Tactical Analysis of Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea

On the 26th of January, Thomas Tuchel was appointed manager of Chelsea FC. Despite the risk and challenge of a mid season managerial change, Chelsea went through a complete rejuvenation with the help of Tuchel’s tactical changes. Chelsea were unbeaten in 14 games managed by Thomas Tuchel, conceding just 2 goals in the process.

General Shape

Throughout his time as Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has maintained a 3-4-3 formation. In possession, this formation transitions into a 3-2-5 shape.

Role of Wing-backs

The wing-backs in Tuchel’s system have been key to gaining control of the game. Being the team with more individual threat, Chelsea fearlessly commit their wing-backs forward. This action stretches the pitch vertically by pinning the opponent wide players back into their own half, allowing Chelsea to settle into the opposition half.

Chelsea averaged 69% possession in Tuchel’s first 6 league games

From his very first game, Tuchel encouraged his wing-backs to constantly make runs in behind in order to keep opponent wide players occupied. Marcos Alonso had excelled in this role previously under Antonio Conte and has now been a key player for Tuchel as well, getting forward whenever possible. Callum Hudson-Odoi’s case was slightly different. Previously in his career the youngster had only played as a natural winger. However Hudson-Odoi has adapted well to this role and is still also getting game time as an inside forward.

The difference in profiles allows Tuchel to use an asymmetrical approach when setting up the team, the way he has always done in his previous clubs. When Chelsea need width, the third center-back will stretch wider on one wing, but if they need width on the opposite wing the wing-back will drop deeper.

Azpilicueta plays slightly more advanced compared to Chelsea’s other center-backs

Build-up Shape

After pushing the wide players so high up the pitch, Chelsea are forced to progress the ball centrally through a midfield pivot consisting of 2 of Mateo Kovacic, N’golo Kante and Jorginho. Tuchel uses a 3+2 build-up shape which outnumbers the opposition frontline giving Chelsea an advantage. In this situation, Chelsea have control of the ball among the 5 deeper players but are outnumbered up top. This means the defenders and midfield pivot have more time on the ball to try and break down the low block using line-breaking passes, dribbles or through balls.

Midfield Box

Against a higher pressing frontline, Chelsea outnumber the opposition midfield using a concept called the “midfield box”. Teams that press higher must push their midfielders up to man mark Chelsea’s midfield pivot. This action leaves space between the lines for Chelsea’s inside forwards to drop into.

A midfield box

Chelsea best implement this concept using an asymmetric midfield pivot where one of the midfielders positions higher while the other drops deep centrally, almost forming an incomplete midfield three. This midfield is completed with the inside-forward dropping deep in the half space.

Hudson-Odoi will receive the ball in the right half-space

The wing-backs are once again vital in making this work. In the frame above, Richarlison could be covering the passing angle to Hudson-Odoi but instead focused on the passing angle to Reece James.

The wing-backs provide an additional passing option

Chelsea vs 5-3-2

Chelsea’s biggest challenge in the build-up phase so far has been playing out from the back against Sheffield United’s 5-3-2. We know that Chelsea prefer to advance through the central corridor and half spaces. Sheffield United blocked all passing lanes into the center of the pitch and forced the ball wide where the Chelsea wing-backs were under heavy pressure from Sheffield’s wing-backs.

Sheffield United midfielder blocks passing lane into the half space

To fix this problem Chelsea would need width in deeper areas in order to stretch Sheffield United’s narrow midfield. This could possibly be an excuse for Tuchel to play with 4 defenders in the future, but Chelsea quite simply adapted to Sheffield’s press by having a midfielder drop in-between the center-backs so that the wide center-backs can stretch the pitch, almost operating as full-backs.

Chelsea stretch the pitch as Azpilicueta goes wide and Jorginho tucks in-between him and Christensen

Chelsea under Thomas Tuchel are also capable of attacking from wide areas using different rotations. Forcing the ball wide helped slow down the game for Sheffield, but Chelsea remained dangerous on the attack.

An example rotation on the right wing

Timo Werner’s Role

Another way for opponents to prevent Chelsea from advancing in the half-spaces is to have the opposition center-back follow Chelsea’s inside forward as he drops deep. Tuchel has two ways to counter this.

The first method is to pin the opponent back using a vertical overload. In the example below, Mason Mount will drop deeper into the half space but the presence of Werner in the same vertical corridor does not allow the Liverpool defender to follow Mount as he would leave tons of space behind for Werner to exploit.

