The team plays a 4-3-3 formation that can transform into other variations, with an emphasis on possession-based, attacking soccer. Defensively, they compact into a 4-5-1 and press aggressively. Coach Maurizio Sarri is obsessed with tactical details and getting his teams to dominate through possession. The squad has depth and talent throughout, with creative players like Hazard and technical midfielders who can control games.

1. by Hristian Hristov

2.  The team of Maurio Sarri is very attack minded. They have
control and dominate the game by having the ball in their
own possesion by playing 4-3-3 which can transform in other
variations with some movements. But, also, they know to
attack with a great, fast possitive transition when they are
defending compact with 4-5-1. The team is build by players
with good technical characteristics and tactic knowledge.
While atacking they are creative, but also they follow some
fantastic patterns of play. When they defend they are
positioned in zone 4-5-1 where everyone defend in his own
zone. Also, they have installed a very interesting pressing
with the offensive midfielders presing the opposite central
defenders. The squad have a good bench, so, they have 2 – 3
players who are capable to enter and change the game.

3. THE COACH
Maurizio Sarri
Maurizio Sarri is one of those inteligent
coaches who are obsessed with details.
His teams play ofensive football and
dominate on the pitch with the ball
possesion. He is very attack minded
coach. In Chelsea now he use the system
4-3-3 like in Napoli. The teams menaged
by him are very organised, and the
players know exactly their movements,
work that they should do on the pitch.

4. THE SQUAD
GOALKEEPER
Kepa Arizabalaga
He is good goalkeeper, good in 1 vs 1
situations, has a good technic and passing
acurancy.
GOALKEEPER
Willy Caballero
Goalkeeper with big experiance. A decent
substitution of Arizabalaga.

5. .
CENTRAL DEFENDER
Antonio Rudiger
He is very agressive defender. Very good in
marking, 1 vs 1 and aerial duels. Solid with the
ball, capable to give a pass between the lines.
Participate in the offensive set pieces and knows
how to score.
CENTRAL DEFENDER
David Luiz
He can play with the both legs. Has a good technic
and passing acurancy. He can build up play
hozirontally and vertically between the lines.
Creates opportunites for goal. Strong in defensive
play. Good in 1 vs 1, marking and areial duels.
Participate in the offensive set pieces.

6. CENTRAL DEFENDER
Andreas Christensen
Strong defender with good anticipation of the
game. Capable to give passes between the lines.
Decent substitution. Participate in the set pieces.
CENTRAL DEFENDER
Gary Cahill
Strong defender.

7. RIGHT FULLBACK
Cezar Azpilicueta
The captain. Very disciplined and strong
fullback. Solid technic. Good in positioning
and in anticipating the game. Not so offensive
fullback.
RIGHT FULLBACK
Davide Zappacosta
Substitution for Azpilicueta. Ofensive
fullback who wants to go forward. Capable
to shoot from distance also.

8. .
CENTRAL MIDFIELDER
Jorginho
A player who understand very well the game.
Very good in positioning tactically and ofen
shows to his teammates where the ball shoud
go. Good technic and pass acurancy. Capable
to create goal oppurtunities. Not fast and not
strong phisicaly.
LEFT FULLBACK
Marcos Alonso
Fast fullback, atacks a lot. Has a good cross,
can make an assist. Good in defending, 1 vs 1
and positive or negative transition. Participate
in the set pieces.

9. CENTRAL MIDFIELDER
Cesc Fabregas
A Fanstactic midfielder who always has a
solution before the ball arrives in his feet.
Visioner and creator of the game. Knows how
to make an assist and combinate with his
teammates.
OFFENSIVE MIDFIELDER
N’Golo Kante
Hard working and agressive midfielder with
solid technic. Amazing in defending(covering
and marking). Often participate in the finish
of the actions and knows how to score.
Tactically very good in positioning.

10. OFFENSIVE MIDFIELDER
Mateo Kovacic
Great tehnical abilities. Has vision of the game,
knows how to assist. Defensivly also good with
marking and covering the space.
OFFENSIVE MIDFIELDER
Ross Barkley
Shoot from distance, knows how to score.

11. WINGER
Pedro
Fast, technical and creative winger. Know
how to dribble, cross or give a pass in the
final third. A permament danger for the
opposite team. Plays both ways.
WINGER
Willian
Good technical skills and dribling. Can shoot
from distance. Taking the corners and the free
kicks. The last period he has problem with the
finishing of the actions. Plays both ways.

12. WINGER
Eden Hazard
The most creative individual in the team. A
great, skilfull and fast dribler. Because of his
creativity and technical skils, Sarri often puts
him between the lines to combinate in small
spaces, create opportunities or score.
WINGER
Victor Moses
Fast and strong winger.

