Enzo Maresca has become Chelsea’s fourth permanent manager in the two years of the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital ownership.
The 44-year-old completed his switch from Leicester on Monday and will start work officially with the Blues on July 1. Here, Standard Sport looks at how the latest man in the Stamford Bridge hot seat could set up his new Chelsea charges.
Maresca prefers two main shapes, the 4-3-3 and the 4-2-3 1, but crucially both become a version of 3-2-5 when in attack.
Both set-ups therefore require flexibility from a number of players. These projections have been based entirely on current Chelsea players expected to be at Stamford Bridge next season, with no potential signings considered.
4-3-3
Sanchez; James, Fofana, Colwill, Chilwell; Lavia, Caicedo, Fernandez; Palmer, Nkunku, Jackson
Off the ball this line-up allows solid coverage across the width of the field, notably in a hard-working midfield trio.
On the ball, the set-up will shift to the 3-2-5, with either full-back inverting to the base of midfield alongside Romeo Lavia, in this line-up. That variation would allow Moises Caicedo and, particularly, Enzo Fernandez, to set camp further upfield.
This creates twin No 8s, and in full effect would allow Chelsea to recycle the ball higher up the pitch and squeeze opponents.
4-2-3-1
Sanchez; James, Fofana, Colwill, Chilwell; Fernandez, Caicedo; Madueke, Nkunku, Palmer; Jackson
A variety on the same theme, but with perhaps a more attacking base structure.
The addition of one more attacking option creates a quartet at the top of the field. In this scenario one full-back will push high to add width, with the other still looking to invert.
Again this can become the 3-2-5 in attack, with Fernandez once more the main option to step forward from his deep-lying midfield role and seek space from which to deliver killer through balls.
