Emma Hayes tactics and style of play

As one of the most respected coaches in football, Emma Hayes’ achievements as a manager speak loud and clear. Her analysis of games on television has undoubtedly helped elevate appreciation of her expertise, however. The ability to dissect patterns of play, with the clarity of an elite coach, has endeared her to the viewing public, just as it has been a major asset in her managerial career. Hers is a hard-earned knowledge, built up over more than 20 years as a coach. She spent much of that time, furthermore, making the best of relatively meagre resources.

Born in London in 1976, Hayes’ playing career was cut short by an ankle injury picked up on a skiing trip, aged just 17. She didn’t let that setback – nor the paucity of opportunity for women in football – deter her from forging a remarkable career.

After studying for a master’s degree in intelligence and international affairs, she moved to the United States to pursue her coaching dream. A first managerial role came in 2001 with Long Island Lady Riders, where she was the youngest head coach in the largely amateur W-League. By 2007 she was Arsenal Ladies academy director, and also assistant to Vic Akers as the Gunners won an historic quadruple.

Another spell in the US followed, before her appointment as Chelsea manager in 2012. Although she is now widely celebrated, this came at a time when women’s football in the UK was mostly an afterthought. “There wasn’t a single member of full-time staff that worked for the women’s section, let alone had an office, let alone had a desk,” she recalled in an interview with The Telegraph. “The starting point was zero.”

More than a decade later, she has led Chelsea to six Women's Super League (WSL) titles, five FA Cups and a Champions League final. Her hard work has been recognised with first an MBE, and then an OBE, for services to football.

Below, our UEFA-licensed coaches have highlighted some key aspects of the tactical approaches Hayes has taken in her trophy-laden time as Chelsea manager…

Width in possession

Hayes adopted a variety of formations in the five WSL seasons between 2018 and 2023. She predominantly used a back four, apart from in the 2021/22 season, when she favoured a 3-4-3 or a 3-4-1-2.

Her teams provided the most or second-most crosses in each WSL campaign between 2018 and 2022, with a slight drop off in 2022/23. The left side was particularly strong, with Guro Reiten supplying regular deliveries. The Norwegian operated either as a winger when Chelsea played a back four, or as a wing-back in their back-three system. 

Hayes’ back-four systems also capitalised on the relationship between full-back and winger. Left-back Jonna Andersson often supplied deliveries from wide areas when she played for Hayes between 2018 and 2022. 

When Hayes set her team up in a 4-3-3 shape, her number eights have often made runs between the left winger and central forward, creating opportunities to combine. In the 4-2-3-1, the number 10 (Pernille Harder in the example below) is given licence to roam between the lines, providing similar support to the number eight.

Sam Kerr has operated as the single central forward with three in the front line. That usually makes her the main crossing target (above), with additional support in the box from the far side.

Within a 3-4-1-2, one of the central forwards has supported wider combinations. Kerr’s ability to link play, as well as work crossing opportunities, led to her recording the second-most crosses for Chelsea in the 2021/22 campaign.

The Australian has made wide runs to the left of the penalty area, from where she can play cut-backs or driven deliveries. There, her central forward partner and the far-side wing-back would attack the ball. Where possible, they would be joined by an additional runner from midfield. 

When drifting right, Kerr dropped deeper and crossed from withdrawn positions, but with more variation on her stronger right foot.

Playing forward

Hayes’ team consistently averaged at least 57 per cent possession between 2018 and 2023. At the same time, they ranked in the top three for making longer passes in four of those five seasons.

Central defenders Magdalena Eriksson and Millie Bright provided a significant amount of these longer passes. They would hit the spaces in behind, for the front line to run on to. Or, in a back three, they played to the deeper wing-backs, drawing out opposing defenders that central-midfield runs could exploit (below).

Chelsea have often faced teams that sit off in mid-blocks and prioritise defensive compactness over high pressing. This has given their back line additional time on the ball.

The mid-block still provides spaces in behind to target. Here, runs in behind from Kerr have pushed back central defenders when Hayes uses a front three. Pockets in midfield then open up; these allow the back line to drive longer passes through, as well as over, opposing blocks.

When Hayes used two central forwards in a 4-4-2 in 2019/20 and 2020/21, clipped balls into the front pair helped Chelsea progress up the pitch. The forwards would combine centrally into midfield before working attempts on goal, or work the wide areas to deliver crosses. 

Balls up to Kerr have helped Chelsea progress up the pitch. Even at a modest 5ft 6ins, she has regularly demonstrated a superb leap and consistent timing to flick balls on. She competes well at the first or second phases, and can pin, secure and play with pressure from behind. Her ability to pull out opposing centre-backs has allowed for quick central combinations from an initial longer pass forward.

Wide pressing traps

When defending in a back four, Hayes has focused heavily on central compactness, with wingers narrowing. In a 4-2-3-1, the number 10 ahead of the double pivot means the wingers haven’t needed to narrow as much. From there, they are better positioned to counter-attack around Kerr’s purposeful runs on transition.

There are moments when the number 10 has jumped forward to join Kerr, making it a 4-4-2 defensive shape. This is seen when Hayes’ mid-block commits to a higher press on both of the opposing full-backs. 

The double pivot in the 4-2-3-1 remains compact, protecting spaces ahead of the back line. As the wingers narrow, forcing the ball around the block, the full-backs have jumped out to press wide passes (below). 

The double pivots can drop into the back line, if required. There, they can cover runs behind the full-backs, or deal with any second phases back inside. 

In a 4-3-3, the single pivot can’t cover both sides, but Chelsea still forced play around the block. The full-backs were not as aggressive in jumping out, unless the closest number eight worked back particularly deep. Out of possession, this 4-3-3 resembled a 4-1-4-1 block. The narrowed wingers pressed back and supported their full-backs, locking the ball to one side. 

Back five

Hayes has also turned to a back five when defending, most commonly in the 2021/22 season and in Europe. In a 5-3-2, the block is slightly deeper block (below) than in back-four systems. Here, a mid-block is preferred over high pressing, with the first line forcing play away from the centre by pressing outward. 

With two in the first line, the eights in central midfield have helped force the ball into the wing-back areas. There, Hayes’ wing-backs have jumped out to press, but slightly later than full-backs would in a back four.

With the rest of the back line sliding across, the remaining central midfielders have no need to drop into the back line. By maintaining a presence in central midfield, they could cover the spaces just ahead of the central defence.

Double pivot and number 10

Hayes has also used a double pivot to cover ahead of the back line, defending in a 5-2-1-2 structure. With two central screening players in midfield – as opposed to in the 5-3-2 single pivot, in which there is only one – the wing-backs can press higher. The back line then swings around towards the ball. 

Having a number 10 in the 5-2-1-2 has meant that Hayes’ side can stop build-up through the opponents’ single pivot. Against teams that look to build short, this is an ideal defensive approach. 

Hayes couples this defensive strategy with players best equipped to defend a direct opponent. The two forwards ahead of the number 10 pick their moment to jump on to opposing centre-backs. Compared with the 5-3-2, this defensive strategy from Hayes is more aggressive.

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