13. STRIKER
Olivier Giroud
Strong and interesting forward. Know how to
score with head or foot, but, also to asisst and
makes space for his teammates. Participate in
the set pieces.
STRIKER
Alvaro Morata
Good striker, but, in the moment he lacks
a self-confidence. Participate in the set
pieces.

14. BUILD UP
PLAYZONE I
- If the opposite team plays 4-2-3-1 the fullbacks are wide and
high and the central defenders are wide to create 2 vs 1 situation
against the forward because the wingers cover the fullbacks who
are high positioned

15. - If the forward covers one of the defenders, the other remain free

16. - 2vs1 situation, the defenders against the forward in the first
zone

17. - If the offensive midfielder comes like second striker then we
have 2vs2 situation and it is dificult to build up. For that the
central midfielder dropps in order to create 3vs2 situation(two
defenders and midfielder against two forwards)

18. - If the opposite wingers decide to cover the defenders(3vs3),
then the fullbacks remain free and the goalkeeper plays a long
diagonal ball to them

19. - Then if the opposite midfielder leaves his position and
attacks the fullback our midfielder remains free from marking.
Our winger stays high to not close the free space between him
and our back and also to ocupate the opposite fullback with
him

20. - If some of the opposite midfielders leave his position to
attack the fullbacks, that means that we have 3vs2 situation in
the middle and we must find the free man with direct
pass(picture) or a link player

21. - In this situation when the opposite midfielder leaves his
position our free man is the central midfielder. He receives the
pass and the offensive midfielder is searching the ball in the
free space behind the opposite fullback, if he desides to follow
the movement of our winger. If he stays than the winger is free
of marking.

22. ZONE II
- After overcoming the build up 2vs1 situation in the first zone
the defender have space and time to pass the ball in the second
zone. In order to happen that the winger and the offensive
midfielder rotate with objective to be free when receiving the
ball
● Rotation

23. - Again rotation, but on the forward with the offensive midfielder.
The offensive midfielder ocupate the central defenders with his
movement so they can not follow the forward and he receives the
ball free of marking

24. ● 3 vs 2 situation on the side and exploating
the free space behind the fullbacks
- The ofensive midfielder positioned himself on the side
between the central defender and the fullback, the fullback
goes higher on the pitch, the winger enters inside versus the
opposite fullback and winger

25. - Like the rotation, this pattern Sarri has also instaled into the
building of the game. They create 3vs2 situation numerical
superiority on the side in the second zone and exploate the
availible space behind the back of the opposite fullback to move
in the third final zone.

26. - The build up of the goal against Arsenal. The winger moves
inside between the lines, if the fullback follow him then our
fullback searches the ball into the free space behind the back
of the fullback to move in the third final zone.

27. - Taking advantage of the free space behind the fullback and
moving in the third final zone.

28. - The winger move inside, the fullback follows him so the
fullback take advantage of the free space. Third man
combination. Sarri wants his midfielders to be the third man in
the building up of the play in order to be able to play strenght
forward. For that, he insist his midfielders to be positioned
between the lines and not to dropp down to take the ball.

29. - The build up of the goal against Liverpool. Hazard search the
ball inside between the lines and the fullback follows him.
After the touch Hazard search again the ball into the free space
behind the back of the fullback and finish the action with goal.

30. ● Creating a romb in the middle and numerical
superiority
Hazard is positioned centrally between the lines creating a romb
with the other three midfielders and provide a passing solution.
Sarri use him like that because of his creativity, technic and vision
ability to make something concrete in the final third zone.

31. - The build up of the goal against Cardif. Hazard possitioned
between the lines, centrally, behind the back of the opposite
central midfielders. He is in the same line with Giroud so he
leaves the ball to Giroud and turn around to receive into the
free space behind the central defender.

34. - The central midfielder and right winger went to mark Kovacic,
so that create a gap between the midfielders and oportunity for
Hazard to receive between the lines.

35. - Sometimes the forward dropps between the lines to receive. If
one of the defenders follows him then they try to take advantage
of his outpositioning in play.

37. - In the previous picture we saw of what kind of passes Hazard
can give, when he receives and turns between the lines.
Because of his creativity and ability to concretaze the actions
Sarri uses him between the lines.

38. - Hazard providing an option centrally between the lines. Again
they work together sinchronized with Giroud. He leaves the pass
for him and turn to receive with the face towards the goal. From
this position he can be really dangerous, because, he knows how
to make diference with dribbing, passing or shooting in the final
third zone

39. - Hazard moves inside to provide a passing option between the
lines.

