How Chelsea's defensive switch is getting the best from Hakim Ziyech

 

"How good it was? Yeah I think it was a ten out of ten." It's hard to argue with Hakim Ziyech's assessment of his Chelsea goal in their 2-0 win over Tottenham on Sunday. The Moroccan's strike was of the highest quality as he cut inside onto his favoured left before unleashing an unstoppable effort into the top corner to set the Blues on their way to yet another home win at Spurs expense. 

 

 

Hugo Lloris was left rooted to the spot as Ziyech broke the deadlock in fine fashion. That followed up his goal at Brighton, where the 28-year-old beat Robert Sanchez from distance in their 1-1 draw at the AMEX. After initially struggling in his opening 18 months at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea fans look to be finally seeing the best of Ziyech. 

 

A WhoScored rating of 9.23 is his best in a Premier League match and was enough to earn the player of the week award with Ziyech benefitting most from a change in system under Thomas Tuchel. On the back of the German's appointment this time last year, Tuchel largely favoured a three-man backline with the onus in the wing-backs to provide the width in the setup. 

 

This then meant that two players would be used behind the striker to help pry defences apart. For a creative star like Ziyech, this should have been ideal. The two deeper midfielders would protect the defence, while the wing-backs would stretch opponents, allowing the former Ajax man the chance to utilise a statistically calculated WhoScored strength of 'key passes' to aid the Blues in the final third. 

 

 

However, a number of niggling injuries denied Ziyech the chance to gain a decent run of games and thus the opportunity to forge partnerships with his teammates. In addition, the three-man defence didn't play to his best qualities. Unfortunately for the player, this suited Chelsea and their flying wing-backs, so Tuchel stuck with a system and personnel that delivered Champions League success to Chelsea. 

 

Disaster, though, struck for Chelsea and Tuchel earlier in the season as injuries forced first choice wing-backs Ben Chilwell and Reece James to respective stints on the sidelines. Marcos Alonso is a so-so replacement for the former, but is beginning to show his age, while no player in the Chelsea squad can replicate the attacking threat the latter carries. 

 

Cesar Azpilicueta has been used in the role on occasion this season, nominally to provide greater protection to the defence down the Chelsea right, while Callum Hudson-Odoi and Christian Pulisic, another two players who have been used at right wing-back, struggled with the demands of the role. None have the same impact as James, and his and Chilwell's absence, particularly in a three-man defence, resulted in a dip in form. 

 

Combined with injuries to the likes of Trevoh Chalobah and Andreas Christensen, and Tuchel was forced back to the drawing board to find a system that suited his fit and available players. In recent weeks, perhaps out of necessity, Tuchel has abandoned the three-man defence for a four-man backline with Azpilicueta operating at right-back. 

 

It's in this system that Ziyech has really thrived. Ziyech is a player who plays his best football off the right flank and has the chance to utilise a WhoScored style of play of 'likes to cut inside' - Sunday's 2-0 win over Spurs a case in point - similar to how he did with Ajax. When he operates as one of the two behind the striker in a three-man defence, he doesn't have the space to pick up the ball from the right and then burst infield due to James' attacking influence down this side of the pitch. 

 

However, a move to a four-man defence - be it a 4-2-2-2 or a 4-3-3 - means Ziyech has the chance to drift to the channel and receive possession before working the ball onto his left and either going for goal himself or picking out a teammate. It's no coincidence that four his five best-rated Premier League performances have either come from the right flank or, as was the case against Brighton last week, on the right of the two attacking midfielders in a 4-2-2-2 setup. 

 

Chelsea's struggles of late are well documented with victory over Spurs ending a four-match winless run, which has seen the Blues drop 10 points behind league leaders Manchester City, who have a game in hand over Tuchel's side. Yet the move from a three-man to a four-man defence has been a boost for Ziyech, which, given his recent performances, is clear to see. 

 

Whether fans witness the same setup in the long run remains to be seen, however. James shared an update on his Instagram page showing both he and compatriot Chilwell working in the Chelsea gym as they both seek a return to fitness before too long. Chilwell won't be seen again this season, but James' return would certainly threaten a system that has proven a blessing for Ziyech. 

 

Of course, the player himself will have to adjust his game to suit a style that has delivered premium silverware for Chelsea in the last 12 months and if Ziyech is unable to do so, then that is on him. That being said, his effectiveness in a 4-2-2-2 or a 4-3-3 affords Tuchel greater tactical flexibility, which could prove crucial over the coming months.

How Chelsea's defensive switch is getting the best from Hakim Ziyech