Saturday's nerve-shredding second half against Leicester was psychologically crucial for Chelsea to overcome after two weekends of frustration against Spurs and Leeds.
The win over a struggling Leicester side certainly did not teach us anything new, nor will it fully eradicate broader concerns in the opening three weeks. Still, it did showcase a level of toughness within the squad in the face of adversity that was missing at Elland Road.
To take broader conclusions from a game in which one team is reduced to 10 men within the first 30 minutes is always going to be flawed. But the midfield positioning and roles between Conor Gallagher and Jorginho is interesting to dissect.
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Thomas Tuchel shook things up, moving to a 4-4-2 formation that did at times morph into a 4-3-3, with Mason Mount instinctively dropping into midfield at times, along with others. Curiously, nine of the eleven who started on Saturday also started in Orlando against Arsenal, the last time Tuchel tried this new formation. Marc Cucurella and Ruben Loftus-Cheek replaced the now departed duo of Emerson Palmieri and Timo Werner.
Unfortunately, on both occasions, the midfield balance has looked off and easily bypassed. Gallagher's eventual sending-off was arguably foreshadowed within the first two minutes of the game when Harvey Barnes, the player Gallagher would eventually foul to see red, burst down the left.
Chelsea's 4-4-2 shape in possession meant that Jorginho and Gallagher would usually be playing in a double-six shape, but it would be the Cobham graduate receiving the ball from the back-two of Trevoh Chalobah and Thiago Silva in hopes of progressing the ball.
This is in contrast to the way Chelsea and Tuchel have used Jorginho, known for his progressive passing from deep. The Italian seemed to be the one pressing higher than his younger peer. A bizarre reversal of how you would expect either player to be utilised.
Jorginho, without the passing, offers little in speed and can be isolated when asked to defend large spaces, which was always a problematic area for Tuchel's predecessor Frank Lampard, who would usually see his teams exposed in transition.
Gallagher's second yellow came from a sloppy backpass from Marc Cucurella, deciding to half volley a cleared corner, which allowed Barnes to break. Rushing to rectify the error, Gallagher lunged in, taking down the winger and putting Chelsea down to 10 men for a majority of the game.
Once Chelsea emerged for the second half, Tuchel naturally reacted to the setback, bringing on Cesar Azpilicueta for Mount and making the Blues more defensively compact in a 5-2-2 shape, with Jorginho now accompanied by Loftus-Cheek. Suddenly Jorginho was the deepest midfielder receiving the ball on the turn and soon began to show his best traits.
This role was better for Jorginho as it mirrored more what he has been doing under Tuchel since January of 2021. He has less space to cover with a wingback next to him, an extra defender behind and a fellow central midfielder.
Spraying passes out wide, playing neat one-touch passes in order to help Chelsea bypass Leicester's press, who mistakenly sat off him during the build-up to both of Raheem Sterling's goals that won the game.
The awkward conundrum for Tuchel is trying to evolve this midfield to add more progressive players like Gallagher whilst still maintaining the tactical structure he built his Champions League win upon. It still feels like Tuchel is shoehorning players into roles that do not elevate their best attributes, seeing Gallagher gain more touches in areas he is unlikely to be productive.
The return of Mateo Kovacic from injury is certainly a bonus for Tuchel's trusted 3-4-2-1 shape, given the Croatian's familiarity in the double six with Jorginho and capability to carry the ball from a deeper area and play out of pressure.
Jorginho showcased his old traits when Chelsea's backs were against the wall, likely cementing his continued use under the German in the coming weeks. Gallagher's positioning likely lies further up the pitch.
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