Former Chelsea midfielder Gus Poyet has said that in order to get the best out of his attacking players, Thomas Tuchel should consider a switch to a 4-3-3 set-up.
The German has strongly favoured a 3-4-2-1 formation since arriving at Stamford Bridge one year ago, but Poyet insists that the reliance on wing-backs is seeing the qualities of the Blues wingers stifled.
Callum Hudson-Odoi, Hakim Ziyech and particularly Christian Pulisic have all been affected by not being able to play in their preferred wide positions.
After their defeat to Manchester City on Saturday, Tuchel bemoaned the wastefulness of his attacking troop, saying that they need to be more efficient when presented with opportunities in the final third.
"We had eight or nine offensive transitions, but had zero touches in the box," Tuchel told BT Sport.
"That was a big problem today, the performance of our front players - a lack of position, timing and composure."
But Poyet does not believe the blame can be put solely at the door of the players, and that the system in which they are made to play by Tuchel is doing little to help.
Both Pulisic and Ziyech started against City and both came in for plenty of criticism after the final whistle, as did Romelu Lukaku.
"Chelsea is playing in a system where the wingers cause massive problems as they play with two wide wing-backs," Poyet said in an interview with Betting Expert.
"So the wingers like (Christian) Pulisic and (Hakim) Ziyech adapt themselves as wing-backs or they adapt themselves to play a little more in-field, like a second striker.
"This means you're not playing in your best position. This is a problem for him (Pulisic) and (Callum) Hudson-Odoi. For me, Pulisic and Hudson-Odoi are wingers - they can get in diagonal, they can deliver (crosses), can go past 1-v-1 and can get in the box as well.
"We saw this year, play a lot as wing-backs or inside in a three. That is not for everyone. Sometimes people will adapt and get the best of them anyway and some people will suffer and not give you the best.
"Where do you want to see Pulisic most of the time? In the last 30 yards, 1-v-1.
"If you ask me, I would like to see Pulisic wide in a proper 4-3-3. I don't know if it will be at Chelsea because this Chelsea system is different. I think that way he will give you the best of his ability. There are many clubs where he could fit in well."
