Chelsea can rip Tottenham apart if Potter utilizes five undroppables in tactical change
In recent times, Chelsea supporters have been fortunate as most of their managers have managed to defeat Tottenham in fixtures since 2009, with Guus Hiddink being the only exception.
Spurs fans have coined the phrase “Doctor Tottenham will see you now” to describe their team’s tendency to allow struggling teams to regain momentum.
Chelsea hopes to break their poor run of form and toxic atmosphere under Graham Potter with a win against Tottenham on Sunday. Beating Tottenham is particularly satisfying for Chelsea fans, especially in recent years.
As Tottenham improved and became a strong contender for a top four spot, it allowed Chelsea to relish in defeating them in various important matches.
This includes winning titles, defeating them in cup semi-finals and finals, spoiling their first league match at Wembley, and preventing them from lifting the Premier League trophy in 2016. Even during difficult times, Chelsea has managed to pull through and beat Tottenham.
Last season, they defeated Tottenham four times, with three wins under Antonio Conte, and didn’t let in a single goal. Despite this, Tottenham are favored to win the upcoming match. They have surprisingly found themselves in a strong position to secure a top four finish, regardless of challenges from Liverpool and Newcastle.
Chelsea is currently struggling and barely staying afloat. However, their poor form will be forgotten when they face Tottenham Hotspur at the start of the match.
If Graham Potter wants to improve his relationship with Chelsea fans, defeating Tottenham would be a good starting point. Thomas Tuchel’s first away game in charge was a 1-0 victory against Tottenham, the second of three consecutive league wins at that ground.
Potter must use this positive energy and exploit Tottenham’s inferiority complex to gain an advantage. However, this alone may not be enough for Potter, as Chelsea needs to win crucial aspects of the game to secure only their second league win in 2023.
The battle of the boxes
It is important to excel in both offensive and defensive aspects of the game to succeed, even though it may appear straightforward. Chelsea have been struggling to score goals and have been conceding in unusual ways, which is not a recipe for success.
Despite significant improvements in their chance creation, they are yet to translate that into actual goals. To begin turning things around, they need to figure out how to get past Tottenham’s weak defense and backup goalkeeper Fraser Forster.
On the other hand, their defense has been one of the most impressive improvements in recent weeks. After allowing 17 goals in 10 games, they have only conceded three times in their last six games, although they only have one win in that period.
Benoit Badiashile has been performing exceptionally well since his debut and will face his toughest challenge yet in trying to stop Harry Kane. If they can win that battle, Chelsea will be halfway towards success.
Overload the midfield
In a tactical matchup between Chelsea and Spurs, Chelsea already have a good understanding of how Spurs will play.
Their manager, Conte, is likely to stick to his rigid 3-4-3 formation, and in a recent game against West Ham, even fielded seven defensive players. The issue for Spurs is that they have lost two midfielders, Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur.
As a result, either Oliver Skipp or Pape Matar Sarr will need to step up in the double pivot role, and this could be exploited by Chelsea and their manager Potter. Enzo Fernandez has been performing well individually for Chelsea, but he will need his partner to be equally effective.
Chelsea could take advantage of Spurs’ formation by dropping in an extra midfielder to create more space and passing options, or by moving one of their fullbacks inside.
This approach should allow Chelsea to dominate the center of the pitch and create more opportunities. It will also be important for Chelsea to quickly stop Spurs’ counter-attacks by crowding the midfield once again.
Get the shape right
Potter, who is known for his tactical flexibility, might consider matching up with Spurs.
Chelsea has performed their best in a 3-4-3 formation over the past 18 months, and they now have their secret weapons, Reece James and Ben Chilwell, back and fit to play. The failure of previous Chelsea manager Tuchel was partly due to losing these two players.
When James and Chilwell play together, Chelsea has scored 117 goals and conceded just 43, with 38 wins in the 58 matches they’ve played. They not only provide width and attacking options but also have the ability to come inside.
Using James and Chilwell as modern wingbacks could be key to success, supported by Thiago Silva, Benoit Badiashile, and Joao Felix in the free role of the Eden Hazard position.
Noni Madueke and Mykhailo Mudryk are both capable of hugging the touchline, which provides another option for Chelsea.
While they have settled on a 4-2-3-1 formation, it may be surprising to see a change here, but the strength that James and Chilwell bring cannot be underestimated. If Chelsea can get their shape right, they will be in a good position to succeed.
Chelsea can rip Tottenham apart if Potter utilizes five undroppables in tactical change
