This weekend in the Premier League, Eden Hazard was the star as Chelsea dominated Manchester United, Liverpool impressed without Daniel Sturridge in the starting XI and Tottenham were held to a draw against Bournemouth. In our weekly roundtable, FanSided’s soccer staff share their reactions.
Hazard enjoying life in Conte’s 3-4-3
James Dudko, @JamesDudko
Have you noticed a certain spring in Eden Hazard’s step lately? Well, if you’ve been watching Chelsea recently you can’t have missed it. Unlike Manchester United, who missed Hazard all game as the Belgian pulled them apart to inspire a 4-0 win for the Blues against former commander-in-conspiracy rhetoric Jose Mourinho.
Hazard scored and danced a merry tune United couldn’t follow in his best display for some time. In reality, Hazard’s masterclass against Mourinho’s Red Devils was merely the continuation of a particularly purple patch of form coinciding with new boss Antonio Conte switching Chelsea’s formation to a 3-4-3. The structural switch has liberated arguably the most mercurial player in England’s top flight.
Thanks to Conte rekindling his love affair with three at the back, Hazard has been given the freedom to conjure magic and forget about those pesky defensive chores. The final third is now the exclusive domain of the twinkled-toed king of the Bridge.
Conte has afforded Hazard more freedom of expression because his 3-4-3 formation creates partnerships around the No. 10 to underpin his desire to create new highlights every week. Those partnerships begin out wide where the outside center-backs in the back three double up with wing-backs to provide full cover on the flanks. The central defenders are amply supported by the work rate and raiding runs of Victor Moses (yes, Victor Moses) and Marcos Alonso.
So many bodies and so much energy out wide means Hazard doesn’t have to track back along the wings defensively. He’s also granted greater license to drift off the flank into central areas without undermining Chelsea’s shape. Neither of those things would be possible if Hazard was playing wide in a 4-3-3.
Speaking of a shape, it’s hard to get around Chelsea’s three-man block in the middle. Actually, it’s more of a two-man wall with dual holding players N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic holding down the fort while Hazard roams free ahead. Put the middle center-back, David Luiz against United, behind these twin agents of destruction, and the Blues are very tough to break down the middle.
There also isn’t much defending for the front players to do when Chelsea are this solid both centrally and out wide.
So Hazard is unburdened by responsibility. Well, that’s not strictly true. The onus is still on the gifted Belgian to turn games in an instant and be a match-winner. In this sense, Hazard is proving awfully responsible. He’s scored in each of Chelsea’s last two matches, as well as being the standout performer during a three-game winning streak.
In a culture where flair players are often viewed with suspicion, Hazard is what’s known sneeringly as a “luxury player.” But the biggest and richest clubs can afford a luxury. Yet indulging one demands a manager smart enough to protect his stylish artisan from the ugly side of the game.
Conte and his 3-4-3 are doing the heavy lifting for Hazard. He’s just doing what he can do, deciding matches with impish inspiration.
Sturridge the odd man out in Klopp’s best XI
Dan Voicescu, @fiveboroball
Jurgen Klopp lined up his men in his usual 4-3-3 formation against West Brom on Saturday, favoring Adam Lallana in the starting XI and playing Roberto Firmino at center forward ahead of partly out of form, somewhat injured Daniel Sturridge. The move seemed to have paid off right away, as Firmino’s more combinative style and ability to take defenders on complimented Liverpool’s direct approach by unlocking the West Brom defensive setup, which often featured six men across the back line.
Tony Pulis’s defensive-destructive game plan was just about rendered irrelevant once Liverpool went up in the 21st minute. It was Firmino’s beautiful ball over West Brom left back Allan Nyom that resulted in Liverpool breaking the deadlock, as the Brazilian’s perfectly weighted left footed cross across the box was met by Sadio Mane, who finished clinically into the far corner.
The goal was an example of quick progression play from the back, as every one of the six midfielders and forwards played a part in the goal. From Lallana winning the ball in the Liverpool third to Philippe Coutinho’s masterful dummy, to Emre Can springing Firmino on the wing, the ten-second sequence was a thing of postmodern, post-tiki-taka beauty.
Lallana is proving to be the key element Klopp’s system really needs; high work rate, covers a ton of ground, is able to drop back and link up play from the back line to the forward line, and has the ability to create chances on his own. It was Lallana who won the ball in Liverpool’s own third and sprung the counterattack leading to the first goal.
After the deadlock was broken, West Brom started committing more men forward, part of a tepid attempt to search for an equalizer. The Baggies 4-5-1 formation is not exactly well suited to having to chase the game.
Their lone striker, Salomon Rondon, was often left isolated and without adequate support, ahead of a midfield line more concerned with breaking up the opponent’s build-up play than taking the initiative to possess the ball and build up the attack.
