Formations, Lineups, Tactics And Gameplay: How Chelsea Would Play Under Interim Manager Guus Hiddink? (Part II)

Simple changes in Training and Player Responsibilities

Read the first part of the article here

Once he has the morale issue under control, Hiddink will set about making subtle adjustments rather than radical, wholesale changes to the set-up he discovers on the training field. In 2009, he sought to limit the responsibilities of key individuals such as Drogba and Lampard given how — as he saw it — they wasted their efforts by attempting to take on tasks unsuited to their strengths. As Kuper recounts in his book, he instructed Drogba to stay high and lead the line rather than drop deep in search for the ball. Lampard was told not to do so much and save his energy for getting forward and scoring goals — a bit of advice that the box-to-box workaholic may have ultimately overlooked, but a sound observation all the same.

Diego Costa is a striker in miserable form with outbursts and body language to match, but also a player with an interesting positional history. At Atletico Madrid, he played as more of a second striker behind Radamel Falcao and today is part-poacher, part-deeper-lying prober. While the vast majority of his goals may come in the box, he likes to involve himself in the build-up too. With the Spaniard and his team mates struggling, however, Hiddink may seek to simplify the problem.

Falcao himself may be given another chance — his third at this rate — to prove his worth in English football, to offer a more straightforward option up front and perhaps even with an attempt to reunite him with his former strike partner in a front two. Costa could even play as Anelka did in 2009 under Hiddink, out wide to come inside and support the main striker. Loic Remy would be another, simpler option up front, but both he and Falcao need more than just a chance to prove themselves to come good.

Eden Hazard, meanwhile, without doubt the best footballer on the books at Chelsea at present, regardless of the questions hanging over his attitude and role in Mourinho’s dismissal, should find himself freed from the more rigid demands of Hiddink’s predecessor. Why demand one of the world’s greatest dribblers to track back so much, or worry about anything besides beating his man and wrecking the opposition’s defence?

Onto Chelsea’s full-back conundrum — remove the complexity and politics and a solution seems clear. Play Cesar Azpilicueta in his natural right-back spot and give Baba Rahman the run he deserves to prove himself over the error-laden Branislav Ivanovic. This kind of clarity will be key for the Blues to turn their season around, not as defending champions but to win back a little dignity and perhaps even some surprise progress into the latter stages of the Champions League.

Ultimately, Hiddink’s approach will be to stream-line the demands of his players, cancel out the negativity with positive encouragement and ironing out the complexities of Mourinho’s conflicts and their fallout.