Will Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel use a back four or back five for the large majority of the upcoming 2022/23 Premier League? That is the golden question currently that not many supporters have the answer to.
Based on pre-season alone, the German has used both systems to experiment in the United States against the likes of Club America, Charlotte FC and Arsenal. Based off those three games alone, the back five seemed to give the Blues the most defensive stability.
This was evidenced by the most recent 4-0 mauling Tuchel's side took at the expense of their Premier League rivals Arsenal. In that affair, the makeshift back four made countless errors, some of which led to the goals themselves and chances that the Gunners spurned on the night.
READ MORE: Denzel Dumfries starts, Reece James moves - Chelsea’s best back five after £130m spending spree
But it wasn't the defence that was just at fault. The midfield three of Conor Gallagher, Mason Mount and Jorginho really didn't do their defensive job properly, so despite this experimentation fail in system change, this may not deter Tuchel come the Everton game in under two weeks time to continue to try and transition to a back four.
In order to do that, the Blues boss will need more defenders and with four more signings forecasted before the September deadline, at least two of those acquisitions could be of the defensive kind.
Jules Kounde was primed to be one of those to be part of the new defence but just like with Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen, the appeal of playing in La Liga drew him to Barcelona with a deal reportedly close.
"The latest in what has to be the most tedious transfer sagas in recent memory is that Kounde has decided to join Barcelona, who are sorting themselves out in order to get an acceptable bid into Sevilla," Chelsea correspondent Adam Newson updated in his most recent football.london Q&A.
"Chelsea have started to move on to different targets and things may move swiftly on Inter Milan's Denzel Dumfries, although he is a wing-back rather than a centre-back and it begs the question as to whether Reece James will be used more regularly in the back three this season."
Consequently, as already mentioned, Dumfries and others like Presnel Kimpembe and Milan Skriniar have come back into the fray. The former of the two look the most likely to sign currently meaning Todd Boehly will have to fork out a combined £94million to sign the defensive pair.
With this in mind, football.london takes a look at the best back four Tuchel could field with all of Dumfries, Kimpembe and Koulibaly added to the squad.
Dumfries wouldn't become an automatic starter. In a back five he could with Reece James capable of playing as a right-centre-back but in a back four, the Three Lions international would be the guaranteed starter in this situation.
New signing Kaldiou Koulibaly would rotate with Thiago Silva. Both players are 30 plus meaning they will need some time out of the firing line during a congested schedule.
Kimpembe would come in at left-centre-back if Chelsea can finalise an agreement with Paris Saint-Germain. If the Ligue 1 defender wasn't to sign, it is understood that one of Josko Gvardiol, Pau Torres or Milan Skriniar could be pursued.
At left-back Ben Chilwell will start, however the identity of his backup may be unknown with Marcos Alonso and Cesar Azpilicueta hoping to seal Barcelona transfers before the transfer window slams shut.
Chelsea's potential best back four next season: Reece James, Kalidou Koulibaly, Presnel Kimpembe, Ben Chilwell.
Substitute options: Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwill, Denzel Dumfries, Thiago Silva, Lewis Hall.
Chelsea fans - what do you make of this back four? Would Denzel Dumfries start in your personal line-ups? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!
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