Diamonds Are A Girl's (Chelsea) Best Friend.

[I-Got-The-BLUES]

Don't know if this has been discussed, but since I was reading this blog from Old Blue Eyes on Chelsea.com (http://www.chelseafc.com/page/Old_Blue_Eyes/0,,10268~1730725,00.html), I was wondering if the 4-4-2 diamond is the answer for us, and are you happy with it, or are you more comfy with the Mourinho 4-3-3?

Also what's the best personnel for this?

I'm sure Drogba and Anelka are automatic for the top 2
The backline (barring an unexpected exit from JT), is pretty much set.
But the midfield?
Lampard, Ballack, Essien, Mikel, Joey, Kalou, Zhirkov, Malouda, and Deco.

Hugely important game....who do you start, and where?

[Kazuma]

I talked to Blue Celery and asked him what the diamond looked like. He said it looked good and that our possession was great, but it became a problem when Deco came on.

Personally, I want to see the 4-3-3 or the 4-2-3-1 that Hiddink played.

[Master_Chief123]

Personally, I want to see the 4-3-3 or the 4-2-3-1 that Hiddink played.

Agreed, if Malouda is on form, Joe Cole stays healthy, Anelka stays solid and Zhirkov does okay, then we finally really have the personnel to play the 4-3-3 after we've been complaining for like 2 seasons..

[Ben7021]

Seems a little weird to bring in Zhirkov to play a diamond. I guess I would guess something like this?

------Mikel------
Essien------Zhirkov
------Lampard----

I dunno. Not the best role for Lampard but I'll be surprised if we don't try to stick Zhirkov in there somehow, and I don't see him fitting anywhere else.

[Dear_Claudio]

A little alteration:

-----------------Drogba-----------------
--------------Joey/Aguero/???-----------
-Zhirkov------Lampard---------Essien----
-----------------Mikel-------------------

I think using a SS in a roaming role off of Drogba would allow Lampard to play his natural position. I don't think there is any question Lamps is best playing box-to-box rather than more advanced. However, unless we sign that type of player or until Cole returns we don't really have that option... Mikel, Zhirkov, Essien, Lampard is still a hell of a midfield and I'm becoming a bigger fan of Anelka all the time - he looks like he's finally settled as opposed to Malouda who has been the same old shite in his first two games. I know it's basing a lot off of two measly pre-season games but the LM must play wider or else we will be looking like a Scolari team (FBs = only width) without that #10 to play the tip of the diamond. I think Malouda fancies himself coming inside while as Zhirkov would be much more accustomed to touchline hugging and crossing. What's the point of having two strikers if we can't get the ball wide?

[addicted2chelsea]

A little alteration:

-----------------Drogba-----------------
--------------Joey/Aguero/???-----------
-Zhirkov------Lampard---------Essien----
-----------------Mikel-------------------

I think using a SS in a roaming role off of Drogba would allow Lampard to play his natural position. I don't think there is any question Lamps is best playing box-to-box rather than more advanced. However, unless we sign that type of player or until Cole returns we don't really have that option... Mikel, Zhirkov, Essien, Lampard is still a hell of a midfield and I'm becoming a bigger fan of Anelka all the time - he looks like he's finally settled as opposed to Malouda who has been the same old shite in his first two games. I know it's basing a lot off of two measly pre-season games but the LM must play wider or else we will be looking like a Scolari team (FBs = only width) without that #10 to play the tip of the diamond. I think Malouda fancies himself coming inside while as Zhirkov would be much more accustomed to touchline hugging and crossing. What's the point of having two strikers if we can't get the ball wide?

This is what i want , from what iv heard from Russians and others that know Zhirkovs game , he will be replacing Malouda in the starting lineup soon.

