Creativity, Scolari and The 3-5-2
The esteemed Mr. Scolari has encouraged his players to “find their creative spark”. A 2-nil win over a dismal West Brom and a somewhat unfortunate 2-2 draw with Fulham may have resulted from Big Phil’s slight alteration in formation, but certainly it is time for LFS to be bold himself.
It is time for Chelsea to roll the dice and step out on the field in a 3-5-2. Undoubtedly, Phil is more than familiar with the intricacies of Latin America’s favorite formation. A recent case in point would be the Copa Sudamericana title won by Internacional FC, using the 3-5-2.
At this point in the Premier League season, Chelsea has become far too predictable. With just a few notable exceptions, the quality of play has gone downhill since the opening day drubbing of Portsmouth. Opposition teams have shown a not-so surprising ability to stifle Chelsea’s tactics. Time to try something new to catch teams on the back foot; here’s a few reasons to roll out the 3-5-2:
- For crying out loud, get two forwards on the field. Yes, Drogba has the ability to hold the ball when he’s up front and he’s more than a handful for two central defenders. Perfect opportunity for Anelka to sulk around and pop up unexpectedly, running with pace at defenders when he manages to pick up the ball in open areas. Both Joe Cole and Kalou also fit the bill – able to play on the left or right and in dire need of having their creativity unleashed.
- Playing two forwards will also allow the attack to create more decisive and dynamic forward movement as the wide players (Cole and Bosingwa) deliver the ball from the sidelines. The number of crosses Bosingwa has sent in unmet by Anelka this season is staggering – we need players attacking those crosses with commitment and pace.
- A 3-5-2 still allows us to play three central midfielders; Mikel has been Chelsea’s most consistent player this season and can anchor a midfield triangle more than competently. Allow Lamps, Deco, and Ballack to fight it out for the two attacking midfield spots. Frankly, the three are appearing complacent and need some competitive fire stoked under their rear-ends. The “untouchable” concept needs to go! It will also give the central midfielders a little more space to dribble, as Big Phil is looking for. A healthy Essien will make the midfield even more dynamic.
- Bosingwa and Ashley Cole will be given the freedom to play as true wingers in a 3-5-2. Free license to roam the sidelines with pace will cause massive concern from opposition defenders, particularly with both Anelka and Drogba already pestering the defense. When Chelsea does go a goal or two up, Bosingwa and Cole can drop back into defense and seal things up. And like the midfielders, this allows Phil to throw Bridge and Malouda in to compete for a spot.
- Lastly, why is English football so stuck on the four-man defense? Carvalho’s speed and game-reading ability at sweeper, and Terry and Alex (or Ivanovic) at the stopper positions would be a handful for any attack, particularly a team with one forward as most do when they come to Stamford Bridge. Bosingwa and Cole have more than enough mobility to get back and help, as they have shown in the traditional 4-4-2 formation.
It seems as though even the Chelsea-haters find it hard to dislike Mr. Scolari, but many Chelsea fans are growing impatient with the season’s progress. The English game is not going to adapt to Mr. Scolari, he will need to adapt his continental style to the English game, and as Alex Ferguson has shown time and time again, a manager needs to adapt formations to his opponents and develop varying tactics to keep his opponents off-guard and unbalanced.
Time to be creative Big Phil, get some English guts and throw your world-class stars out in a 3-5-2!
Topics: Chelsea, English Premier League, Luis Felipe Scolari
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I don’t understand why Chelsea fans are getting so restless. Chelsea have played the first half of the season with a significant injury list and are still right on the pace.
You can’t expect to be the same team without the likes of Essien, Ballack, Drogba, Carvalho and Joe Cole. Terry, Deco and A.Cole have also missed several games.
With these players back in the 2nd half of the season I expect Chelsea to be as strong a force as they were last season.
As a Utd fan I see them as the main threat to our title.
January 2nd, 2009 @ 12:00I still have faith in Chelsea this season inspite of all the frustrating draws. But i have to agree that 3-5-2 also came to my mind sometime ago. Cech in goal; Carvalho, Terry, Ivanovic as defenders; A Cole and Bosingwa as wingbacks; Mikel, Lampard and J Cole as mids; and Drogba and Anelka as forwards. Variations can be in the form of Deco and Ballack as mids with J Cole or Kalou as second strikers in support of Drogba or Anelka. However i want this to be Plan B as 4-3-3 is best suited to the current Chelsea side. The return of Essien will give Scolari plenty of options to tinker with.
January 2nd, 2009 @ 12:26After writing the article, I’ve thought more about the 3-5-2, and why it’s so rare in English football.
I’d like to hear people’s thoughts on why more teams don’t use it, and examples from the past of its successes or failures. Anyone?
Thanks…
January 2nd, 2009 @ 17:19drogba anelka
Jcole ……………………………….bosingwa?
Lampard …………………….Ballack
Mikel
Terry…Carvalho…Ivanovic
January 2nd, 2009 @ 18:56Joolz- Swap JCole for ACole.
I still think the team needs some competition for spots – make Deco and Ballack fight it out in training. I also would like to see Joe Cole (or Kalou) played as a free-range striker paired up with Drogba to unleash his creativity and skill.
It also amazes me that some think we Chelsea fans are being impatient given our current form – I want nothing more than success for Big Phil, but our form has been dismal the past month, and with the wealth of talent at his disposal, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to question what’s going on.
