Graham Potter's Brighton team were predictably unpredictable when playing against Brentford last season. The 47-year-old was typically flexible across the two games and played with at least two differing systems for the home and away matches.
That's standard Potter and the sort of tinkerman antics that Chelsea will have to get used to. Their team at the weekend Vs Aston Villa was just as fluid. Although the base shape of a 3-4-3 remained, players moving across the pitch made the matchups tilt in the Blues' favour in the end.
With just three days before the trip to the Brentford Community Stadium, not much of an away game though it must be said, Potter has some key decisions to make going into the match with one eye on playing Manchester United on Saturday too.
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This is where the beauty of Potter comes into full swing. Chelsea were able to rest players against Wolves and win 3-0 before beating AC Milan. He took Mason Mount off at half-time and then had him as the difference-maker at Aston Villa. He gave chances to Christian Pulisic, Jorginho, Kalidou Koulibaly, Armando Broja and Conor Gallagher, all playing less than 45 minutes.
That's the benefit of a big squad, but it didn't stop Potter from doing the same on the south coast. Between the two games against Brentford, Potter made four changes to his starting team despite winning the first match 1-0 away from home. He also made a tactical switch from the offset, though that will have been ever-changing throughout the game anyway.
To start with, he played in a 3-4-3 against Thomas Frank's 3-5-2 and almost matched the Bees' system for system. This included three tall centre-backs and Joel Veltman at right-wing back. Contrast that to the home fixture, Brighton played in a more expansive 4-3-1-2 with Marc Cucurella and Tariq Lamptey as attacking fullbacks. Brighton won that match 2-0.
For Chelsea they have already moved between a 3-5-2, 3-4-3, 4-2-2-2 and 4-2-3-1 with their likely elements and periods of games with other formations also used. Depending on the fitness of Thiago Silva and the shape that Potter thinks could be best, there may be a surprise up his sleeve, and that's something that Frank thinks stands out about the manager.
"I'm very impressed with his work in general. What he did at Brighton, adding layers to the team and club every single year, was impressive," he said ahead of the clubs' meeting tomorrow night (October 19th). "I like the way he sees football, and he's very flexible in terms of shape. He is a very nice guy."
"He's got such a talented and gifted squad. We are prepared for the different shapes and players. We know what we do, and then, in the context of our style of play, we focus on their strengths. It's going to be a fantastic game."
Frank himself was on the shortlist of managers that Chelsea were interested in, though Potter was the clear favourite and has done brilliantly at Brentford. He was previously linked with the Brighton job, too, becoming a candidate for the spot vacated by Potter last month before Roberto De Zerbi was appointed. He hasn't managed to beat Potter in five attempts though, losing all five, including three against Swansea. The aggregate score between them is a one-sided 13-3.
That hasn't moved the Danish boss down in Potter's estimation though. He said: "That's the beauty of football, you can never predict. I think Brentford are really good at what they do, and Thomas [Frank] has done a fantastic job there. They use the quality of their players well, have limited resources compared to everybody in the Premier League but they make the most of what they have. That is a credit to Thomas and his staff and the players at Brentford. I am always impressed with the job they do.
"They use Ivan Toney well, but it's not just that. They attack with clarity and defend with aggression and organisation. They are a tough team to play against."
"[I rate him] Very, very [highly]. I've followed his career since I've come back to the UK, and I knew him in Sweden as well. I know him well. I like him as a person, and we have similar thoughts about the game and life in general. I think coaches are judged by how much they get out of the players, how much they organise a team, how the results are in comparison to the expectation of those results, and he does a fantastic job."
The gap between their squads has gotten bigger, but that doesn't make Brentford an easier match for Chelsea, it also won't make Potter any more predictable. Your guess is as good as ours.
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