One tactical inversion, and Marc Cucurella’s Chelsea career has turned on its head.
From lightning rod for fan criticism to key fulcrum of Mauricio Pochettino’s preferred formation, the Spain full-back has enjoyed a fruitful fortnight.
Perhaps now the 25-year-old can finally look forward to a flourishing Chelsea future, amid the green shoots of the Blues’ tactical regeneration.
Pochettino has revisited deploying Cucurella as an inverted full-back, with immediate results.
A scrambled point in the 2-2 draw at Aston Villa, and two hefty derby wins at Stamford Bridge later, and already Cucurella appears assured and settled in the role.
Chelsea’s entire system gains impressive extra stability, as the double pivot of Conor Gallagher and Moises Caicedo can sit higher upfield and recycle possession on the inside of either flank.
Now the fans are back to toasting the former Brighton defender through an expletive-laden chant about his hair, rather than berating him as a focus of wider Chelsea frustrations.
What appears a minor tweak from Pochettino however, left the Chelsea boss insisting that such technical touches cannot just be cobbled together, or thrown at players without proper preparation.
On being asked to appraise Cucurella’s two-week turnaround, Pochettino delivered a Confucius-esque response.
Pochettino might not be paralleled with the ancient Chinese philosopher all too often, but his pithy explanation for not employing his latest Chelsea formation sooner carried a reflective air.
Pochettino’s answer to the Cucurella question suggests he is holding several technical aces up his sleeve
“You cannot sit if you don’t have a chair,” said Pochettino, with a bone fide entry into a book of wisdom one-liners. “It’s like an engineer who is going to build a building, who says ‘I want to see so quickly the nice furniture and the flat’.
“First of all, we need to build the structure and everything.
“That is why sometimes we made a mistake when we changed the job of the people, the coaching staff, and also with young players we always say be careful with the way we change.”
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For Cucurella’s recovery, read that of Chelsea as a whole – potentially – too. At least, that is what Pochettino was at pains to point out after the Blues thrashed West Ham 5-0 in west London on Sunday.
Cucurella’s ability in possession, to act as an auxiliary pivot and progress the ball has transformed Chelsea.
West Ham had precious few answers at the weekend, albeit in a performance that had boss David Moyes lamenting a spectacular mental capitulation.
Tottenham fell prey in similar fashion though, as Chelsea swept past Ange Postecoglou’s men 2-0 on Thursday.
Cucurella might have risen to prominence at Getafe before making the Brighton switch that then led to his Chelsea arrival in 2022, but the pacy defender cut his teeth at Barcelona.
And his years honing his footballing ability in the Camp Nou club’s much-vaunted academy systems should leave no one shocked at his comfort in possession, even in tight spaces.
Pochettino’s answer to the Cucurella question also projects further tactical development, with the ex-Spurs and Southampton boss clearly holding several technical aces up his sleeve.
Now it will be up to Chelsea’s board on whether he has the chance to play those system-based cards next season, and add new layers of sophistication to his Blues approach.
