As erstwhile police detective Lester Freamon advises throughout the critically acclaimed American television series The Wire, "All the pieces matter". And in £16 million Brazilian Ramires, it seems Carlo Ancelotti has found another one he believes will play a significant role in helping his Chelsea squad try to retain their Premier League crown.
If some pundits thought the Blues' rush to the title last season showed their squad to be in rude health, then Ancelotti seemingly didn't agree — at least in midfield. The club has operated ruthlessly and efficiently to remodel their midfield ranks this summer — releasing seasoned campaigners Michael Ballack, Joe Cole and Juliano Belletti, while Deco has joined Fluminense, with Ancelotti showing little remorse before introducing the subtley different skillset of Yossi Benayoun and now the 23-year-old Brazilian in replacement.
The question, then, is how these pieces — both new and old — will be utilized next season. With Ancelotti likely to stick predominantly to the 4-3-3 formation that worked so well in the latter stages of last season(with one holding midfielder sitting behind two box-to-box central operators, themselves deeper than the two wingers working behind Drogba), he now has plenty of ways of filling that mould.
A return to the diamond formation the former AC Milan manager has long put his faith in is not impossible, despite memories of its failings when used to start last season — if only to cause opponents some tactical uncertainty. That system, in midfield at least, is not markedly different from the 4-3-3 but does require an adept playmaker to slot in adeptly at the tip to work effectively (something that couldn't be done last year).
If some pundits thought the Blues' rush to the title last season showed their squad to be in rude health, then Ancelotti seemingly didn't agree — at least in midfield. The club has operated ruthlessly and efficiently to remodel their midfield ranks this summer — releasing seasoned campaigners Michael Ballack, Joe Cole and Juliano Belletti, while Deco has joined Fluminense, with Ancelotti showing little remorse before introducing the subtley different skillset of Yossi Benayoun and now the 23-year-old Brazilian in replacement.
The question, then, is how these pieces — both new and old — will be utilized next season. With Ancelotti likely to stick predominantly to the 4-3-3 formation that worked so well in the latter stages of last season(with one holding midfielder sitting behind two box-to-box central operators, themselves deeper than the two wingers working behind Drogba), he now has plenty of ways of filling that mould.
A return to the diamond formation the former AC Milan manager has long put his faith in is not impossible, despite memories of its failings when used to start last season — if only to cause opponents some tactical uncertainty. That system, in midfield at least, is not markedly different from the 4-3-3 but does require an adept playmaker to slot in adeptly at the tip to work effectively (something that couldn't be done last year).
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