Brighton versus Chelsea promises to be a thrilling encounter as the two teams go head-to-head.
Both of these clubs have seen very different seasons as Chelsea is on course for their worst-ever Premier League campaign whereas Brighton needs just nine points in ten games to reach their highest-ever top-flight points tally.
This will also provide a very interesting tactical battle, as the Blues are on their third manager of the season after hiring club legend Frank Lampard following the sack of former Brighton coach Graham Potter. Whilst there are no guarantees, it is expected that Lampard line up his side in a 4-3-3 formation.
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A Midfield Maul
In Frank Lampard’s first stint as Chelsea manager, he used a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, however, he has used two formations in his second stint, a 4-3-3 at Wolves and a 5-3-2 at Real Madrid - where both games were lost without the Blues scoring a single goal.
Chelsea is expected to go with a 4-3-3 against Brighton due to their lack of quality against Madrid in the UCL during the week. Therefore, Lampard is likely to name a midfield three of N'Golo Kante, Enzo Fernandez and Mateo Kovacic and despite obvious struggles recently, they will have one of the best midfields in the country. As well as this, it is a very balanced midfield which, on paper, should give any team a tough game.
Kante will sit behind Fernandez and Kovacic, looking to mop up any Brighton attacks and despite having little match practice of late, he has still been one of the best in that position over the last few years; providing lots of steel to a very strong Chelsea midfield. The tireless midfielder will be vital for Lampard in stopping Brighton’s game plan as Kante can close down space, very quickly slowing the Seagulls down and stopping their attacks.
Similarly, World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez provides some truly world-class quality in the middle of the park. He will then play as a traditional midfielder, picking up spaces in the midfield and using his tremendous passing range to pick out passes. He will then find some of the forward players who are running in behind.
Since his arrival, he has been integral to the way that Chelsea like to play their football; making 100 touches per game and everything is going through him. As well as this, the Argentine is good at winning the ball back; winning 5.4 duels per game and 3.3 tackles per game, he provides fantastic ball retention abilities.
This allows Chelsea to sustain pressure and wait for gaps to open up, also meaning that players like Pascal Gross, Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister will be pressed more effectively. Ultimately meaning that De Zerbi's side will not be allowed to play the flowing football that gets them out of tight spaces and shut down space stopping them from building out of the back.
Fernandez could also be the key to unlocking Brighton’s defence. Typically, Roberto De Zerbi sends his full-backs high up the pitch which means there are only two or three defenders back. So, if the Argentine picks up the ball whilst Chelsea is defending, he can play a long ball forward to one of the Blues' forwards, setting up an attack.
Another midfielder who can do this is Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic, who will play higher than Fernandez and Kante and look to use his dribbling ability to break the lines of Brighton’s midfield. He is a very effective dribbler and can drive forwards with the ball, taking out some of Brighton’s midfielders; allowing Chelsea to create overloads in midfield and forward areas.
This could be effective against the Seagulls as they often commit their midfielders forward and then are able to bypass players like Caicedo in the midfield creating overloads. Therefore, giving a Chelsea team, which is 13th in the goals per game standings, a better chance of scoring.
Whilst this midfield is good on paper, it could be bypassed on the pitch. The way Brighton plays their football means that they can take out a midfielder one by one. Chelsea's midfield is organised in such a way that means there is no simultaneous press as well as a very disjointed midfield three.
The one-touch football which Brighton plays combined with their tactical set-up means this midfield could really struggle defensively. De Zerbi has his full-backs quite high and inverted; dropping in the front two then effectively creates a midfield of seven all at different levels.
With a front three full of players like Mykhailo Mudryk, Joao Felix, Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz it means the midfield gets very little help from their attack; by playing quick football, they can definitely bypass the midfield and then create more goalscoring opportunities.
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Easy flight for the Seagulls
The toothless nature of Chelsea’s attack will make things even easier for Brighton.
Brighton will most likely dictate possession and build large amounts of pressure which means Chelsea will have to be ruthless when attacking; something they have struggled with this season. They will play with Havertz or Felix in the false 9 position and then use inverted wingers, however, this is how Brighton wants teams to play against them.
Most of Lampard's (and formerly Graham Potter's) attacking struggles has come against teams with a proper striker who can hold up the ball just like Ivan Toney, Harry Kane and Erling Haaland did against them.
This makes teams far more dynamic and means they have someone who can hold up the ball and run in behind and with Joao Felix upfront, Chelsea won’t be able to do that. Their wingers will play centrally but will be isolated against Adam Webster and Joel Veltman with no way of retaining the ball. With Lewis Dunk sweeping up behind them, Chelsea will provide very little threat and make things easy for Brighton’s defenders.
