazy on the pitch.

Tactics that will define a legacy. To define their legacy, Barcelona had tiki-taka, United had their strategies to grind out results, Arsenal had theirs to always play beautiful football and so on. This required stability, which all three said clubs had, with the exception of maybe Barcelona but Guardiola had been working on it with Cruyff since a very long time.
If Mourinho is indeed here to stay then he will have to create one or go with one of the tactics already in the book. Something that will set them apart from others and have trophies in the horizon. Now I shall put forth an idea that might not necessarily be taken by Jose but could be a viable option.
Emphasis on smooth transition – Jose has always said how transition is one of the most important things in an offensive tactic. Things can go from hot to cold in a matter of seconds and the team that comes out unscathed is the one which reacted first. In his own words –
“Transitions have become crucial. When the opponent is organised defensively, it is very difficult to score. The moment the opponent loses the ball can be the time to exploit the opportunity of someone being out of position. Similarly when we lose the ball we must react immediately. In training I sometimes practice keeping a minimum of five players behind the ball, so that when we lose it we can still keep a good defensive shape. The players must learn to read the game – when to press and when to return to their defensive positions. Everybody says that set plays win most games, but I think it is more about transitions.”
This smooth transition can be used in the 4-2-3-1 as well, as Jose used with Real Madrid. Here’s a look on Madrid’s offensive transition.

As can be seen, Madrid have recovered the ball outside their D.  Ronaldo cuts into the middle as his efficiency in front of goal can convert a 50% chance into a goal. Benzema goes a little wide to take up the wide position and Ozil pushes forward and can take up the left. Khedira and Alonso move forward the moment the ball is played, ensuring that Madrid are never light on numbers and can’t be bullied out of keeping possession.  The moment Di Maria pushes up Benzema can move to the center. The formation changes into a 4-2-2-2. As said before, wingers always cut in under Jose , so with Maria and Ozil cutting in, the opponents final third is crowded. Formation changes once again into a dominant 4-2-4. Keeping the structure and having high concentration levels is key. Ball is played around the park with aggression and one key pass is enough to split open the defense.

Madrid aside, we can also pick something up from their rivals, Barcelona. Though Madrid patiently wait and then put in a strong tackle to recover the ball, Barcelona have always used the formidable 6 second rule to regain possession under Guardiola. The 6 second rule is simple, the moment the ball is lost , every player on the pitch moves out of his position and presses high on the player that has the ball. This usually forces the opposition player into trying a risky pass or trying a long clearance. 9 times out of 10, the ball is back with Barcelona. This along with brilliant passing thanks to the triangular method means Barcelona always have possession. If Barcelona do not get the ball back in under 6 seconds then they go back to their positions and maintain their defensive structure. It’s basically playing a high-risk game but one that the players are confident they can over-come.
This however has also been the reason of Barcelona’s downfall. They have turned lazy since Guardiola moved away.  Only 1 or 2 players press when all of them are supposed too. They forget about maintaining their structure, which is key in a 4-3-3 formation. Mourinho mastered their downfall by clearly analyzing this tactic. Madrid only had to play safe keep-ball for 6 seconds, then hit the Catalans as fast as they can on the break. Due to their slow reaction times, large holes would pop up in their structure and the Madrid players were well drilled to exploit these holes.
This rule takes a lot of time to perfect in the training ground. You can also see the Barcelona players counting the numbers down under their breath. It would be a good fit if Mourinho does intend to plan a high pressing strategy with a tactic to recover the ball and get it forward as quickly as possible.
It can however be assured that the chances of Mourinho getting it wrong is minimal. In what the media calls his worst season he beat Barcelona and United twice in 2-3 weeks. Big steps are to be taken and you can bet on your life that Jose Mourinho is prepared for it.