Michael Ballack Happy With Chelsea's Diamond Formation

Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack has offered his backing to the diamond formation installed at the club under newly appointed boss Carlo Ancelotti.

The Blues utilised the system in their Premier League opener against Hull City on Saturday and struggled to a 2-1 victory. The new-look formation abandons the use of wingers, using four central midfielders in a diamond shape behind two advanced strikers.

Germany captain Ballack was replaced by John Obi Mikel at half-time against Hull, but despite a less than convincing start, the former Bayern Munich star is confident that the diamond system can work.

"Everybody is a little bit expectant about what we can achieve this year," Ballack told The Press Association.

"We have a new manager and we play a new system. We played it under Jose Mourinho when I arrived, and it feels different not to play with wingers and to play with two strikers.

"So tactically things will be different for us, but it depends how you implement it, by which I mean you can play any system with good players and they have to show their ability."

The 32-year-old went on to play down the significance of the formation, claiming that individual performances are the most important aspect in dictating whether a setup will work.

"It is not about the system, it is about how individuals perform on the pitch and whether they do the right things, so it is not as simple as just picking a system," added Ballack.

"You gain a small advantage through the centre but there's more hard work for the four midfielders because they have a lot of work to do on and off the ball in this system."

Chelsea travel to the Stadium of Light on Tuesday to take on Sunderland in the Premier League.

Stephen Darwin, Goal.com