Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is considering switching his team’s formation in a desperate attempt to salvage their season, according to the Evening Standard.
The Blues suffered a crushing 4-2 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers in their latest Premier League clash, mounting more pressure on the Argentine manager.
Chelsea were carved open at will by a rampant Wolves led by the in-form Matheus Cunha, who netted a hat-trick at Stamford Bridge.
The distance between Chelsea’s lines were exasperating. Wolves punched dangerous passes through the porous gaps in Chelsea’s ranks.
It was more of the same from their loss to Liverpool at Anfield, in which the Reds made Pochettino’s team look immature and tactically bankrupt.
Pochettino is now considering a move away from his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation as he looks to shore up the backline.
He is considering a switch to a back three to provide defensive solidity for a team that has conceded 39 goals in 23 matches.
They have conceded four goals in back-to-back games. They also conceded four goals against Manchester City and Newcastle United.
Chelsea are on their way to matching their abysmal 2019/20 record, where they conceded 54 league goals in 38 games under Frank Lampard.
They finished fourth that season, but everything points to a second consecutive mid-table finish for the Blues this term.
A switch to a back three would offer more protection for ageing defender Thiago Silva. Pochettino’s high line has left the 39-year-old with acres and acres of space to defend, which he has struggled with.
Chelsea have excelled with a three-man backline under Antonio Conte and Thomas Tuchel. Most of their defenders have experience playing in this system, and it would offer a more robust defensive structure.
As the pressure mounts on Pochettino to reverse Chelsea’s fortunes, a tactical shift may be the lifeline needed to salvage the season and avoid a consecutive mid-table finish.
