Chelsea v Man Utd tactical preview: Can Thomas Tuchel outfox Ole Gunnar Solskjaer?
Any critics hoping Thomas Tuchel’s ultra-structured Chelsea would finally be tested this week were sorely let down.
Atletico Madrid were a caricature of themselves in a backs-to-the-wall 6-3-1 formation, and in the process served as a caricature of the oppositions Tuchel has faced since taking the reins at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea have conceded just two goals in eight games under the new manager, compared with 10 in the final eight under Frank Lampard, and certainly to the naked eye they are looking vastly improved in the defensive transition; considerably less vulnerable to the counter-attack and generally more stable in possession as Lampard’s improvisational football-by-vibes gives way to order and discipline.
But from Burnley to Newcastle United to a self-destructing Tottenham Hotspur, every single one of Chelsea’s opponents has sat deep and offered little going forward. They could scarcely have faced a worse set of counter-attackers, and although Tuchel’s 3-4-2-1 is specifically designed to create this scenario (are teams choosing to sit back, or are they forced to?) we won’t know how much progress the club have really made until they meet a manager who knows how to break ruthlessly.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is precisely that manager. He spring-loads Manchester United in ‘Big Six’ matches, releasing the likes of Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, and Bruno Fernandes to devastating effect. This is a pure counter-attacking team, and one that may poke holes in a Chelsea backline that have, frankly, had it all too easy over the last eight games.
Is Tuchel improving Chelsea?
The 3-4-2-1 formation focuses on a solid 3-2 blockade behind the ball at all times, with the unit shuffling neatly back and forth with a discipline and tactical sophistication we never saw under Lampard. Sticking rigidly to demarcated roles is the foundation, which - coupled with a targeted high press and dominant possession - has seen Chelsea play at a relatively slow tempo in the opposition’s half.
From here, the game is controlled through a box-shape midfield (the central midfielders and the inside forwards), which draws the pitch inwards to create extra room out wide for the wing-backs. Callum Hudson-Odoi is quickly becoming the symbol of the Tuchel project: an attacking player given space thanks to a complex system, but looking raw and occasionally lacking discipline.
Inevitably, the lack of bodies on the flanks and the congestion in the middle has created some static football, and ever since the 0-0 draw with Wolves, Tuchel has sought to unclog a stodgy possession game. The key details of his progression in this department, of his gradual fine-tuning of the dials, are Mason Mount’s movements further out to the right wing to support Hudson-Odoi and Timo Werner’s increasing runs on the shoulder of the last defender.
Neither player has quite found the right formula yet, but Chelsea are getting closer. Tuchel has also incrementally used a 3-5-2, rather than a 3-4-2-1, in order to get more runners in behind and avoid playing everything in front of the opposition, while Cesar Azpiliceuta can occasionally be spotted overlapping from centre-back.
For now it is a case of control through positional structure, with greater elasticity in the final third to come. That has proved good enough to dispatch of the majority of their opponents, but it probably won’t do the trick when Man Utd visit Stamford Bridge.
How Manchester United can hurt Chelsea
Chelsea’s back three is unlikely to be quite as strong as it looks, and with both wing-backs expected to hold extremely high positions United can hope to find joy via the flanks –stretching the back three and poking some familiar holes in the 3-4-2-1 formation.
But before they do that, Solskjaer needs to get his off-the-ball shape right – and that basically means copying what Southampton did last weekend. Ralph Hasenhuttl recognised that every Chelsea attack filters through that box-shaped midfield, instructing his front six of a 4-4-2 to form a remarkably tight ring around Jorginho and Matteo Kovacic. By cutting the supply line to these two, Chelsea were smothered, and their attacking threat was stifled.
United can then launch breaks, predominantly down their favoured left side through Martial and Rashford, because as Azpilicueta ventures forward in search of piercing the visitors’ defensive shell space will open up behind him. Kovacic and Jorginho aren’t mobile enough to cover the flanks, and with United’s pace on the counter it is plausible the whole system will collapse, especially without Thiago Silva’s calming influence.
How Tuchel's Chelsea may adapt
Then again, Tuchel is known for his tactical tinkering, and indeed the consistency of his formation and team selection so far may simply reflect the similarities of his opponents. Perhaps, recognising United’s threat, he will change formation entirely and even hold a deeper defensive line. Sunday’s game is the first real test of the new Chelsea not because it tests the long-term robustness of the 3-4-2-1, but because it tests the flexibility of the manager and his players.
Even if the basic shape is similar, it is certainly plausible N’Golo Kante will be given a more prominent role. The Frenchman is an ideal candidate to man-mark Fernandes, and history has shown that nullifying the threat of United’s playmaker is all that’s really needed to keep the forwards quiet.
Whether he changes the system or not, there is no doubt Sunday’s game is the most important of Tuchel’s tenure to date and should lead to a relatively cautious approach. Unfortunately for neutrals, Solskjaer is likely to be similarly conservative following a chastening record of nine points from the last six Premier League games. Defeat at Stamford Bridge would reduce the gap to just three points and put United’s Champions League place in jeopardy.
In a less vulnerable situation this game could be a frightening test of Chelsea’s newfound structure as a manager obsessed with control meets a manager unafraid of tactical tinkering. Instead, we will likely see a more measured version of this scenario - that nevertheless provides the first real examination of just how much Chelsea have improved under Tuchel.
Follow Sporting Life on social - find us on Facebook here or tweet @SportingLifeFC
Related football content
Responsible gambling
We are committed in our support of responsible gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133, or visit begambleaware.org.
Further support and information can be found at GamCare and gamblingtherapy.org.
MOST READ FOOTBALL
FOOTBALL TIPS
