Sarri planning to change tactics against ManCity
Chelsea manager, Maurizio Sarri thinks the way Pep Guardiola's Manchester City play forces Chelsea to change tactics, leading to Eden Hazard playing in the central striker role in their most recent meeting.
Eden Hazard has expressed his preference for playing as a winger in the past, but Sarri likes to move the Belgian to the centre in games where his team cannot dominate possession as they usually do.
Eden Hazard has expressed his preference for playing as a winger in the past, but Sarri likes to move the Belgian to the centre in games where his team cannot dominate possession as they usually do.
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Photo Credit: Getty Images
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The deeper blue vested team trumped 2-0 at home in December which interestingly had Hazard playing in the ‘false nine’ role and, ahead of Sunday’s trip to the Etihad Stadium, Sarri has hinted at another possible tactical switch against Pep Guardiola’s side.
“At the moment the situation is different. We have another striker [Higuain instead of Morata],” Sarri told reporters at Cobham Training Centre. "We can make another decision. But I don't know; maybe we will play with a 'false nine’. I have to decide.”
"The situation is not like the other match, so I can decide something different or have a 'false nine’. I expect Guardiola's team to want to always be in control of the match, always in possession of the ball and they're able to do it. So, it’s a very difficult match.”
"We are used to having the ball and possession so, on Sunday, it will be very different. Maybe we have to defend lower. [In December] they were able to press us in our half. It wasn't a choice. It was a necessity. So, I think on Sunday it will be the same."
“You know very well that the midfield of Manchester City is one of the best in the world, not only Fernandinho but also Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, David Silva. Technically, they're the best midfield in Europe at the moment, so it will be really very difficult to be in control of the match.”
“At the moment the situation is different. We have another striker [Higuain instead of Morata],” Sarri told reporters at Cobham Training Centre. "We can make another decision. But I don't know; maybe we will play with a 'false nine’. I have to decide.”
"The situation is not like the other match, so I can decide something different or have a 'false nine’. I expect Guardiola's team to want to always be in control of the match, always in possession of the ball and they're able to do it. So, it’s a very difficult match.”
"We are used to having the ball and possession so, on Sunday, it will be very different. Maybe we have to defend lower. [In December] they were able to press us in our half. It wasn't a choice. It was a necessity. So, I think on Sunday it will be the same."
“You know very well that the midfield of Manchester City is one of the best in the world, not only Fernandinho but also Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, David Silva. Technically, they're the best midfield in Europe at the moment, so it will be really very difficult to be in control of the match.”
"We will try to play our football, but if they are able to play their football, of course, you have to stay lower. In the first match, we were lucky to score. Then, especially the first 20, 25 minutes of the second half, they gave us spaces, so it was a little bit easier.”
A particular player will likely be at the centre of attention in person of Jorginho, who will be at the centre of the midfield battle and Guardiola had instructed City to try to sign the Italy international in the summer, only for their rivals to snap him up for £57 million in a double header deal that also brought Sarri in from Napoli.
Jorginho has struggled since arriving in England, being man-marked successfully by a host of sides, which has resulted into his non-effectiveness in most of these said matches, but Sarri thinks that the 27-year-old will get better, as Chelsea begin to become better in his famously dubbed system 'Sarriball'.
"I remember that in Naples it wasn't a big problem if there was a man on Jorginho, so I hope it will be the same here in the future," he added.
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