ASBTF Opinion: Why Jorrel Hato makes an ideal fit for Chelsea under Enzo Maresca

The thing about the teenager is that he doesn’t defend reactively; he is structured to defend in a certain way. During his upbringing at Ajax, we saw that he has been playing in a system that generally ends up overcommitting their full-backs, and yet he consistently reads danger two passes ahead, be it in a back four or as LCB in a three. The thing is, Hato holds his line with maturity and is not somebody that dives into tackles; he instead prefers to track runners with an eye on the structure of the defence. So if we see how this translates into how Maresca wants his defensive setup of a 2+3 structure, Hato’s presence will help with multiple things like holding width of the defensive line and protecting in transition situations.

But it’s more; Hato is an absolute asset on build-ups. The Blues at the moment don’t have a left-footed defender who can consistently pass through presses (especially under structured press traps). While they do have Levi Colwill in West London, he isn’t as elite as Hato when it comes to on-ball attributes. With Hato, he can receive on the half-turn and play into midfield under press while also boasting the capacity to play third-line passes into #8s or wingers. He naturally plays on the left touchline, allowing Chelsea to invert a full-back on the opposite side (e.g., Gusto) and maintain width without sacrificing stability (Maresca used Wout Faes at Leicester in a similar role, and when we talk about Hato, the Dutch international has a higher ceiling and cleaner footwork).

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If we are talking about buildups, we also need to speak about the rest formation of the defensive line in possession. Enzo Maresca generally builds his back four into a three during possession. So typically what ends up happening is the right back inverts (Gusto) where the left CB stays wide and pivot drops between the CBs. Now let’s think this with Hato; the 19-year-old can either be the left CB who stays deep and wide, or he can also play as an inverting LCB who steps into midfield when needed (especially when Colwill is unavailable). So in a back 3: Hato – Colwill – Chalobah, and this translates into Hato – Colwill – Chalobah – Gusto in a back 4. Here Gusto inverts, and Hato stays wide with Caicedo/Enzo pivot. This, in a way, gives Chelsea a massive tactical advantage.

Author Opinion

The current Chelsea side is not just about speed; it has many layers to it. They are about structure, about having control and defensive ball security, and in this kind of playing style, you don’t just want defenders that only defend; you need more anchors who think like midfielders and move like wingers in possession. And Jorrel Hato is just that. He’s the blueprint for how the Blues back line needs to evolve.