Chukwueze Vs Ziyech: Who fits Thomas Tuchel's 3-4-2-1 formation better?

As a football tactician, Thomas Tuchel is one of the most adaptable and versatile managers in the game today.

Due to his remarkable accomplishments during his brief tenure at the club, he is presently held in high regard at Stamford Bridge.

Since his arrival at the club, the German has won both the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Super Cup. Thomas Tuchel has created an extremely adaptable 3-4-2-1 tactical set-up which has been key to his enormous success.

The basics of Thomas Tuchel's set-up is the traditional 3-5-2 which has been frequently employed by managers like Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri.

Although the 3-5-2 is a traditionally defensive-minded formation, Tuchel has successfully tweaked it into an attacking one.

When attacking, Tuchel's 3-4-2-1 set-up metamorphoses into a 2-2-4-2 shape with the left-sided defender joining up with either Jorginho or Kovacic as the conduit for passes interchange at the base of midfield.

While Tuchel's 3-4-2-1 is not as aesthetically pleasing to the eye as the 4-3-3 utilised by Guardiola and Klopp, it is also heavily reliant on creative wingers who are beasts in isolation situations against full-backs.

The set-up aims at creating an overload on one side of the pitch to lure the opposition in before the ball is switched quickly to the other side to create isolations.

This is how Pep, Klopp and Arteta utilize Mahrez, Salah and Saka. It is quite obvious that the aforementioned players are left-footed wingers but who fits this position for Tuchel's tactics better between Hakim Ziyech and Nigeria's Samuel Chukwueze?

To play in this position a winger must possess considerable pace, he must be able to create in isolation, dribble in as an interior and out as an exterior, whilst also being intelligent in his off-the-ball movement. Ziyech is not this kind of player.

The Moroccan is a high octane crosser and he is one of the best in his field. In regards to crossing, Ziyech is on the level of Trent Alexander-Arnold.

However, he is average at creating in isolation, he doesn't dribble in and out effectively, he is not very pacy and his off-the-ball movement is easily readable by opponents.

On the other hand, Chukwueze fits the bill perfectly. The Nigerian is insanely quick over long distances, can create in isolation and his movement is great.

He dribbles in and out very well although there is still room for improvement in his interior dribbling.

He will no doubt need to add a decisive final ball and finishing to his game but at 23 years old, there is time to master it.

While Ziyech is no doubt a great player, Chukwueze fits the bill perfectly for Chelsea.

The Villarreal winger will be a devastating weapon to have either in the starting line-up or from the bench for Thomas Tuchel.

With his qualities, Chukwueze is almost an unfloppable player in a modern set-up.

Sofoluwe Mayowa

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