The beauty of the transfer window is that it opens a period for speculation. According to Nizaar Kinsella of the Evening Standard, Thomas Tuchel has told Raheem Sterling his plans for the upcoming season. What are Tuchel’s plans for Raheem Sterling? Why him? And what does this mean for the other attackers in the squad?
These are questions that Chelsea fans like myself are keen on discovering the answers to. Until the Blues are in action in the Premier League for the first time, it’s a matter of the unknown, but I have a good idea of what the boss could be conjuring up in the preseason.
A formation change is most likely on the cards for Chelsea’s future, as well as a change in personnel. With Romelu Lukaku’s confirmed loan back to Inter Milan, he may just be the first of many to leave. There’s not enough room for attackers at Chelsea, considering their stacked rota, so we can expect some departures. Finally, expect that Tuchel is going in for the big prize.
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The 3-4-3 formation has worked for the Blues since Tuchel’s arrival in 2021. Since the formation switch, Chelsea have won a Champions League, Super Cup, Club World Cup, and made two domestic finals losing out on penalties. Not bad for 18 months worth of work.
The sustainability of this formation is not the greatest. Fans have seen the demise of Antonio Conte’s 3-4-3 masterclass in the 2017/18 season. The system doesn’t allow for much-attacking freedom. There are times when the flow between the attackers calls for excitement, but it could be better. Now that Raheem Sterling is officially a Chelsea player, Tuchel can explore more attacking formations.
According to the Athletic, Tuchel could be looking at a tactical switch judging by his transfer targets. Sterling, in particular, excels off either wing but can also play up front, exploiting his clinical ability in front of goal. A 4-3-3 and 4-2-2-2 were used a few times last season for Chelsea, which unlocked another creative dimension in front of goal. It was particularly encouraging to see Hakim Ziyech thrive effortlessly in these formations.
A four at the back would most likely allow for a more free-flowing attack, with Mason Mount playing in a deeper 8 role with Conor Gallagher as another choice from midfield. Tuchel will need to figure out the best trio to play in front of them. We can only imagine that Sterling will be the main contributor, but the Chelsea boss has struggled to find consistency in his current crop of attackers.
There’s often a switch in personnel in Chelsea’s attack. The strongest three attackers were not clear last season, and it’ll be down to the coach to figure this out and maybe make some tough decisions. Ziyech is linked with a move away to AC Milan, while Callum Hudson-Odoi has admirers across the Premier League and in the Bundesliga. With the introduction of Sterling, it’ll be difficult to keep every single attacker happy with their game time. How will Tuchel manage this?
Finally, it is clear that Chelsea are ready to compete for the Premier League. As fulfilling as it was to win the Champions League, it wasn’t ideal for the Blues to fall off track in their title charge early last season. Sterling is a four-time Premier League champion and knows what it takes to win the ultimate prize in domestic football. Surely he wants to keep that streak going, and Tuchel could have the plan in place to help him achieve that.
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