January 2nd, 2009 @ 23:19lewis, i think that it is a good observation and possibly a good solution for home games where oppositions come and park there team bus in front of there goal
but you have said two differnet things. youve sed let both joe and kalou play wide and show attacking talent, and bosingwa and ashley that there playing wide, think?
my team would be
……….cech……….
January 3rd, 2009 @ 03:30alex…carvalho…terry.
………mikel……….
…lampard…ballack….
bosingwa……….j.cole
….anelka….drogba….
you could even drop both deco and ballack(the lazy sods especially deco) and play 4-4-2
………cech………….
bosi.terry.carvalho.a.cole
j.cole.mikel.lampard.NEW SIGNING
….anelka……drogba……………………………….
January 3rd, 2009 @ 03:34http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2008/nov/19/argentina-napoli Interesting read
January 3rd, 2009 @ 05:00………….cech……………
…bosingwa…terry…a.cole….
………….mikel…………..
j.cole…….deco……..ballack
…………lampard………….
……..drogba……..anelka
January 3rd, 2009 @ 05:03The best time 4 dis experiment is against southend. No p.L team would give room 4 experiment.
January 3rd, 2009 @ 08:42Lewis, to answer your question, I think it is tradition and mindset. It doesn’t seem to be a trusted formation in England.
There’s also the fact that the most successful teams in the history of English football all played a 4-4-2. ManU, who have been the benchmark for most of the PL era have always stuck with it. But I think there is one key difference.
Utd have always had two quality wingers (Olsen, Sharpe, Giggs, Blomqvist, Kanchelskis, Beckham, Ronaldo, Nani) and the width and pace has set them apart.
My criticism of Jose when he was at Chelsea was that, although he bought wingers, none of Duff, Robben (yes, often injured I know) or Wright-Phillips ever seemed to get a consistent run in the team and now, Malouda isn’t of the required quality.
With a wealth of talent in CM Jose more often preffered fielding his ‘best’ players at the expense of formation i.e. width. Even Joe Cole isn’t what you’d call an orthodox winger.
You may argue that a 3-5-2 solves the problem but I’d argue that Chelsea should retain what’s an outstanding back-four and add a world class right winger.
And to round it off, throwing in someone like Benzema up-front would be scary (for a Utd fan anyway!).
January 3rd, 2009 @ 12:11i totally not agree with 3-5-2 formation….danger in counter attack situation….many teams has exploited bosingwa area or cole bcoz they keep always go for attacking and leave space for opponent to attack…..maybe samba style not suit for chelsea…4-4-2 the best…cech, bosingwa-terry-carvalho-cole, j.cole-lampard-ballack-deco, drogba-anelka…
January 3rd, 2009 @ 13:04We would be ripped apart playing this formation. Our only speedy, proven CB is Riccy, and leaving Alex, JT and him to cover the back would be fine against aerial threats, but I worry about the prowess against a proven ground game that some sides could trot out.
Bosingwa could play in a 3-5-2, but Ashley Cole most definitely cannot. He is a one-footed, one dimensional attacker – he relies on playing 1-2 balls and using pacey runs to run down the flank. When the opposition cuts that off, the left side of the Blues attack for the most part, is shut down.
Lampard is not talented enough defensively to cover for Cole should there be a counterattack, and the only true midfielder able to cope with this formation would be Michael Essien.
It’s a bit too soon to start asking for ANOTHER change in formation from Gene Hackman…
January 3rd, 2009 @ 17:14@ BD:
Not consistent wing play? We won the title because Robben and Duff absolutely terrorized English defences for two years.
January 3rd, 2009 @ 17:15………..chec………..
January 3rd, 2009 @ 22:20..carvalho..alex..terry…
………..mikel……….
j.cole….ballck…deco…
……….lampard………
…drogba…….anelka….
As usual, the fans know better than the lads who get paid 5 million a year to be there. Tactically, you are spot on, but maybe there is a reason LFS does not go with the 3-5-2. I think that reason would be that such a formation would be whooped by say… Manchester United or… Aston Villa or… any other team with width and/or height.
This is not South America where most of the play comes through the middle. This is a league where you need your full-backs to hold the opposition’s wingers and the wingers to hold your opposition’s full backs. This is a league where you do not want Ronaldo and Evra against Bosingwa only with Riki covering.
Defensively this formation is a nightmare, prone to counter-attacks and lacking in width. Stick with the 4-4-2 if you 4-5-1 does not fly or maybe go with the 4-3-3 which was so goo during the Special Era…
January 4th, 2009 @ 16:34The 3-5-2 requires midfielders who can be defense-minded, possession, and speed. If your defenders do not have speed, a team will get burned time and again on the counter.
The 4-4-2 or 4-4-3 formation has built-in flexibility — the LB or RB can act as a winger, and one of the midfielders can drop back and take their place. The 4-2-3-1 also has that advantage.
Chelsea’s biggest problem this season has been goal creation. They are a great possession team, with great passing. Anelka has made a lot of goals this season, but (imo) not when they were most needed. With the return of Drogba, I expect Chelsea will kick things up a notch.
January 4th, 2009 @ 19:13Chelsea are still i every cup but they look like they could be in big big trouble soon!!!
January 5th, 2009 @ 01:49