Thomas Tuchel decided he could not use a back four at Chelsea due to the personnel he had. He used a back three in order to protect and get the best out of players such as Thiago Silva and Jorginho.
Tuchel was probably right to setup in a three, but should Graham Potter be doing the same seeing as we still don’t have a true defensive midfielder in our squad? Could switching to a back three now help him get better results in a time that he deseprately needs it?
Enzo Fernandez IS a six, sure, but he isn’t a holding midfielder and is liable when isolated there. Denis Zakaria is the closest we have to a holding midfielder, but he doesn’t often get used in that role.
So the argument I have been seeing is that until we finally land a true defensive midfielder, should we be playing a back three formation in order to protect players again, and get the best out of Reece James and Ben Chilwell in an attacking sense?
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I completely understand the calls and I truly get them. I’ve always wanted to persist with the back four and I’ve not wanted to digress backwards to a three. But as I say, I do understand the argument right now and it might not be a bad idea at all.
Although I also want to add, that I honestly don’t think it matters what formation we play right now, because our problems once again stem from lack of leaders, weak mentalities, and a manager failing to get on top of it and giving us any style of play/identity- as of now at least.
I do think a back three with Chilwell and James as wingbacks could give Chelsea more in an attacking sense, and it could also allow for a more fluid front three depending on the formation.
It’s certainly probably worth Potter at least having a think about right now, and it will also allow for Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, and Thiago Silva all start together – all deserve that of late.
