(Image): 433 fails to get Chelsea creating more despite promising heatmap

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the Chelsea News

·9 April 2023

(Image): 433 fails to get Chelsea creating more despite promising heatmap

In his first game back as Chelsea manager, Frank Lampard switched to a 433, dropping a defender for a midfielder to try and get some goals out of this team.

Just going by the heatmap of their positions which you see below, you’d think the game was being played as Lampard wanted. His full backs are high up, Mateo Kovacic and Conor Gallagher are getting ahead of Enzo to press and join the attack, and the front 3 are all central as they look to interchange, with Kai Havertz dropping deep.

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But the reality on the pitch was so different. The ball just wouldn’t stick up top, and there was desperately little creativity or threat from this team.

You can see the average positions in the graphic embedded here: