The missing ingredient in Chelsea's formula

As Didier Drogba buried the winning penalty in THAT night in Munich, the stage was set for Chelsea to set the world alight. The kings of Europe had gone the extra mile, and with Roberto Di Matteo the captain of the rampaging Blues’ ship, Chelsea were destined for greatness. A revolving door followed in the summer, with the arrivals of exciting Belgian winger Eden Hazard the pick of the bunch of a plethora of new signings. Didier Drogba left, the old guard had its last hurrah; but Chelsea were determined to make this not an end of era; but merely the start of one.

But the signings, the playing style, the new Chelsea has flattered to deceive. The side is struggling to win games and break opposition teams down. In spite of signing the crème-de-la-crème of creative young talent this season, the side cries out for a midfield playmaker.

Now this is the bit where it gets technical. If you take this Chelsea side a decade back, where traditional number 10’s like Zidane and Bergkamp and midfield destroyers like Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane dominated, this Chelsea side would be regarded as excellent with John Obi Mikel the destroyer and Oscar, Mata or Hazard, the magicians of the space behind the striker. But football has grown to be more complex. Winning midfield battles is the key ingredient to winning football matches now; with versatility being the key weapon. Then there arises a need for a “boss” in the midfield – one who can dominate, dictate the pace of the game. Today, the value of the dying breed of Pirlos, Xavis and Alonsos is more valued than ever, and Bastian Schweinsteiger, Luka Modric and Joao Moutinho are poised to replace the holy trinity of registas.

Pirlo-the ultimate Regista of today

Then, the question of Chelsea. In recent matches against QPR, Southampton and Corinthians, a common feature was how Chelsea kept passing the ball back to the defence to build again. Compactness seems to choke the triumvirate of MaZaCar. But when a team aims to be compact, it tends to concede space in front of its midfield.

Ilkay Gundogan served a fine example of how to do it against Leverkusen.

The passer-creator-destroyer model of midfield is the new formula to success; Chelsea have the creators and destroyers, but not the passers. All consistent sides have that element today. Juventus have Pirlo, Real have Modric and Alonso, Barcelona have Xavi, Bayern have Schweinsteiger, Dortmund have Gundogan, United have Carrick, and Arsenal have Arteta. You take that element away and they become broken teams, with 4 to attack and 6 to defend. This was the prime reason for Holland’s failure in Euro 2012, because Nigel De Jong or Mark Van Bommel are hardly brilliant users of the ball, while Sneijder plays almost as second striker. What has happened to Chelsea, City or Milan this season in Europe?

So Chelsea must learn and look at their team. Frank Lampard has been a runner all career long. Ramires is an engine, but not someone as classy as Gerrard or if you see the past, Lothar Matthaus. John Obi Mikel slows down the game and that is why it is better if they play Oriol Romeu, who can destroy as well as pass. But Romeu is sidelined with an injury. Another option is David Luiz, but he remains untested in the role. In his case, only time will tell.

Could he be the man Chelsea need?

The Londoners failed in their earlier pursuits of Joao Moutinho and Luka Modric. As I say, the midfield playmaker or the deep-sitting playmaker is a dying breed – they can’t buy their way out. It’s high time Chelsea sort out their style of play so that the structural flaws in the midfield can be sorted. But that is easier said than done.