Having splashed the cash on Eden Hazard and Oscar over the summer, Chelsea’s attacking midfield options looked mouth-watering going into the new season. The prospect of the pair lining up with Juan Mata behind Fernando Torres suggested a change in the Blues’ playing style but until last weekend the trio of number 10 types had failed to feature together from the start in any competition.

While Hazard has made an instant impact this season, Mata and Oscar have been used tentatively by Roberto Di Matteo after a summer of Olympic activity with Spain and Brazil respectively. As they both start to approach full match-fitness, Di Matteo unleashed the pair alongside Hazard for the visit of Stoke on Saturday. A late Ashley Cole finally broke the stubborn Stoke resistance as the Blues earned a narrow 1-0 win and, post-match, the Chelsea manager admitted the trio will require plenty more game time together in order to build up an understanding:

“It’s the first time we have tried it, it certainly needs more work and practice, to tactically integrate them into our system. I thought today it worked very well, but it will take time for them to know each other better. I want them to have mobility and rotation, they are very intelligent at finding free space, we lacked a bit of width at times so we needed our full backs to provide us with that.”

The average position map from the Stoke game (below left) sums up Di Matteo’s words perfectly. Mata (10), Oscar (11), Hazard (17) and Fernando Torres (9, obscured) were all in virtually identical positions when in possession. Interchanging positions, dropping deep and foraging forward, the three attacking midfielders ensured Chelsea had plenty of possession in the final third of the pitch; the hosts had 281 touches in this crucial area compared to 204 in the previous home match against Newcastle (below right).

Indeed, looking at the Magpies showdown, the player positions were a lot more defined. Mata’s (10) tendency to drift inside when on the ball is in direct opposition to his replacement Ramires (7) in that Gameweek 2 match. With Ryan Bertrand (34) offering natural width on the left, the 4-2-3-1 formation is far more apparent. Di Matteo’s remark on the full-backs is also reflected in both maps – Branislav Ivanovic (2) and Ashley Cole (3) were far more prominent in attack in the Stoke game (left), foraging forward and offering balance on the flanks.

Looking at the stats of the attacking midfield three from Saturday, what’s immediately apparent is that they are almost identical for minutes per touch, with Mata judging edging in with one every minute. Despite his substitute withdrawal just after the hour mark, Hazard’s stats still stand up well in comparison to the other two here – indeed, he received only two less passes in the final third than Mata, despite playing almost half an hour less than the Spaniard. There’s no doubt his display was less than sparkling; he made the fewest dribbles and had the least number of goal attempts against Stoke but Hazard’s creativity saw him provide two goalscoring opportunities for team mates; the same number as Oscar, who managed the full game.

Hazard Gameweek 1-4 v Gameweek 5
Hazard’s Fantasy owners may be a little concerned after his home blank last weekend. The Belgian was our Captain Poll favourite for Gameweek 5 but lasted just 62 minutes before making way for Victor Moses as Di Matteo chose to rest the Belgian after the midweek Champions League match with Juventus. A look at his average positions in the first five Gameweeks (below left), however, show that he was actually further forward when on the ball last weekend than in any match so far. It’s also reflected in the stats – although Hazard averaged 87.8 minutes over his first four matches, he was more involved in Chelsea’s play against the Potters.

He managed 45 touches in the final third on Saturday, bettering his Gameweek 1-4 average of 36, while the Belgian was also on the ball more often – 1.1 minutes per touch to 1.3. Hazard also received 30 passes in the final third against Stoke, well up on his previous average of 21.2. The issue here, though, is that while his overall team involvement improved, his individual stats regressed. A single successful dribble was way down on the 4.5 per game, just three touches in the box versus 5.8, and one shot at goal compared to the average of three – Hazard needs to perhaps rediscover his selfish streak a little more rather than get caught up in intricate passing patterns.

Mata Gameweek 1-4 v Gameweek 5
As the average position map shows (above right), Mata was further forward on Saturday than in any of his previous Gameweeks. His stats are alarmingly better and suggests the Spaniard could well be set for a resurgence in such a system. In his previous matches, Mata played a more withdrawn role, allowing Hazard to wreak havoc but last weekend his role took a significant turn for the better.

In the attacking final third, Mata had 55 touches and received 32 passes against Stoke – his averages across the first four Gameweeks were 23 and 17 respectively. He made double the number of dribbles, found his way into the box more (five touches to three). In terms of creativity, he provided a goalscoring opportunity every 17.8 minutes against the Potters, compared to his previous average of 58.8 minutes and Mata also fired three shots at goal in the Gameweek 5 win – again, a real improvement on his 1.3 average.

It’s an intriguing turn of events that may well bring Mata back onto the Fantasy radar. Both he and Hazard began the Fantasy Premier League season priced at 9.5 but while the Belgian has soared to 10.3, Mata has dropped down to 8.9. The signs are certainly promising – indeed, Mata supplied the assist for Cole’s winner – if Di Matteo gives the trio regular outings together.

Full Backs Gameweek 1-4 v Gameweek 5

Finally, a quick look at the full-back stats. As the average position maps highlight, both Ivanovic (left) and Cole (right) were further forward against Stoke than they managed in any other Gameweek.

The comparison for both players in Gameweek 5 against their Gameweek 1-4 averages clearly indicates how the pair’s potential for attacking points could be further increased. Although both players actually saw less of the ball overall, Ivanovic made 29 touches on the Stoke final third, up on his previous average of 18.2. He also received more passes in this area, by 21 to 12.2, while the right-back produced more crosses and saw more of the ball in the box. The same applies to Cole in all the above categories. More touches (23 to 15) and passes received in the final third (15 to nine), more crosses and touches in the box, with the left-back slotting home the late winner.

It may well be that Di Matteo uses such a system in more straightforward home games as it clearly asks more from the pair from an attacking perspective – such a formation away from home could leave the Blues exposed on the flanks if the pair bomb forward as they did against Stoke. Their contribution will be key to the system, though, and if the Blue can continue the defensive resolve that has already accrued four clean sheets in the first five, Ivanovic and Cole – already first and second in the FPL defender rankings – could well maintain their strong showings as Chelsea continue to evolve.

*The Technical Area is put together using the statistics and maps available in our members area. For access to such data and tools on every player, team and match of the 2012/13 season, and for exclusive members articles like this, click here for details.