Mauricio Pochettino’s tactical tinkering PAID OFF in Chelsea’s 3-1 win at Aston Villa… so what did the Blues boss learn ahead of his crucial Carabao Cup final against Liverpool?
What a difference three days and three goals can make. What a difference for the entire atmosphere around a football club.
It was doom and gloom at Stamford Bridge on Sunday evening as Chelsea were chased by Wolves and capitulated 4-2 in front of a seething crowd.
On Wednesday evening they had inflicted only a third home defeat of the season on Aston Villa and things looked new life with players flourishing in different roles.
With a Carabao Cup final against Liverpool looming later this month, anything is possible, even after the 4-1 defeat at Anfield last week.
Mauricio Pochettino hinted he would play in a ‘different way’ after his side weakened and faltered against Wolves and the signs pointed to a new three at the back.
To some surprise, he stuck with his 4-2-3-1 formation but tinkered in several ways. Nicolas Jackson moved to the left wing, while Cole Palmer played as a false nine, they played natural wing-backs and Enzo Fernandez looked like, well, the Enzo Fernandez Chelsea always wanted.
Chelsea looked rejuvenated on Wednesday night as they stormed to a 3-1 win over Aston Villa
Mauricio Pochettino’s tactical switches paid off and produced a stunning performance
It could be another false dawn, a trick of the light. But Chelsea showed signs of life on Wednesday night with this 3-1 victory, enough to almost risk asking: ‘Is everything coming together under Pochettino?’, just days after Thiago Silva’s wife appeared to be calling for his head.
Mail Sport delves into the changes that offer a glimmer of hope for the Blues. What lessons have they learned as the Liverpool match approaches?
Jackson’s move to left wing worked
The mysterious 22-year-old Chelsea looked a new man on the left flank as he scored a goal and created moments in the opening 21 minutes at Villa Park.
With space to attack wide, he caused problems for Diego Carlos after ten minutes, wrong-footing him with a step-over and finding Noni Madueke in the penalty area, who set up Conor Gallagher for the first goal.
Not long after, he got on the scoresheet when he slotted between Carlos and Matty Cash to head in Malo Gusto’s cross from the right.
There was the predatory instinct he has shown all too fleetingly this season, but his central position came as a surprise in the context of the match and when Palmer went to the near post.
Considering he had scored just once in the 11 games he played in, it was a step in the right direction for a forward who was much maligned following a £32m summer move from Villarreal.
Nicolas Jackson scored Chelsea’s second goal with a header and played a key role in setting up the first
He didn’t quite manage to get into the lead. Nine goals in 25 games is a respectable achievement, but not the elite level Chelsea demand.
If this move out is to be permanent, he will face a battle with Raheem Sterling for the spot, and you get the feeling that Pochettino would go with the more proven man on the left in the final.
What this does give Chelsea is extra options and more uncertainty in Jurgen Klopp’s mind. If Jackson has a natural talent on the left, and Liverpool don’t have much evidence to look at him on, that could be an asset.
Is Palmer on false nine the right use of his talents?
This was a quiet evening for Palmer personally, but his adjusted role contributed to the team’s attacking dynamic.
The 21-year-old played as a false nine – leading the line but often dropping back to draw defenders out – and sometimes switching with right winger Madueke to confuse defenders.
Chelsea fans are used to seeing Palmer on the right or starring in a central attacking role in midfield, but this was something different.
The Blues’ attack was much more fluid as they took the game to Villa, scoring 15 shots on a ground where they are normally invincible.
Palmer got in a few shots, but they were too soft to really bother Emi Martinez.
Chelsea’s star of the season so far Cole Palmer performed well as a false nine without being spectacular, sometimes switching with Noni Madueke on the right flank to confuse defenders
Could a false nine be effective against Liverpool? It’s difficult to judge, and Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate are not blundering fools who blindly follow every striker who drops deep.
It could help Chelsea address the lack of communication that sometimes hinders Liverpool, as seen against Arsenal this weekend. And their lack of a natural No. 6 to anchor the midfield could leave gaps for a false nine to exploit and find more space than if, say, another Fabinho were present.
Whether or not Palmer is the right man for the role is an open question, especially given his brilliance when deployed elsewhere. But it is something Pochettino has to think about.
Enzo’s flashy display shows he can be trusted
All credit goes to that free kick, of course.
Not only did he win it after being brought down by Youri Tielemens, but he executed it perfectly, almost giving the defenders a trim as it sailed over their heads and curled out of Martinez’s reach.
At one point, amid a squabble of players vying for the free kick, it looked like he might not get the chance, but how worthy he was.
The individual moment was hailed as ‘world class’ by Lee Dixon, but his overall performance was arguably one of the best in a Blues shirt.
Controlled and inventive in the heart of midfield, he was the center of their creative engine while his accomplice Moises Caicedo did more of the dirty work further afield.
Enzo Fernandez stole the show against Aston Villa with a stunning free-kick for Chelsea’s third
He shone in midfield and was partly the reason why Villa were largely overrun in that area.
Mail Sport gave him a 7.5 for his performance – not enough for man of the match over Gusto, but still a very respectable performance.
Confidence in Fernandez should be a priority going into the Carabao Cup final. At times he can be a loose cannon or go missing, but his ceiling is arguably higher than that of any other player in the Chelsea squad – and all it takes is one great ninety minutes to win a final .
He has already won the biggest trophies with Argentina and was crucial in the World Cup final against France. He had the most touches of any player on the field, made the most passes and won the most tackles. Give him freedom on the big occasions.
Playing with natural fullbacks is a good solution
This was a real show of what Chelsea is capable of, wasn’t it?
Assist king Gusto was our man of the match, scoring an 8 rating after setting up Jackson’s goal with a wide run and a cross tailored to his head.
He pushed himself high and was a bush full of thorns in Villa’s skin, playing with real flair, testing Martinez with effort and helping pin back Alex Moreno with advanced runs.
On the left, Chilwell contributed similarly, providing much-needed balance.
Malo Gusto was a joy to watch and he provided a good assist for Jackson’s goal
Ben Chilwell provided good balance on the left for Pochettino and kept Leon Bailey largely quiet
While not a world-class performance, it was a promising one as he continues to recover from injury and stake a claim for a place in Gareth Southgate’s European Championship squad.
Balance will be key in every match against Liverpool. Push too high and you risk getting disemboweled… but if you take risks at the right time, you can catch them off guard, especially the ever-marauding Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Liverpool’s more physical, agile defense and tighter formation may not be as sensitive to the balls in the box that Villa suffered on Wednesday, but breaking quickly and exploiting space outside will be crucial against a stacked midfield.