[Jfranse]

not so sure about the diamond yet. i think it limits our players and our strengths. no width to it. i think the diamond keeps some of our best players off of the pitch. and everyone's looking at essien playing the right side of the diamond, i think this is one of the most overlooked aspects of the formation so far, i don't think that's essiens strength at all. and i don't think he looked too comfortable in it either. i think we finally have the tools to really play a 4-3-3. (or 4-5-1 on defense). and this very easily moves to the 4-2-3-1 when essien drops back to help mikel, allowing for more fluid position changes and movements.

defense is set. then you take our three best mids, mikel, lamps and essien. stick them in there, let them do what they do.

then you have 3 positions up top to use our best players instead of 2, while forcing someone back into the midfield. this allows the two wide front men to get out wide to cover the backs and also get forward. that cover on the touchlines then lets lampard and essien get in the midfield and control play.

at that point you can have drogba in center, with anelka able to cover him, or play right. joey out right when fit. and on the left you have 3 players competing for a spot in the Zhirkov, Malouda, and Sturridge. i think it allows the formation to flourish and puts our strongest players in their strongest positions.

IMPORTANT: someone noted that the best work so far has come from the left side. i think the reason is essien is not a winger, he can play out there but doesn't have the natural link up play with a full back that malouda and zhirkov would. it just then asks a lot of the RB to stretch and get forward.

on another note though, when joey is fit, i could see the diamond working with him at the top. allowing the two strikers to work the channels more if he is central, and also allowing him to roam more while the strikers are staying at the top.

wow, okay so now that i think about it, we could play a lot of different formations effectively, i think getting our #10 back will open up our possibilities.

[Lamps>Gerrard]

I think it'll be a nice change from always playing with one up top. With Lamps in a more advanced role and Anelka and Drogba up top this could be awesome.

[lobomojo]

Not sure where to put this but some very encouraging discusion regarding Mikel Obi's role on the team (which of course could be wiped out if we insanely buy Pirlo:eek:)

"The 22-year-old, who has just signed a new five-year contract, has progressed into an effective rather than exciting midfielder, powerful instead of pleasing to the eye*, but now Ancelotti wants to turn him into the heartbeat of the team.

The Italian knows what it's like to be overshadowed in a team full of stars. As a combative midfielder, he was often overlooked when it came to handing out the plaudits during his playing career at AC Milan, where he won two European Cups.

While Ancelotti had Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten hogging the headlines, for Mikel it is Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba.

The Italian said: "I have a lot of trust in Mikel, I think he can be the playmaker of this team. He is a young player, but has great quality, both technical and tactical.

"For the present and for the future he is a very important player for us. We are very happy he has signed a new contract and I hope that he stays at Chelsea for a lot of years. I would like that he puts in his great quality for the team."

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-sport/football/article-23723731-details/article.do?ito=newsnow&


* though that "powerful instead of pleasing" is the utter and ridiculous crap from journo's that drives me insane, it is meant to be a sport for men (and badass booters with hooters), not a u-5 dance recital

[yasik19]

Whatever system scores the most goals and concedes the least is fine with me.

[lobomojo]

Whatever system scores the most goals and concedes the least is fine with me.

yeah I think the hang-up with one system or what formation always a bit over done. We shoud be able to play and have the personnel to play several formations and do so in the same match. And often the best systems/formations are so fluid you can't really tell or describe what they are anyway.

[yasik19]

yeah I think up the hang-up with one system or what formation always a bit over done. We shoud be able to play and have the personnel to play several formations and do so in the same match. And often the best systems/formations are so fluid you can't really tell or describe what they are anyway.

Precisely.

[jcm28]

Whatever system scores the most goals and concedes the least is fine with me.

Agreed.

[JAKE SPEED]

Here's an interesting tidbit about Zhirkov and Cole in Ancelloti's diamond I found on one of the Guardian comments pages. The user is someone I've found to have a keen eye for the tactical side of the game. http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2009/jul/25/yuri-zhirvok-chelsea-ac-milan-premier-league?commentid=704686b3-b1ac-487d-a05e-91c7667ad772

I figured I'd post it on your board, I found it interesting.

[okocha1]

I thought I'd re-post this here originally from the Manager Thread:

The success of this formation will come from how organized we are in defense and attack which is function of our players movement off the ball. What I noticed most about the team during all preseason games is that while we have quality in all areas, most of it is displayed in phases and much of our attack relies on 1 or 2 channels of play (Lampard and Drogba).

