Tactical Analysis: Chelsea vs. Ajax

The UEFA Champions League has given us some memorable nights in recent memory but few group stage matches have had anywhere near the madness, thrill and all-round quality that was on show when Frank Lampard’s high-flying Chelsea took on Erik Ten Hag’s league leading Ajax at Stamford Bridge. A game that began as usual at 0-0 with 22 men vying for the ball ended with a scarcely believable score line of 4-4, featuring two own goals, two red cards, two penalties, the now customary VAR controversy and with one team down to nine men. It also featured some incredible technique, spectacular offensive play and some truly outstanding goals, as the two sides went at it in what is likely to be the most open match of the 2019/20 Champion’s League season. The game featured expansive attacking play from both sides, and some intriguing tactical match-ups that will be discussed in this analysis.'

Ajax

Erik Ten Hag’s side came into this match having won their matches against Lille and Valencia before losing to Chelsea at the Johan Cruyff arena, but more importantly began their season having lost three of their most important players in Lasse Schone, Frenkie de Jong and skipper Matthijs de Ligt. Viewers could have been forgiven for thinking that the team’s window had expired due to these departures, but Ten Hag has demonstrated his flexibility by tailoring his fluid attacking scheme to suit the likes of Hakim Ziyech, Dusan Tadic and new arrival Quincy Promes as the team’s creative engines.

Joel Veltman has taken De Ligt’s place at centre-back alongside Daley Blind while new arrival Lisandro Martinez has made Schone’s central midfield spot his own. The creative verve of Frenkie de Jong has been replaced by a combination of Donny van de Beek and Hakim Ziyech, with the two operating in tandem to build play from the back.