Frank Lampard’s Headache: What is Chelsea’s best back four? | OneFootball

It’s been fifteen months since Frank Lampard was confirmed as Chelsea manager, and a sense of predictability and consistency around the team remains an issue.

This problem has been two-fold. Firstly, Lampard has experimented and dabbled with various formations – beginning the season with a 4-2-3-1, often opting for a traditional 4-3-3, and occasionally using the Conte-esque 3-4-3 with wing-backs. Furthermore, Lampard’s team selection appears impossible to predict week by week. Much of this inconsistency afflicted the side’s defensive performances last season. Issues arose at the left-back position – Lampard experimenting with both Emerson and Marcos Alonso, as well as Cezar Azpilicueta when Reece James entered at right-back.

In the first third of the season, a midfield pivot of Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic was preferred, including in impressive displays such as the 0-1 win away versus Ajax. However, N’Golo Kante’s sporadic fitness, playing in only 22 Premier League games, saw the midfield reordered and rejigged often, to the detriment of the team’s wider consistency.

Centre-back was also a ‘problem position’ – whilst Chelsea’s form looked solid with a ‘Zoumori’ partnership, the constant rotating of fit-again Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen undermined the side’s defensive consistency. There is also the widely discussed goalkeeper issue at Chelsea, yet another defensive obstacle Lampard will look to hammer out before the season continues.

This summer, Chelsea spent a staggering £222 million on six senior signings. Five of these players started against Sevilla on Tuesday, with Hakim Ziyech entering the fray on the 62nd minute. The vast majority of this outlay [£155 million] was spent on attacking options – including £72 million on 21-year-old Kai Havertz. However, whilst these flashy signings will look to elevate Chelsea’s attacking line to the next level, and compete, or at least close the gap, with Liverpool and Man City, questions remain regarding Chelsea’s shaky defense.

Last season, Chelsea conceded 54 goals in the Premier League, an average of 1.42 a game, and the most in the top 10 [14 more than Sheffield United]. For comparison, Chelsea conceded 15 goals all season in 2005/06.

After a particularly poor showing in the 5-3 defeat to Liverpool in July, with Kepa and Marcos Alonso at fault, Jamie Carragher slammed the side’s defensive performance – “Chelsea will go no further unless they change the goalkeeper. I know they keep buying a lot of attackers but you see how many goals they have conceded, it is an area that, if they want to compete with Liverpool and Manchester City, they will have to rectify in the summer.”

After the acquisitions of Edouard Mendy and Ben Chilwell, both playing 90 minutes versus Sevilla, as well as promising young defender Malang Sarr, how should Lampard set up his back four [five with the keep for the coming season], to reduce the avalanche of goals that were shipped last year?

Goalkeeper: Edouard Mendy

Kepa’s woes in goal for Chelsea are well documented. After a generally positive debut season under Maurizio Sarri, winning the Europa League, although refusing to be subbed off in the Carabao Cup final, his form plummeted under Lampard.

97 goalkeepers who played more than 1,500 minutes last season in Europe’s top five leagues had a better save percentage; Kepa’s 54.6 per cent being the lowest since the metric was first record in 2003/04. He also conceded 19 goals from outside the box since August 2018, the most in the league, and 10 goals from corners in 2019/20, also the highest in the league. Data from Sky Sports revealed Kepa conceded 15.9 more goals than ‘expected’ last season, again the worst in the league.

Chelsea went into the summer window looking to recruit another goalkeeper; entrusting technical director Petr Cech with this task. After weeks of speculation and back-and-forth negotiations, the club confirmed the signing of 28-year-old Edouard Mendy for £22 million from Ligue 1 side Rennes.

In comparing statistics from the 2019/20 season, Mendy already appeared an upgrade – indicative of the extremely low standard set by Kepa. According to data, Mendy conceded 0.79 goals a game, compared to Kepa’s 1.41. Mendy’s save percentage was 78.4%, compared to Kepa’s 54.6 per cent. Furthermore, Mendy stopped 10.2 per cent of crosses compared to Kepa’s 7.2 per cent, representing his aerial power and presence.

Mendy began life in London positively; performing well in the 1-1 Carabao Cup tie versus Tottenham, a save from a powerful Sergio Reguillon shot a personal highlight. His Premier League debut versus Crystal Palace produced a clean sheet – Chelsea’s first in the league since the July game versus Wolves.

However, a thigh strain picked up on international duty for Senegal ruled Mendy out of the Southampton game, and offered Kepa a chance at redemption. Sadly, the Spaniard squandered at the opportunity – with comically panicked decision making for Che Adam’s equaliser, and flapping at Vestegaard’s header in stoppage time to make the game 3-3.

Mendy was reinstated for the Sevilla game, and recorded his second clean sheet in three games. Moving forward, Lampard should look to entrust Mendy with the number one role – lending to his calm and assured performances, and the continuation of Kepa’s poor form and low confidence.

Left-Back: Ben Chilwell

Chelsea had highlighted the left-back position as one in serious need of strengthening ahead of the summer window. It was a position no player was able to fully nail down last season; with Marcos Alonso, Emerson, and Azpilicueta frequently rotated depending on the opposition, availability, and the formation. Chelsea tied up the deal for Chilwell relatively early in the window, completing the signing on 26 August on a five-year-contract in deal worth an initial £45 million.

Chilwell got off to a flying start; scoring a fine goal and assisting another in the 4-0 win versus Crystal Palace. He followed it up with another assist in the Carabao Cup versus Barnsley, and a further assist versus Southampton.

