Dynamic DMs

Just before the first game of the season Chelsea concluded their second signing of the season, the Brazilian Ramires. 20 million quid may seem like a lot, but for the 23 year old who did such a fantastic job at the World Cup, I think it could well prove to be a real bargain. Here's why...

As was apparent at the World Cup, the favourite formation in world football at the moment is the 4-2-3-1. The reason being its flexibility. By making small changes the formation can take the shape of a 4-4-1-1 or a 4-3-3 or even a 4-5-1. The presence of two holding midfielders provides defensive stability by cutting crosses out and congesting the area in front of the penalty box. At the same time, in attack it means that fullbacks can easily get forward while adequate defensive cover is at hand.

At the same time, these two players can perform the same duties, while being two very different players. If the team choose to play two more traditional holding midfielders (as Brazil did with Silva and Melo) the midfield will be very different to if there was only one holding midfielder and one deep lying playmaker (as Spain did with Busquets and Alonso), or even two disciplined playmakers (Germany with Schweinsteiger and Khedira).

The biggest weakness in this system is the space between the fullbacks and the holding midfielders. Because the wings are further forward, than they would be in a 4-4-2, but the central midfielders are in the same place, there is a potential gap in midfield just in front of the fullbacks.

As a result of this weakness, teams use inside-out strikers (a striker who's stronger foot is his right, but is playing on the left, or visa versa) to get forward and cut inside through this space to either get centrally and score goals or to link up with the center forward in the box. An excellent example of this is Messi or Ronaldo.

The only way to get around this is to have an extremely high work rate off your wings and fullbacks, and to have a similar level of skill when it comes to attacking ability from both of them. An example of where this did not work was in the Community Shield this season. Both Ashley Cole and Flourent Malouda were not match fit, and as a result they were slow to track back. This left space on the left hand side which Rooney and Valencia exploited exceptionally well at different times, Valencia scoring the first while Hernandez scored the second. In these cases the space was used to cross rather than to cut inside and score.

It may seem very difficult to find fullbacks who are as skilled as strikers going forward, but it is not impossible. Inter Milan were extremely strong down the right wing because Maicon is extremely able as an attacking right winger, and he was afforded opportunities to get forward because Eto'o had such a high work rate. When fit, Malouda and Cole do the same thing on the left wing for Chelsea, while Bosingwa and Anelka work well on the right.

But the above problem can be eliminated completely if the correct type of players are used as holding players. Germany played with two central midfielders in front of their back four, and because both were highly disciplined as well as tactically aware they were able to be more dynamic. By that I mean they sat deep most of the time, but drifted to the left and the right as required. When teams tried to push their wings forward, the fullbacks stayed deeper, and the midfielders got forward rather than the fullbacks. That way, the system changed as the game dictated.

This system worked very well for Germany, but is by no means a new idea. Chelsea did something similar by playing Essien and allowing him to get forward, while Mikel was used as more of a sweeper at times. A similar effect was achieved by playing Essien and Ballack in a diamond formation.

But with the loss of Ballack, the club need another Essien to be able to do this effectively. Kaby has been bought at a young age, and is being groomed for this position, but at 16 years old is too young to come into the first team. Ramires on the other hand, provides exactly what is required. Essien Mark II.

The biggest plus with Ramires' arrival is the array of options available. Chelsea now have Essien, Ramires who are more like box to box central midfielders while Mikel is more of a Makalele holding midfielder and Matic who is a Serbian Xabi Alonso. With Kaby coming through, central midfield looks to be very strong and dynamic...