Werner pins Trent back, allowing Mount to receive the ball under no pressure

The second method is how Chelsea scored their first goal against Everton. When the defender steps out of his line, Chelsea exploit the space left behind, usually through Timo Werner’s pace.

Godfrey follow Hudson-Odoi

Alonso receives the ball behind Godfrey and assists the goal

In attack, Tuchel has rotated the front 3 quite often, trying out different combinations. One thing that stayed consistent is Timo Werner operating as the main goalscoring outlet from the left half space. This means Chelsea try to get Werner at the end of all chances created. With the goals aiming to come from the left winger, Tuchel has preferred a striker with better overall play rather a goalscorer. Chelsea’s only striker who is more focused on scoring goals, Tammy Abraham, has not been given many opportunities and was even left out of the squad a couple of times. At first, Tuchel favored Olivier Giroud as a target man to play alongside Werner, but most recently he experimented with Mount and Havertz as false 9s.

Mount playing false 9 forces Eric Dier to come out of line leaving space in behind for Werner.

Werner himself is happy with the way Tuchel uses him, claiming that he now has more space for his runs.

Defending Transitions

The midfield pivot can sometimes be vulnerable to transitions but Chelsea’s rest defence has ensured defensive solidity.

A “3-2” rest defence works well to recover and defend transitions. When a wide centre-back is attracted to defend the wing, the other two center-backs slide over to provide cover. This is how Chelsea have ensured defensive solidity under Tuchel.

Pressing Structure

Chelsea press centrally using their 3 forwards before either a full-back or midfielder joins the press once the ball goes wide. Asymmetry is seen once again in Tuchel’s system.

The pressing system is very fluid in general and is more dependent on the opponent but fundamentally alters between two setups depending on the personnel. Tuchel’s options at right wing-back, Reece James and Hudson-Odoi, have different roles when pressing. More offence orientated Hudson-Odoi presses high while Reece James sits deeper. Depending on the right wing-back’s role, Kante and Chilwell are also given different instructions.

Chelsea vs Liverpool

Arrows indicate which zones players are responsible for when pressing.

Chelsea’s forwards (Werner, Mount, Ziyech) are joined in the press by Chilwell, who is following Liverpool’s right back all the way up the pitch.

But on the opposite wing rather than Reece James pressing high, Kante joined the press.

Chelsea vs Manchester United

Arrows indicate which zones players are responsible for when pressing

Against Manchester United, Chilwell defended deep while Mount pressured Manchester United’s right back.

On the opposite wing Kante sat back to cover for high pressing Hudson-Odoi while also marking Bruno Fernandes.

Counter-Pressing

One difficulty Chelsea could have faced in a 3-4-3 formation is counter-pressing. Although the 3-4-3 is great for defending transitions, setting 3 defenders back is not ideal for counter-pressing. Compared to 4-3-3, in a 3-4-3 formation one midfielder has been sacrificed for a defender meaning a counter-pressing unit has been sacrificed for a cover defender.

This was never a real issue as Chelsea used one simple rotation to adapt to counter-pressing situations.

Azpilicueta steps up into midfield to counterpess. The two other center-backs slide over.

Azpilicueta winning the ball back high up the field

The primary weakness Chelsea face when counter-pressing is actually the space Azpilicueta leaves after stepping out. The transition period where Chelsea’s two center-backs slide over to cover for Azpilicueta is the moment where the defence is most vulnerable. Leeds United manager Bielsa is known for analysing opponent weaknesses in-depth, and so far Leeds United have been the only team to constantly target the space behind Azpilicueta. Chelsea never faced a serious threat from such situations thanks to brilliant defensive performances from all of the defenders. The anticipation from the central defender and recovery of the right wing-backs to cover for Azpilicueta have been vital. Azpilicueta’s brilliant positioning when counter-pressing has also made it impossible for opponents to get a pass through him.

Azpilicueta pressures Lemar. Christensen is ready to track Suarez’s run while Hudson-Odoi also tracks back for cover.

Chelsea must also defend runs from the far side of the pitch during the short transition where the center-backs slide over to cover for Azpilicueta. Again, Rudiger has been another defender to step up his game under Tuchel and helped maintain stability. But below is an example of a rare instance that the opponent exploited this Chelsea weakness.

Hudson-Odoi recovers on time to deny the Wolves player a shot.

Conclusion

There is no formation, selection, or system in football that is perfect, without weaknesses. The way Tuchel implements his system so that his players carry it out perfectly is what makes him a great manager. This is also the reason for the increased quality of performances by Chelsea players. Everything Thomas Tuchel has attempted from a tactical perspective has played out perfectly, and he deserves all the credit.