40. - Hazard positioned between the lines, centrally, behind the back
of the opposite midfielders. Then he passes to the third man to
contunie the action. Third man combinations are very common in
Sarri’s philosophy.

42. ● The offensive midfielders search the ball
in space behind the defensive line
- The ofensive midfielder take advantage of the central
defenders outpositioning in play by searching the ball in space
behind their back.

43. - One of the ofensive midfielders goes like second
forward(2 vs 2) and search the ball in space between the
defender’s back.

44. ● Searching the free player via the link player

45. - Against Liverpool the free player often were the fullback, because
Kloop want his wingers to be positioned high on the pitch, pressing
the central defenders. In the next example the free player is the
central midfielder and the ball comes to him via the offensive
midfielder or striker. The ofensive midfielders(Barkley and Kante
in the next examples down) are positioned between the players(the
opposite winger and central midfielder).

47. ● Movement to make space between the lines
- Giroud makes space between the lines by searching the ball
in the space, so the defenders must to follow him.

48. ZONE III
● The ofensive midfielder makes a run between
the opposite central defender and fullback

49. - The ofensive midfielder makes a run between the opposite
central defender and fullback
* Sarri and his team obviosly for this game has analysed
very well that the left fullback of Crystal Palace is
positioned too wide, because, they tried to take advantage of
this 4 - 5 times.

50. - The build up of the goal against Crystal Palace. Willian is
staying wide. Kante noticed the gap between the central
defender and the fullback and makes a run between them.
Luiz is aware of his movement and gave him a fantastic
assist.

51. ● Positioning on the midfielders in the third zone
- In the third zone the ofensive two midfielders are never in
the same line. Always one is positioned more deeper than the
other, ussually, lateral between the opposite lines and players
to provide a passing solution on his side. The other comes
more inside and centrally to secure from counter attacks in
case of a mistake during the building up of the game.

53. - Willian comes closer to Azpilicueta in order to move the
opposite fullback out of his position and to create free space
behind his back for Kante to take advantage of it.
● Outpositioning the opposite fullback in play

54. - Outpositioning the opposite fullback in play. In the next two
pictures we can see another outpositioning of the fullback(Pedro
is wide, Azpilicueta inside) and Kante makes a run behind his
back. The central midfielder follows him , he, also was
outpositioned and left a gap in the middle, that, Jorginho take
advantage of it.

56. DEFENSIVE PHASE
- They defend with 4-5-1 zonal defending. The lines are very
compact. After recovering the ball they are ready for fast and
positive transition.

58. - The two lines are positioned very compact in order to avoid
the passes between the lines. Between the lines is 5-12m
space.

59. ●Zonal defending
- After positionig in 4-5-1 everyone defends in his own zone.
Pressing agressivly the player in his own space and the other
players near him secure his left and right side to create a
triangle.

63. ● Pressing
- In the second zone or third Sarri has instaled very interesting
and effective version of pressing. They press when the ball is in
the legs of the central defenders. The one of the offensive
midfielder(depends on which side) press agressivly the central
defender with the ball. The striker covers the other defender and
the two wingers the two opposite fullbacks, but, first they look
to close the pass inside between the lines. When the offensive
midfielder start to press, the rest two midfielders follow him and
mark the two opposite central midfielders. The number 10 will
be marked by one of the central defenders.
Sometimes depends of the situation this kind of pressing can be
modifated. The ofensive midfielder press the central defender.
The striker covers the central midfielder if he has dropped down
between the two defenders. Then the further winger come inside
and mark the other central defender. With this the other ofensive
midfielder comes more centrally and close the number 10.

66. ● The ofensive midfielder pressing the central
defender
- The ofensive midfielder leaves his position to press the
central defender. The central midfielder and winger secure his
back.

68. - Chelsea’s second goal against Brighton. They produce a
situation that can cause mistake. Kovacic is pressing the central
defender with the ball, Willian cover his left side ready to
intercept the inside pass. After intercepting the pass, Willian
plays straight forward to Hazard to take advantage of the
disorganisation of the opponent and they finish the positive
transition with a goal.

69. ● Positioning on crosses
- On crosses the fullback attacks the winger and often have
support from the midfielder or winger. The first central
defender covers the first post, the other defender covers the
central area in front of the goal and the other fullback covers
the second post. Depends of the situation one of the
midfielders stays in front of the defenders to close the spase
for back passes or second balls.

71. - When the central defender leaves his primare position to
cover on the side, then the central midfielder(Fabregas,
Jorjinho) is dropping down to fullfil his position and role.
Automatically the further ofensive midfielder comes on the
position of the central midfielder to defend the space in
front of the central defender.

