KTA

Pochettino gave this Chelsea side total creative freedom to express themselves and Palmer's breakout season was testament to that Maresca instilled the JDP positional play foundations and taught the team how to play within a rigid structure Rosenior has found a balance between both worlds by allowing creative freedom but within a clear structure to harness the full potential of this Chelsea side So basically, under Rosenior the team understands that fluidity & structure are not mutually exclusive, which means fluidity & order can co-exist at the same time and one does not cancel out the other.

With each passing day it makes more sense why Maresca chose to leave Chelsea failed to strengthen the team from a position of strength after winning the CWC but instead chose to sign the likes of Delap & Garnacho who are backup level players at best, when we should have leveraged our global appeal from that competition by signing best in class players to raise the ceiling. All Maresca wanted was a top CB especially after Colwill's injury, but the board were deluded by that CWC win thinking the squad was best placed to go one step further without his recommended signings Now Rosneior tactical approach doesn't mask flaws but instead exposes who's not good enough and the cracks now appear more than ever Why are we acting surprised and blaming Rosenior?

I understand Rosenior playing a 3-4-3 yesterday was born out of necessity due to the injury crises at RB Palmer needs a width holder at RW so starting Neto at RW made sense in theory But a downside to playing Palmer & Enzo centrally is the lack of intensity OOP Also the 3-4-3 lacks sufficient numbers when pressing high against a 4-3-3 due to the natural overloads the latter creates

I love Enzo but nah he can't be coming out saying stuff like that No one is bigger than the program and if feels that he has outgrown Chelsea then we need to sanction a sale this summer I've stood by him and still love him but I only want loyal soldiers who are ready to fight through thick and thin however how long it takes

@rajsinghchohan Yup! I discussed Caicedo's temperate here using this clip @rajsinghchohan

Barcola finish aside… the goal gives you a lot of information on the reality of Caicedo’s temperament on the ball and the way in which he tries to defend. Consistent themes in his game.

This game has shades of that heavy 3-0 loss at home against Hansi Flick's Bayern in 2020 when Lampard was in charge Totally outclassed on the pitch and the time kept ticking like it was in slow motion to put Chelsea out of its misery That backline is a shambles btw

Terrible way for Chelsea to start this game against PSG It's a wrap at this point

Chelsea's can't catch a break, can we? Over the past couple of days we've experienced -A 5-2 first leg loss vs PSG -A damaging home lose to Newcastle in our race for UCL football next season -A suspended ban from the Premier League -Reece James on the sidelines with tough fixtures coming up When it rains, it pours.

I like Barco and I think he should be brought in as Enzo's deputy in that LCM role LCM-Enzo, Barco RCM-Caicedo, Essugo DM-Lavia, Santos Unless Chelsea eventually chooses to sign Amadou Onana as a 6 for his superior physical qualities to add to our current options, I want Lavia & Santos to be used simultaneously for that holding midfield role. Andrey Santos against low blocks sides ✅ Lavia against high pressing sides ✅

This clip highlights the difference between Caicedo & Lavia when they are both asked to play the no.6 role Caicedo has the temperament of a 'hunter' who prefers to put out fires when he anticipates danger or a counter pressing opportunity. Lavia's temperament is reminiscent to that of an 'anchor' who prefers to hold his position and screen the backline. The former prefers to operate in a man oriented fashion, while the latter prefers to operate zonally while respecting space more. In a nutshell, Caicedo is like Kante while Lavia is more like Partey if you want a more clearer stylistic similarity. So I have come to the conclusion that if Caicedo is your primary holding 6 then your team's midfield balance would likely be capped long term especially as a possession based side. This thread is not to bash Caicedo in any way but instead to enlighten the masses regarding Chelsea's need for optimal platforming of our talented crop of midfielders to attain the best midfield balance 🧵

@AntzCFC_ He has the temperament of a hunter like Caicedo.

@KelsTheAnalyst I think essugo is more set for the holding role aswell tbh

Caicedo's optimal usage for Chelsea is as a no.8 RCM operating box to box similar to the role Sarri played Kante after the acquisition of Jorginho. I remember this switch from Sarri initially sparked massive outrage from the fanbase, but was eventually validated, as fans came to understand the thought process after Tuchel made it work enroute to Chelsea winning the UCL with Jorginho sitting while Kante roamed. Conte had a similar dilemma when he initially arrived at Chelsea as he tried to fit in Fabregas, Matic & Kante in an initial 4-3-3 system. The midfield configuration was off as Kante was profiled as the 6, with Matic box to box, while Fabregas was more advanced. Chelsea eventually got beaten 3-0 at the Emirates and that defeat was the catalyst for Conte's switch to a 3-4-3 that ultimately won us the title, with Matic sitting while Kante roamed. Fabregas then often came on in second half of tight games to provide a creative spark from deep. Considering Chelsea are now looking to build this current side in a 4-3-3 shape under Rosenior, the ideal starting midfield must feature LCM-Enzo RCM-Caicedo, Essugo DM-Lavia, Santos Like i said initially, this aim of this thread is to enlighten the fanbase regarding Chelsea's need to platform our talented crop of midfielders to attain the best midfield balance moving forward.

Chelsea under Rosenior have inherited the same OOP issues Maresca had due to their insistence on defending M2M when Chelsea don't have the ball. Maresca's OOP structure wasn't bulletproof either, but the more I think about it, the more I realize pressing M2M was probably intentional by design due to our starting midfield profiles built around Enzo & Caicedo Both naturally have aggressive temperaments to hunt for the ball, but often struggle to cover space and lack elite screening abilities when asked to defend zonally. So it makes sense to use a defensive pressing scheme that plays to their strengths while covering their weaknesses A downside to being a rigid M2M side out of possession means your team would often be caught lacking compactness centrally in moments and your OOP structure won't be bulletproof, which would make your team susceptible to being bypassed easily in moments when there is a lack of communication from your players, poor timing when engaging or the M2M press being manipulated by clever opposition tactics. PSG & Bayern employ similar M2M pressing styles but they can get away with it in the German & French leagues, but the Premier League is unforgiving with opposing sides setup to capitalize on lapses in concentration. Newcastle's goal yesterday validates this point.

After City's dropped point today it's safe to say it's Arsenal's title to lose from this point I reckon Pep's ego won't let him leave Manchester City this summer especially without a league title as a send off He would also be motivated to prevent Arteta from winning back to back league titles under his watch, which would also mean Pep would have gone 3 seasons without a title win He likely stays at Manchester City next season for these reasons.

At the highest level Chelsea would never be a successful 4-2-3-1 side with a midfield trio of Palmer, Enzo & Caicedo I know it looks good on paper but there's too many issues OOP as to why Rosenior has barely reverted to that setup that Maresca preferred during his time The 4-3-3 with Palmer RW, Enzo LCM, Caicedo RCM + a sitting DM with the ability to screen is the optimal solution The battle for that holding midfield role is between Santos & Lavia but if they prove unable to play that role to a high level, then Chelsea needs to be in the market for Amadou Onana as he ticks all the boxes required while providing the athleticism and physicality we lack centrally. Andrey Santos against low blocks sides ✅ Lavia against high pressing sides ✅