Chelsea beat Dinamo Zagreb 2-1 within the Champions League on Wednesday night time after conceding a aim early within the sport.

It was yet one more Graham Potter new formation, lining up with a protection of 4. This has and all the time can be my most popular coaching, and I actually hope that Potter has seen the advantages of this coaching and continues with it now and sooner or later.

Potter lined up with a 4-3-3 variation. It regarded extra like a 4-3-1-2, like this:

There have been numerous positives to this, notably for Raheem Sterling, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, Kai Havertz, extra safety for Jorginho, Mason Mount and higher defensive stability. I believe César Azpilicueta has his limitations, however he’ll all the time really feel extra comfy within the protection of 4. It is the way in which ahead for us for now, till we will make extra signings.

Sterling was good, way more concerned and way more harmful in and across the field. That is one of the best place for him for us, and this formation permits it. He must be superior.

I used to be delighted to see Aubameyang deflected vast to the left, he introduced totally different issues and actually I believe the second half was one of the best we’ve got seen him to this point when it comes to workforce play and ball contributions. I cherished seeing him play extra as a winger, dealing with defenders and taking part in in entrance of aim. He was slicing along with his proper foot and he regarded actually harmful.

Havertz was given a free position and was in a position to drift wherever he wished to go. He was taking part in within the position of ten, I suppose, and this allowed him to be the connector between midfield and assault, and he did very properly. This place fits you.

We performed a midfield three, that means Jorginho had Mount and Denis Zakaria taking part in very near him and this allowed him extra time on the ball to seek out passes, and in addition extra protection and assist monitoring down runners and our bodies to defend. I all the time choose a 3 in midfield with this present setup. However I believe the way in which Potter positioned this midfield three was key; Mount and Zakaria have been like half 8s, they weren’t full 8s bombing ahead on a regular basis, they each stayed very near Jorginho.

I all the time need to see Mason play deeper, that is the place you will all the time get one of the best out of him, and it confirmed as soon as once more final night time. He was hungry and all the time constructive and progressive with the ball. He ought to proceed to play as an 8, there is no such thing as a debate.

Having a again 4 with full-backs defending closely over anything gave us numbers whereas defending, and in addition allowed these additional ahead to concentrate on attacking. Mount and Zakaria, taking part in as a part of that well-positioned midfield three, have been additionally in a position to assist the full-backs defensively, that means all Havertz, Aubameyang and Sterling needed to do was assault.

It wasn’t good, we needed to rating extra and battle once more to make that final decisive go at instances. One other workforce might have punished us for not discovering that third aim. The opposition gave us numerous time on the ball, so we weren’t absolutely examined. Nevertheless, the positives I referred to earlier have been actually resulting from Potter’s tactical choices and, as soon as once more, he has all the time confirmed to be a superb tactical coach. We noticed it once more final night time. He is all the time ready to be versatile, and I actually appreciated how he ready himself final night time. I simply hope that now you’ve got seen that that is what we have to construct and ideal, as an alternative of a 3-4-3 and utilizing full-backs (which aren’t full-backs).