4-5-1

[Guppy 4 England]

Chelsea play 4-2-3-1.

No they don't , they play with one holding midfielder , usually mikel , it's more of a 4-1-3-1-1. Either way they don't have two holding midfielders

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

Chelsea by in large played 4-2-3-1 last season, Mourinho has been an advocate of that system since he moved to Real Madrid. Any combination of Luiz/Lampard/Mikel/Matic played behind Ramires/Willian/Oscar/Hazard/Schurrle.

 

The tactical masterclass away at Man City was down to a 4-2-3-1 sytem with Luiz/Matic sitting behind Ramires/Willian/Hazard and E'to up front.....

 

Was that when they did their version of West Ham parking the bus? :)

[valiant_593]

No they don't , they play with one holding midfielder , usually mikel , it's more of a 4-1-3-1-1. Either way they don't have two holding midfielders

 

Chelsea played 4-2-3-1 all season. Ramires, Matic, Luiz, Lampard and Mikel played in that defensive role.

[George]

No they don't , they play with one holding midfielder , usually mikel , it's more of a 4-1-3-1-1. Either way they don't have two holding midfielders

 

Sorry fella but you're wrong there. They played 4-2-3-1 virtually all season, as did most of he teams in the premier league, including Arsenal, Man Utd, Man City and Liverpool (in parts, they also played a midfield diamond with 2 up top)

[Guppy 4 England]

Sorry fella but you're wrong there. They played 4-2-3-1 virtually all season, as did most of he teams in the premier league, including Arsenal, Man Utd, Man City and Liverpool (in parts, they also played a midfield diamond with 2 up top)

 

Erm no you are wrong, Man city, liverpool and chelsea all play with one holding midfielder not two, its not 4-2-3-1. Arsenal is debatable as they kind of play 4-2-3-1 with arteta and ramsey in holding roles, this is slightly wrong and i would say its more 4-1-4-1 seeing as Ramsey scored stacks of goals this season and he wouldnt do it as a holding midfielder. Man utd arent/werent a big side so it doesnt matter what they played as whatever they did play didnt work.

[Guppy 4 England]

Chelsea played 4-2-3-1 all season. Ramires, Matic, Luiz, Lampard and Mikel played in that defensive role.

 

Also you are suggesting Ramires, Lampard and Matic are defensive midfielders? chelsea played more like 4-1-4-1 as they only played one holding midfielder as do most other premier league and european sides

[valiant_593]

Also you are suggesting Ramires, Lampard and Matic are defensive midfielders? chelsea played more like 4-1-4-1 as they only played one holding midfielder as do most other premier league and european sides

 

Ramires has always played that role, Matic is a defensive midfielder and Lampard also played in the middle two this season. They played 4231 as did most European sides.

[Guppy 4 England]

Ramires has always played that role, Matic is a defensive midfielder and Lampard also played in the middle two this season. They played 4231 as did most European sides.

 

Nonsense. Matic bombs past the forwards as does ramires. Mikel rarely ventures forward. Its a 4-1-4-1.

[George]

G4E is clearly wrong in this debate although the purpose of the 4-2-3-1 formation is that it is very fluid. It can very easily become 4-5-1, 4-3-3 or even 4-2-4 depending on what is required. 4-2-3-1 is just the base starting position.

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

For the avoidance of doubt as Mel and Mike Bassett said all we care about is '4-4-******* 2' ;)

 

Systems these days are so interchangeable I don't think anyone can say a team play a definitive system as it would be too rigid.

 

I remember Roy Hodgson being surprised by reporters who said he was playing 4-2-3-1 before the World Cup and Micky being surprised by what that plank on Radio Stoke thought the system we were playing was. It's all in the eye of the beholder.

 

For what it's worth I did perceive Chelsea played more 4-2-3-1 but it certainly wasn't rigid especially when Ramires and Luiz played defensive midfield. When Mikel, Lampard and Matic were there maybe more so.

[aspins-revenge]

It's official. You've all turned into Jim Gannon.

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

It's official. You've all turned into Jim Gannon.

 

Get the pills or Rory and his hammer!

[valiant_593]

Nonsense. Matic bombs past the forwards as does ramires. Mikel rarely ventures forward. Its a 4-1-4-1.

 

They may well bomb forward but as it has been said, 4231 is the starting formation.... Matic is a defensive midfielder, he was when he left Chelsea and is on his return. Check Wiki, check their formations from last season, they all say 4231.

[JOHNNYAITCH]

Nonsense. Matic bombs past the forwards as does ramires.

 

The only connection Matic and Ramires have with bombing is when they curl up in a ball and jump in the deep end

[Guppy 4 England]

G4E is clearly wrong in this debate although the purpose of the 4-2-3-1 formation is that it is very fluid. It can very easily become 4-5-1, 4-3-3 or even 4-2-4 depending on what is required. 4-2-3-1 is just the base starting position.

 

I kind of agree with that but still feel its a 4-1 base as opposed to a 4-2 base.