Perhaps the biggest tactical change at Chelsea since the arrival of Enzo Maresca is the usage of their full-backs, tweaking their positions in possession to platform the rest of the playing personnel.
The likes of Malo Gusto and Marc Cucurella have been key to this, occasionally inverting into midfield alongside Moises Caicedo or sometimes providing width allowing the winger to drift infield, and even occupying the half-spaces as temporary “number tens” at times.
In order to carry out this variety of roles, the wide defenders must have a complete blend of attacking and defensive qualities, being technically gifted enough to occupy midfield zones, whilst having the recovery pace and athleticism to counter-press and retreat into their natural position when possession is lost.
How Marc Cucurella has performed under Enzo Maresca
Cucurella has proven to be a favourite of Maresca since taking over at Chelsea, already making 20 appearances so far this season in all competitions, scoring two goals, providing two assists, contributing to three clean sheets and totalling 1,629 minutes played.
Maresca himself has even labelled Cucurella as “very important” in an interview this season, stating “Marc Cucurella has something you sometimes struggle to find in other players”. At 26-years-old, the Spaniard is also one of the Blues more experienced players, which has seen him acting as more of a leader on the pitch.
The Spaniard has shown the intensity needed to back up the press in midfield areas, tracking players in a man-to-man fashion, being aggressive and tenacious in the duel, but then being calm on the ball to circulate play, and be a useful tactical tool for Maresca to plot in different positions on the pitch.
That being said, technical quality is only rising in the Premier League year-on-year, and this also applies to the full-back areas, which are becoming increasingly important to modern-day football tactics. Chelsea could well look into the transfer market for another technically gifted option to compete with and challenge Cucurella.
A dream replacement for Marc Cucurella at Chelsea
According to reports from CaughtOffside, Chelsea are one of the teams keeping an eye on Bournemouth defender, Milos Kerkez, with other interest coming from Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham.
The reports suggest Bournemouth want £50m to let the 21-year-old leave, which is to be expected with the Cherries performing so well this season and Kerkez being such an important factor in that. Bournemouth will also be hoping, with the amount of interest in the Hungary international, that they can spark a bidding war between clubs.
Kerkez has made 19 appearances (all in the Premier League) this season, scoring one goal, providing two assists, contributing to four clean sheets and totalling 1,641 minutes played.
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How Kerkez compares to Cucurella
Both Kerkez and Cucurella have been playing in very different roles and systems this year, with the former playing under Andoni Iraola at Bournemouth, who has taken the league by storm with his high pressing and direct style of play. Kerkez is often tasked with overlapping and underlapping runs to support the wingers, finding himself in brilliant crossing positions, and often providing assists from these zones.
In comparison, Cucurella has been somewhat of a chess piece for Maresca, being moved accordingly to suit the needs of others on the pitch. For example, holding width when João Félix plays on the left and drifts inside, but playing as more of a number 8/10 in the pocket when Pedro Neto or Jadon Sancho are on the left, who tend to stay and hold the width looking for 1v1 isolations.
Goals + Assists
0.16
0.14
Progressive Carries
2.53
1.29
Progressive Passes
4.67
3.76
Progressive Passes Received
5.00
3.82
Shots Total
0.68
0.48
Key Passes
1.04
0.53
Passes into Pen Area
1.10
0.35
Shot-Creating Actions
2.42
1.76
Tackles
1.37
1.76
Blocks
1.41
0.88
Interceptions
1.05
0.72
When comparing the two in their underlying numbers this campaign, the Hungarian clearly ranks ahead in many areas, providing more progressive actions per 90 (both carries and passes), making more key passes, more passes into the penalty area, and averaging more shot-creating actions per 90.
That being said, the former Brighton ace does have slightly better defensive numbers, winning more tackles and making more blocks per 90. But this isn’t a weakness for the Chelsea target. In fact, he still makes more interceptions than Cucurella per 90, and has more ball recoveries per 90 (4.62 compared to 4.06), showing his tenacity to recover the ball in a high-pressing side.
Kerkez has been described as “one of the most talented left-backs in world football” by scout Jacek Kulig, after getting two assists against Manchester City, and scoring against Wolves in quick succession. The addition of someone like the Cherries defender, who is more natural at attacking wide spaces and providing width than Cucurella, could actually get the best out of one of Chelsea’s 2024 summer signings.
A Jadon Sancho and Kerkez dynamic
Sancho often finds himself isolated in wide areas, and despite being a tricky winger who wants to initiate 1v1 isolations with opposition fullbacks, he does not necessarily have the pace to beat them without support and is far more effective when he is given players to bounce off of and combine with.
Kerkez’s desire to attack the byline, make overlapping and underlapping runs and deliver crosses into the box, would make Sancho more unpredictable in his game, being able to vary his actions with combinations with the full-back, but also combinations inside with the strikers and attacking midfielders, as the wide defender drags a man away with him.
This is something Cucurella has tried to provide for Sancho in Maresca’s attacking system, but his lack of confidence to beat a player in a wide area and put a cross into the box himself has often seen Chelsea stunted in those wide left areas, and recycle play to go again.
Kerkez could offer a new dynamic for Maresca to experiment with, and having both him and Cucurella would open up the tactical realms of possibility even further for the Italian coach.
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