Chilwell’s relationship with Lampard already seems positive: “Talking to Frank before I signed really made up my mind that I wanted to come and play here. He installed a lot of confidence in me, he told me about the system he wants to play, how I’d fit into that and he just seemed a really good guy that you could talk to about anything.”

Only 23, and with a Premier League winners medal, and experience in the Champions League and with England, Chilwell will look to fully make the left-back position his own for the coming years.

Left Centre-Back: Thiago Silva

Thiago Silva became the club’s oldest signing of the summer, and the second oldest in the squad, after joining from Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, initially for one year, with the option of a second.

Despite turning 36 last month, Silva retains the ability to perform consistently at the highest level. The Brazilian played 35 games in all competitions, including nine in the Champions League as PSG reached the final for the first time in their history. This represents his consistency and availability at an older age; crucial for Chelsea given the recurring injuries of both Antonio Rudiger and Fikayo Tomori.

Silva’s more advanced metrics last season also looked impressive, countering any argument the Brazilian is ‘past it’ and not a functional signing.

In comparison with Rudiger, Silva won 68 per cent of his total duels, compared to Rudiger’s 58 per cent. Silva recorded 1.2 interceptions per game, and 1.3 tackles per game, compared to 0.8 and 1.4 for Rudiger. Silva was also dribbled past just 0.1 times a game, compared to 0.5 for Rudiger. Silva is an accomplished passer, completing 95 per cent of his passes per game compared to 90 per cent for Rudiger, representing the option to play out from the back.

As well as any statistical data available, Silva is a natural leader, having captained Brazil at the 2014 World Cup, and PSG since 2013. This organisational and vocal ability will prove important for Chelsea in structuring their defensive setup in set pieces, a real area of concern last season.

Despite an individual error leading to West Brom’s second goal in the 3-3 draw, Thiago Silva looked calm and assured in the 4-0 win versus Crystal Palace. In his absence versus Southampton, Chelsea conceded three goals. Silva returned for Sevilla, and kept another clean sheet. The Brazilian’s experience, leadership, ball-playing skills, positional intelligence and awareness may prove invaluable for Lampard’s defense across the season.

Right Centre-Back: Kurt Zouma

The ideal partner for Thiago Silva is a debate that could include Kurt Zouma, as well as more senior defender Rudiger, Christensen, and younger talent Fikayo Tomori. Kurt Zouma played 43 games in all competitions last season, the most of any centre-back in the squad, 15 more than second placed Christensen.

Zouma’s most iconic moment last season was a last-ditch tackle on Christian Benteke in added time to preserve a 3-2 win versus Crystal Palace, a crucial game in Chelsea’s top four race. Zouma has also managed to translate his aerial power and presence into goal scoring – scoring against Brighton and Palace, after not finding the net at all last season.

Moving into the 2020/21 season, Zouma appears to be entrusted by Lampard as a constant, reliable figure in defense. The club resisted offers from Everton last summer after a successful loan spell, interest which reemerged this summer. However, Zouma remains only 25, having joined as a 19-year-old, and played under Mourinho, Hiddink, Conte, and now Frank. With rumours persisting until deadline day that Rudiger and/or Tomori would be leaving on loan, Lampard clearly trusts the Frenchman in leading the backline for another season.

As per SofaScore, Zouma recorded an aggregate score of 6.97 last season. A look at his advanced metrics paints a promising story of a consistent performer, entrusted by the manager to deliver at a high level. Zouma completed 90 per cent of his passes, including 95 per cent in his own half. He completed 2.1 interceptions per game, the highest in the Chelsea squad, and 0.8 tackles per game. Zouma also won 74 per cent of his aerial duels, lending to his imperious physical presence. Zouma’s game appears to compliment Silva’s – Zouma is more pacey and tenacious, with Silva able to sit back and focus on positional awareness and passing.

Right-Back: Reece James

In a season where youth prospects like Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount were given a chance in the first team, owing to the FIFA-imposed transfer ban, James hit the ground running and broke into the side in impressive fashion.

James played 37 games in all competitions last season, including 24 in the Premier League; showing the trust Lampard has in the 20-year-old at right-back. James was included in a number of important games, including both legs of the Champions League round of 16 versus Bayern Munich, 11 of the last 13 games of the season, and the FA Cup semi-final and final. He also scored an iconic goal in the 4-4 draw versus Ajax, equalising the tie after Chelsea went 4-1 down.

Similarly to Chilwell, and Zouma, Reece started the season very well. He scored a beautiful long-range effort versus Brighton to put Chelsea 2-1 up in the 3-1 win. Lampard was impressed: “Reece has got that in him, he is a player of such quality. You try and get him in areas where he can be a threat.”

James is arguably Chelsea’s finest right-back since Branislav Ivanovic left in 2016, filling a position that has been frequented but unfulfilled by Azpilicueta, Victor Moses and Davide Zappacosta since. James’ admirers also include England manager Gareth Southgate. Despite having a plethora of talent at right-back, James was included in the England senior squad for the first time in October. James looked superb in the 0-1 defeat versus Denmark, albeit collecting a red card in stoppage time for dissent.

With fan favourite Azpilicueta now 31 and in the process of being phased out, James has the opportunity to pin down the right-back position for the next ten years. A full-back pairing of Chilwell and James is an exciting prospect for any Chelsea fan.

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