How will Chelsea line-up under Mauricio Pochettino next season?

Chelsea have appointed former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino as their new head coach. Pochettino, 51, will take over from caretaker manager Frank Lampard at the end of the season.

The Argentine has been out of work since being sacked by Paris Saint-Germain in December 2021. Pochettino is expected to bring his trusted backroom staff of Jesus Perez, Toni Jimenez, Miguel D'Agostino and son Sebastiano Pochettino with him to Stamford Bridge.

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From a tactical standpoint, Pochettino's teams typically play a high-pressing, attacking style of football. They build possession from the back and look to create chances through quick, incisive passing and movement.

When out of possession, they press high up the pitch to win the ball back as quickly as possible. Pochettino's teams are known for their work ethic and intensity which is something the current Chelsea squad might struggle with.

Mauricio Pochettino prefers a 4-2-3-1 formation because it is a versatile formation that can be used to play a variety of styles of football, including his preferred style of high-pressing, attacking football.

It also gives him the option to play with two holding midfielders or a more attacking midfield three, and allows him to use his wingers to provide width and create chances, as well as a central attacking midfielder who can link up the play between the midfield and attack.

One of the main appeals of Pochettino. He surely won't have much luck in the transfer window, but with 14 players aged 24 and under Chelsea have more than enough depth of talent for the new manager to sculpt on the training field.

Tactical Report: Mauricio Pochettino (Tottenham/PSG)

- Narrow, Positional System & High Pressing
- Highly efficient transition-attack.
- Halfbacks in build up + system fluidity
- Psychologically/Physically Transforming Players

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A lot has changed in five years, and it is unlikely Pochettino would want to implement the exact dynamics of his Tottenham team at Stamford Bridge. There will be adaptation and invention, just as there was at PSG, where Pochettino had to improvise a reactive 4-3-3 to fit square pegs in round holes.

Overall, the 4-2-3-1 formation is a good fit for Pochettino's tactical style and he has had success with it in the past.

Still, our best guess is that he will broadly try something similar to the last time he built a title-challenging team in England.

The statistical evidence suggests he is a good fit for Chelsea and Chelsea is a good fit for him. But with Boehly as the chairman, well, anything could happen.