West Brom didn’t exactly respond well after falling behind and 15 minutes after the opening goal they managed to gift the ball away in their own third of the field. Mane picked up the loose ball and found Coutinho, who doubled Liverpool’s lead after a beautiful cut inside from the left, which left Gareth McAuley and Craig Dawson on the ground, and a powerful shot to the near corner.
After the break West Brom started pressing the ball higher up the pitch, which did little in terms of creating opportunities, but it did open up more space for the Liverpool’s three-man forward line to run in behind the midfield.
Things were looking quite comfortable for the home side until the 80th minute, when a succession of poorly defended set plays made for a very nervy last 10 minutes for the Kop faithful. A long throw in to the 6 yard box, immediately followed by a corner resulted in West Brom’s lone goal. The Liverpool defense failed to clear either one of these successive set plays, and in the end McAuley found himself unmarked in the box and smashed the ball into the net from 7 yards out. This was the one and only shot on goal for West Brom the entire game.
Despite winning by the tightest of margins, Liverpool controlled the game, owning a definitive 67 percent of possession and having seven shots on target to West Brom’s one.
Given the lack of a clear favorite out of the gate, away wins at title rivals Chelsea and Arsenal have positioned Klopp’s squad very well in the title race at the quarter way mark. The fact that they are not competing in Europe this season is a major advantage in the race for the title. See last year’s champions, who also had the luxury of focusing solely on their weekly Premier league match.
Liverpool are not a deep squad, so having to compete only on the domestic front plays well into Klopp’s hand. While we’re on the subject of roster depth, it will be quite interesting to see how Sturridge will be worked back into the lineup. At this juncture, it’s easy to see how Lallana and Firmino may just be a better fits in Klopp’s system. They both check more boxes and offer more versatility than Sturridge, who might need to evolve his game beyond that of a traditional target striker in order to regain regular first team soccer for Klopp’s Liverpool.
Tottenham’s pragmatism is the stuff of title challengers
Peter Johnstone, @9PniJ2
Spurs’ title challenge collapsed late on last season, but it seems they may have learned something important from last year’s surprise champions: not losing is the best way to win. After nine games, Tottenham remain undefeated and only a point off first place.
Watching Spurs’ performance against Bournemouth on Saturday I have to think not losing is taking priority over winning for Mauricio Pochettino’s side.
Admittedly they were in a difficult spot. Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth are a more mature team than they were in this fixture last year, when a Harry Kane hat-trick helped Tottenham to a 5-1 victory at the Vitality Stadium. Add Tottenham’s midweek exertions against Bayer Leverkusen and you have a difficult game for the London club.
When Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City visited White Hart Lane, they were met with a high press and given no time on the ball. It’s a tactic that’s becoming more and more popular in the Premier League and Howe used it brilliantly in the first half against Tottenham.
A combination of Joshua King, Callum Wilson and Jordan Ibe made sure Spurs’ defense had no time on the ball. This pressure led to errors from Tottenham and a lack of attacking options for Pochettino’s side. Fortunately for the Argentine manager, he has one of the best shot stoppers in the league. Bournemouth did not create a great deal of clear cut chances but Charlie Daniels’ attempt was only denied by a phenomenal save from France’s number one, Hugo Lloris.
Pochettino’s team rode the pressure from Bournemouth and created a few chances for themselves. Erik Lamela was a tad unfortunate not to see his right-footed strike find the top corner of Artur Boruc’s goal as it crashed off the outside of the crossbar.
As Bournemouth tired, Spurs took hold of the game, but despite their pressure, Pochettino’s side couldn’t put the ball in the back of the net. It’s clear they’re missing Harry Kane. Son Heung-min and Dele Alli are wonderful players, but they couldn’t connect effectively against Bournemouth.
Let’s focus on the most important thing, though. Spurs didn’t lose, again, and they’ve only conceded four goals this season after nine matches. That’s the form of a team who can realistically win the Premier League.
Perhaps most impressively they did all this without their star center-back. Toby Alderweireld, who is out injured. Eric Dier filled in admirably in what I think is his best position; he seems wasted in defensive midfield due to his natural physical nature. Jan Vertonghen was sublime as well, making important blocks and dealing well with the pressure from Bournemouth’s fast-paced attack.
This is the kind of draw that early on in the season doesn’t seem great, but if you’re challenging for the title you look back on this sort of result and understand its importance. If Spurs can keep not losing then they’ll continue to challenge for the title. At White Hart Lane they are much more effective and once Kane is back in the starting lineup they’ll carry a much greater attacking threat away from home.
Overall, it seems Tottenham are on course for an even better season that last year. With the other challengers all dealing with (relatively) new managers or, in Arsenal’s case, being Arsenal, Spurs may be able to sneak in as the dark horse.