Chelsea's 3-4-3 Formation: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

The 3-4-3 formation is no stranger to the Premier League with Roberto Martinez experimenting with the formation with Wigan Athletic in 201...

The 3-4-3 formation is no stranger to the Premier League with Roberto Martinez experimenting with the formation with Wigan Athletic in 2013. 

The Spaniard used the formation to halt a losing run with the Lactics using Jean Beausejour to devastating effects but lack of other personnel meant he could not be as successful as the formation should allow him to.

Chelsea are on a five game winning streak conceding none in the process and scoring goals for fun. 

Chelsea's Stat Since Switching To 3-4-3 Via Bleacher Report.

The Blue's 3-4-3 formation with Antonio Conte is a beauty and one with protection. In Serie A, the Italian employed the 3-5-2 formation, which compared to the present 3-4-3 formation, is limited to two wingers but here the man is using four.

For those who are not familiar with the shape and ideology of the formation, the 3-4-3 formation is an ultra-offensive formation as it allows the team to use three forwards. 

Pedro, at his best, is one of the best wide forwards, Eden Hazard a natural inside-forward, and when you put a dangerous Diego Costa to spearhead the attack, little wonder the Blues are scoring for fun.

With Numerous Assisting Options, Costa's Chances To Hit The Back Of The Net Has Increased

The brunt of the formation is in the midfield. No other formation describes the midfield being the engine of the team as the 3-4-3. The Chelsea manager has set up his midfield with wing backs not short of creativity and fitness. 

But it would be in the engine of engine that would matter. Matic and Kante's presence in the lineup are not for the offensive ends but for the defensive covers, rarely do you see them surging forward in box-to-box duties. 

With Hazard who drifts naturally in-field and Moses creating numerous chances on the flanks, it explains why other creative midfielders are rarely getting into the side, if for anything against a team great on the counter they would be liabilities.

Hazard Has Found Impeccable Form In This Formation

No goals conceded with a formation whose main flaw is playing with a back three is testament to the work shift the midfielders including Pedro and Hazard get to put in.

But the formation is not without challenges.And yes, Conte has limited his weaknesses.

The Italian is playing to the weakness of team's inability to hold possession or  the lack of ball-holding midfielders in the league. Remember, the 3-4-3 formation is an ultra-offensive one. 

The purpose of the formation is defeated when you are on the defensive end and as to such, it is to this reason that Chelsea players press oppositions like the Premier League title juice was within them. Simply put, "why give you what would kill us?"

Chelsea Side Are More Interested In Pressing The Ball This Season

A 4-4-2 or 4-4-3 formation is enough for a top European side to punish Chelsea. Now I'm not saying the Blues would breeze to the league title, I'm saying English clubs are the slowest in reacting to tactical changes. 

On the defensive end, Conte has rarely seen his middlemen drop to make a back four against teams this season, something which is the norm for the formation. It explains how impotent attacks from other teams in the past five games have been.

Victor Moses Has Come In From The Cold At Chelsea & Is Now A Perfect Fit For Conte's System

Chelsea's greatest weakness however would be in itself. The team lacks enough like-for-like replacements and while exclusion for European football has aided refreshing legs, a November-December period is a telling one that would see if the Blues can pull through.

The renaissance of the back three still remains a beauty and utilized properly by a tactician in Conte, one which teams have tried to copy and look to copy. At finesse, the formation is devastating and at anything short of that, a pack of cards waiting to fall.