Chelsea’s most effective formations over the past 40 years

Chelsea is not a club where one manager can stay for a long period of time. Instead, coaches come and go, and over the past 40 years, the Blues have enjoyed both good and bad days. And some coaches were able to leave a legacy behind them even when their departure was considered premature or controversial by the fans.

The formations they used played a huge role in bringing glory to the club, as they won domestic and international trophies. Of course, formations are essential in football and can even influence football odds analysis. If a punter sees a team suddenly change the set-up, they may be less inclined to bet on them, as it would mean assuming a higher risk due to the untested tactics.

In the recent history of Chelsea, there are periods that are heavily associated with a coach and the formation they used. Even some starting line-ups have become iconic over the years. And this article will go over the four most effective formations used by the Blues in the last 40 years.

Young Vialli and the 3-5-2

Gianluca Vialli’s case may be the most special on the list because his coaching career at Chelsea started in a player-manager role in 1998. Only 33 years old at the time, the Italian took charge of the team midway through the season and managed to lead it to five trophies over the next two years. The Blues were not exactly splendid in the Premier League, but their cup competition record spoke for itself.

The formation Vialli used the most was the 3-5-2, inherited from the previous manager, in which key roles were attributed to the wingbacks. The Blues maximised their strengths as they were able to dominate possession and generate scoring opportunities by exploiting the wide areas in quick transitions. The formation was also tactically flexible, allowing the wingbacks to sit back to defend when the situation required it, making it a solid backline of five men.

Of course, Vialli was also blessed by the fact that he had talented players at his disposal that could execute the tasks and even add a pinch of magic to the play. Club greats like Frank Leboeuf, Gianfranco Zola, Dan Petrescu, Gus Poyet and Roberto Di Matteo all had key roles during that period.

Jose Mourinho and the Legendary First Stint

While Jose Mourinho had two spells at Chelsea, in 2004-07 and 2013-15, it is the first stint that became a tale for the ages.

Mourinho’s revolutionary idea that made Chelsea a dominant force in England in the mid-2000s was his use of the 4-3-3 formation. The Portuguese gaffer used the set-up with three midfielders to gain numerical advantage in the middle of the park, as most clubs in the Premier League at the time were deploying two central midfielders and two wide midfielders. Additionally, the wingers allowed the Blues to be especially fierce in counter-attacks, as the main tactic was to sit back, wait for a mistake from the rival, and then strike them with a blitzing attack that exposed their backline.

Key roles in Mourinho’s Chelsea were played by Claude Makelele, the perfect defensive midfielder, and Frank Lampard who had a box-to-box role and was the brains and creativity of the team. And it is impossible not to name such greats as John Terry, Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba, Arjen Robben who excelled in their roles as well. And a special mention to Petr Cech, whose heroics between the sticks made the record for the fewest goals conceded in a Premier League campaign possible in 2004/05, allowing just 15 goals!

Tuchel’s Flexible 3-4-3 

The German technician had a brief but fruitful stint at Stamford Bridge, coaching the Blues for barely over a season but still leading them to triumph in the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup. His departure may still be regrettable to some fans today.

What allowed Thomas Tuchel to improve Chelsea’s game and results in comparison to his predecessor was his use of the 3-4-3 formation. The set-up was flexible and could adapt to different scenarios of the game, with the wingbacks having the duty to either widen the attack or strengthen the defence depending on the situation. The attacking trio also had an important role, as they were responsible for creativity and threat-generation. Mason Mount and Kai Havertz were integral pieces of the puzzle.

At the same time, the strong midfield with the likes of Jorginho and N’Golo Kante gave the Blues the ability to control the game in midfield, and either speed up the play or calm it down.

While Tuchel’s stay at Chelsea was short lived, the impact he had will be remembered for a long time.