Chelsea’s 2026/27 season is going to be a very important one for them. After having gone through the tenures of Enzo Maresca, who won the Club World Cup with them, and Liam Rosenior, who failed to have any impact, the Royal Blues now have Xabi Alonso at their helm.
Alonso is a World Cup and Champions League winner as a player and has also won the Bundesliga title unbeaten with Bayer Leverkusen as their manager.
Chelsea’s 2026/27 season should give Alonso a big opportunity to make his mark as a manager at a top club. He is all set to make his team shift from the usual 4-2-3-1 to a 3-4-2-1, if the recent pre-season friendlies are any indication.
Chelsea’s 2026/27 Season: Why a 3-4-2-1 Formation Should Work for Them?
With the signing of Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa, Chelsea now have two players who can play as the No.10: Rogers and Cole Palmer.
Playing either of them as a No.10 in a 4-2-3-1 will force the other to play on either flank. If Palmer plays as the No.10, Rogers will have to play as the left-winger, and if Rogers is the No. 10, Palmer will be the right-winger.
Playing with a 3-4-2-1 formation in Chelsea’s 2026/27 season will take care of that situation, giving both the playmakers an opportunity to play behind Joao Pedro. That will not confine either of them to either flank and thereby restrict his movement.
In addition to that, it will also provide Pedro an opportunity to combine with Rogers and Palmer, thereby making the Chelsea attack one of the most fluid and dynamic ones in the Premier League. Danny Welbeck, Chelsea’s new back-up striker, is also known for his good link-up play.
It will also allow the Royal Blues to play one of their wingers as a wing-back to provide the width in their attack. Chelsea played Pedro Neto as a left wing-back in a recent club friendly. They are probably going to stick to Marco Palestra as their right wing-back, as the Italian has experience of playing as a wing-back.
Playing Palestra as the right wing-back will also allow Reece James to play alongside Moises Caicedo in the central midfield. James has played in that position in the past, and Chelsea will be giving him an extended run in that position if Enzo Fernandez leaves.
The Royal Blues have also signed Maxence Lacroix as a centre-back, who is likely to be partnered by Wesley Fofana and Levi Colwill in the centre of the defence in Chelsea’s 2026/27 season.
Having an additional player in the central areas is likely to make up for the absence of a really world-class centre-back at Chelsea. Thus, the 3-4-2-1 formation should have all bases covered for Chelsea’s 2026/27 season.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Atletico Madrid 2026/27 Season Preview: Can the New Looking Simeone Side Bring Titles to Metropolitano
The Pressure Will Be on Alonso to Deliver
Chelsea are quite infamous for chopping and changing managers, and hence, the pressure will be firmly on Alonso. However, he will know that he has a squad that can realistically compete for a top-four finish in the upcoming season.
It now remains to be seen whether the 3-4-2-1 formation does the trick for the Royal Blues in Chelsea’s 2026/27 season. Chelsea supporters will certainly be hoping for the same.
It will also be on their mind that Antonio Conte won the Premier League title playing with a 3-4-3 in the 2016/17 season.
Leave a Reply