Now time to discuss a group of players that all fall under the same category: their position has still not properly been defined.
I'd put Havertz, Mount, RLC and Gallagher into this bracket.
I'd put Havertz, Mount, RLC and Gallagher into this bracket.
All of them have qualities that should make them good players. However, their perceived versatility is becoming an issue both tactically and systemically.
Starting with Gallagher, I would argue his best assets are in the final 3rd. He gets into the box well, is a good finisher and has a range of passing. However, we're consistently playing him about 20 yards back.
Gallagher does tend to be a direct player, but being direct from 30 yards out is much more effective than doing it from 60 yards out. Do I think we could make more use of his ball-carrying ability? Yes. But far too often, he picks a safe pass and attacks break down.
He's hard-working and committed for sure. But he isn't a defensive player and we've already seen those deficiencies in his game.
On Havertz, it baffles me that we consistently play him upfront on his own when his best performances at Leverkusen (and for Germany) have been with a 9 alongside him. Technically he is great but at times, he is liable to get bullied.
He needs to shoot more. Far too often he has opportunities around the box where he picks the safe option and again the attack breaks down. Too often we try and score the perfect goal as a team - another fault.
He also needs to stop drifting wide if he is being played as the central striker as often this leads to promising situations being wasted because no one is in the box. And again, he needs to be more direct too. He rarely uses his pace in foot-races, often ones he could win.
Again, I do have some sympathies because he is already on coach No. 3 and everyone has asked him to play different roles. But the quality is evident in flashes and now it needs to be paired with consistency.
Onto Mason Mount. He is not a wide player. His best work is done in central areas and around the box. He is good at getting into goal-scoring positions, but at times he does try and do too much.
One issue I do have with Mount is the tendency at times he does look for the 'Hollywood' pass or shot when better options are available. Sometimes this is borne of frustration due to lack of forward movement. Other times it is just naΓ―evity. Again a coach should look at this.
One thing that really needs to happen with Mount is a definition of position and role. He's been played on the right, the left and attacking midfield in a 4-2-3-1. Central midfield and as a wide attacker in a 4-3-3. Even wide midfield in a 4-4-2. Versatility is becoming harmful.
For what it is worth, I think he is best as a No. 8 due to his ability to be progressive through the midfield and his shooting skills. However, he does need to work on faster releases of the ball in this system because this can impede the ability to counter-attack.
He also does at times have a tendency to not track back as much and drift about the middle 3rd - again a coach should be ironing these bad traits out. In general, the team don't work hard enough off the ball and that makes us easy to play against.
Finally, RLC. People still have a rose-tinted view about him being a promising youngster. He can't be treated with those kid gloves anymore.
Again, his versatility has been harmful - he has become a jack-of-all-trades, ace-of-none.
Again, his versatility has been harmful - he has become a jack-of-all-trades, ace-of-none.
His best asset is his physicality. He can glide through the pitch, he is hard to stop and is technically excellent. He has all the assets to dominate the middle 3rd.
The biggest two issues are a) consistency and b) end product.
The biggest two issues are a) consistency and b) end product.
RLC can be brilliant for one or two games and then completely anonymous for 4 or 5. At his age, he needs to be performing 90% of the time at a good standard. This combined with a lack of fitness means he never gets a good run in the team.
Secondly, his end product is poor. When he gets into good positions for shooting or passing, he rarely finds the quality required to have a telling impact. This again leads to him taking the easy pass option and once more the attack breaks down! (Seeing a pattern...)
Finally, I can't fault his aptitude at trying, but he is not a wing-back or central defender. He has a good passing range, but he often gets dragged out of position which in then allows opposition teams to double up on the wide CB- Usually Azpilicueta or Chalobah.
Again, fixing one or even all 4 of these player's problems will not solve everything. But it highlights the depth and scale of issues that need to be resolved in the Chelsea squad.
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