72. ● Positioning on the defensive line on long balls/
aerial duels
- Everyone goes to jump in his own zone. The others secure his
back , mark the other players in their own zone and expecting
the second ball.

74. SET PIECES(OFFENSIVE)
● Corner kick

75. - Very dangerous team during the set pieces. They have
developed very good and synchronised movements(patterns),
that, allowed them to score a couple of goals. This is the goal
against United.Willian is shooting the corner. Morata and
Kovacic are going to the first post. Alonso from the central area
in front of the goal goes to the second post and creating a free
space for Rudiger. Luiz is making block for Rudiger to arrive
alone in this free space.

76. - The other combination is that the cross goes to the first post.
From the second post Rudiger, Luiz, Giroud(Morata) are going
to the first post. Kovacic and Alonso are already there. Jorjinho
and Kante are positioned out of the box for the second ball.

77. - The second goal against City was from corner. Luiz and
Rudiger are positioned on the second post. From there they
attack the first post. The idea of Sarri sure is that when they
attack the first post from behind, the defenders who cover the
space in front of the first post can’t see them, because they are
coming from behind and they are with the eyes on the ball.

78. -Usually they go with five people in the box. One or two
players(depends of the situation) are positioned out of the box
waiting the second ball. One player(Hazard) is close to the korner
taker in order to take one or two opposite players out of the box
to reduce space in front of the goal. One or two players(depends
of the situation) stays behind.

79. ● Central free kick
- The first combination is very simple and effective. The ball
goes to the corner of the five metar area in front of the goal for
Alonso, who is making overlap to meet the ball there. From
there he can shoot on the goal or give a backpass for his
teammates. The lateral free kicks are normally shooted by
Willian or Hazard.

81. ● Lateral free kick
- Five players in the box, two out of the box waiting for the
second ball. The cross goes direct in the goal. The player with
number 1 makes a block for David Luiz in order to find the ball
alone free of marking.

84. SET PIECES(DEFENSIVE)
● Corner kick
- They defend in zone with all players. Willian on the first post.
Barkly(Kovacic), Alonso and Giroud(Morata) are covering the
space in front of the first post. Rudiger and Luiz are centrally in
front of the goal. Azpiliqueta covers the second post. Jorjinho
and Kante are marking the central space in front of Rudiger and
Luiz. Hazard waiting for second ball.

86. - If the other team plays short combination, the player on the
post(Willian) and the player for the second ball(Hazard) go to
attack the combination.

87. - The problem is when you have only one man for the second
ball, so when he must to prevent the play of the short
combination the central space stayed uncovered. This is very
dangerous, because, this space can be used for combination for
shooting.

88. ● Lateral free kick
- They defend this kind of free kicks in zone with all the players
coming back. Depends of the situation Hazard will stay in the
block or in front of the other players waiting for the second
ball.

90. ● Lateral free kick near the corner
- Like you can from the tactic book that one of the assistent
coaches is holding in his hands. On lateral free kicks near the
corner one man is in the block. One player(Fabregas, Jorjinho)
is positioned between the players and the block in case the kick
is not high. The other players are defending in zone. Five
players in front of the goal in line and two centrally in front of
them, and one forward for second ball.

91. ● Lateral free kick near the corner

92. ● Positioning when the opponent have throw in
- In the third zone they press man on man. Willian marks the
defender near to him and the fullback who takes the throw in.
Morata marks the other defender. Hazard the fullback in his
side. Jorhinho, Kante and Kovacic are covering the opposite
three midfielders. Azpiliqueta marks the winger on his side.

93. - Pedro is positioned between the fullback and the defender
and eliminate the option to the closer defender. Hazard marks
the other defender. Jorginho marks Silva. Kovacic is on
Fernandinho. Kante and Azpiliqueta are covering Sane by
putting him in “sandwich” in order to now allow him ro
receive the ball.

94. - In the second zone, Sarri does one very interesting and clever
thing. Like you can see on the following pictures, he puts the
wingers(Hazard, Willian, Pedro) to mark the opposite
midfielder on their side. He does this in order when they
recover the ball, the wingers to be more near to the opposite
goal for the positive transition. The opposite winger comes
inside and marks the fullback. The striker(Morata, Giroud)
close the option to the closer defender. The ofenesive
midfielder(Kovacic, Barkley, Kante) on the side stays in front
of the opposite winger to create “sandwich” with the
fullback(Alosno, Azpiliqueta) in order to not allow to the
winger to receive the ball. The other two midfielders(Jorginho
and Kovacic(Barkley) or Jorginho and Kante) will cover the
two midfielders left beacuse the winger has already marked
one.