Tactical analysis: Re-energised Chelsea a threat under Conte
Football writer Paul Wilkes takes a look at the tactical questions that Jürgen Klopp must answer when Liverpool take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this evening in his latest preview for Liverpoolfc.com.
Chelsea look a completely different side from the one that struggled throughout last season. There have been few changes in personnel, but the introduction of a new philosophy under manager Antonio Conte has re-energised many of their key figures.
Conte's approach isn't too dissimilar to Jürgen Klopp, with the desire to press the opposition high up the pitch and transition into attack as fast as possible. This has already seen Chelsea create more chances, with an average of 19.8 shots per game in comparison to 13.8 in the 2015-16 campaign.
On the evidence of his management of the Italian national side and Juventus in recent years, most will have expected Conte to opt for a back three at Chelsea. However, his 4-1-4-1 formation is closer to the 4-3-3 he employed at times with the Serie A champions.
In the opening four Premier League matches, 10 out of the 11 have started every game, although an ankle injury to captain John Terry means that David Luiz will likely make his second debut for the club after signing from Paris Saint-Germain on deadline day. The Brazilian's distribution and range of passing will be a boost to the side, despite the negativity regarding his positional discipline and temperament.
Left-back Marcos Alonso may also feature for the Blues, as the manager looks to freshen things up from the game against Swansea City on Sunday. Alonso has been superb for Fiorentina for the last two years and has improved hugely since his time at Sunderland and Bolton Wanderers.
N'Golo Kante has added energy to the central midfield area and he switches regularly with Nemanja Matic between sitting in front of the defence and playing higher up. Matic is much more than just a holding midfielder and his physical attributes make it difficult for opposition sides to play around him when he's in an advanced position.
Oscar is currently keeping Cesc Fabregas out the for side, and his average passes, key passes and tackling have all improved substantially under Conte. Eden Hazard is another that looks revitalised, as Willian and Pedro compete for a place on the opposite flank.
In attack, Diego Costa is once again showing the kind of form that he displayed in his first six months at Stamford Bridge. The intensity has returned to his game, with Conte desiring many of the stylistic similarities that made him such a success with Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid. It's no coincidence that Carlos Tevez enjoyed his best football with Conte at the helm in Turin.