In defense-attack the the scenario is as follows: the opposition attacks (usually under little pressure high up the pitch)and DM or defense is left to sweep up the attack the ball is passed to Lampard who comes back to retrieve, who usually takes on of 3 offensive oppositions: pass cross-field ball to Bos, link with leftside with Malouda (who rarely beats a player) or A.Cole (who can't cross) or try to link up with Strikers one who is great hold up player, but poor passer and great speed but poor off the ball running. While the wide oppositions may advance play the chance of creating clearcut attacking opportunities from such areas is limited. With Drogba we have a player who is great at coming deep but not excellent at linking up with his striking partner and with Anelka we have a player who likes being played through but Chelsea isn't suited to that style (Crespo). In the 3-5 seconds that Lamps spending thinking the oppositions sets themselves.

Essien and Mikel's positions are two rigid and they offer little to no real offensive contribution in terms of their passing and ability to open up play. Essien is very ponderous in possession of the ball often times dribbling in the direction of the player he should have passed to seconds early. Mikel is hampered by his role (and probably his over thinking the rudiments of it). As such he defers the attacking responsibilities to the other mids. Still, and this is my no means criticism of him, as Lamps loves being involved in all facets of Chelsea attacking buildup, he often drops back within 10 yards of Mikel to make himself available to start attacks.

The combination of Lamps to tracking back and for Mikel waiting for movement in attack (eventually using Lamps as the short ball) is counterproductive to our transitional play. Chelsea would be better served if Mikel was given more responsibility to orchestrate areas and dominate the center circle. By having Essien and Lampard dropping back to deep when we're possession Chelsea are taking away vital outlets further upfield. The unpredictability of Essien and Lampard getting into the box being set up by Mikel can do wonders for the team. The Mancs and Pool have been successful the likes of Carrick and Alonso sitting deep hitting accurate (if not completed) passes for attacking players run onto. While I think Mikel still has work to do on his long passing and other parts of his attacking game, its best that he is allowed more attacking responsibility and take more risk. That being said, the teams stagnant to nonexistent movement in attack doesn't give the team options for quick passes or first time attempts and playing balls over the top.

More importantly, we do nothing inject pace in languid play with aggressive movement. Despite the speed of our fullbacks forward players are not decisive in their movement in behind the opposition defense. Often times our players are receiving possession far too deep within the oppositions area. If Drogba and Anelka could sit off 5-10 yards back it would force defenders to come out and allow our mids more options to play passes in behind.

Say what you will about United, Barca, and Liverpool, but are amongst the best teams at pressing and swarming the opposition when in possession and as such they were the 3 teams to dominated possession against Chelsea last season. The problem is that they're teams have more speed and they're players are far more aggressive. Apart from Drogba and Essien we don't really have any of that type of aggression in the 2nd and 3rd phases of the attack. On top of that apart from Anelka, Chelsea don't have top class speed in attack. If Chelsea are to be successful in this formation, a combination of aggressive and intelligent off the ball movement is of the utmost importance.

Even when you look at the current Milan side, there was no question that Ancelotti drilled them well in organization and the fluidity of there play during the CL wins was brilliant. While Chelsea has a more versatile style mixed between direct football, counterattacking football and possession football, or overall style is marked by stagnate movement and hesitancy. The result is ponderous passing in possession and indecisiveness in final third. Under Jose we were lucky that we had quality wingers who could create something out nothing. We don't have that option any more and will have to rely constant synchronized movement and patterned play of the ball.

[SteelShot]

excellent post okocha.

[hudson hooligan]

Whatever system scores the most goals and concedes the least is fine with me.
I'm with yas. I don't believe all this predictability crap. Just pick 11 players and tell them to kick the ball into the net. Simple as that.

[Blue Celery]

Make sure to tell them which net to kick it in. Come on Hudson you're better than that.

[slickguy2011]

Looks like Ballack is going to get shafted in this new formation. Oh well. I guess he could be a great super sub.

[Dear_Claudio]

Not sure how Ballack gets shafted as it has 4 CM places instead of 3. He has been a pretty average player for a few years now and deserves Chelsea's bench at best.