Chelsea's tour of Asia has felt at times like a prolonged getting-to-know-you session, though each tactical tweak André Villas-Boas implements opens his eyes to possibilities for the campaign ahead. The Portuguese's latest experiment had Frank Lampard, an attacking midfielder in club colours, reverting to his more defensive England brief. Convention is being challenged as the manager spies options within his squad.

Lampard was paired deep with Yuri Zhirkov and, briefly, Josh McEachran as a poor Kitchee side were thrashed here on Wednesday. Chelsea's power, with Didier Drogba irrepressible and Florent Malouda and Yossi Benayoun revelling in an attacking three off the striker, may have caught the eye, yet to thrive the system adopted required the deepest two midfielders to push up, harry and distribute at pace. The Hong Kong League champions never came close to coping.

Villas-Boas was at pains to say that the 4-2-3-1 shape, with players adjusting their natural games, is just another option for him to explore away from his more accustomed 4-3-3 but, for the veteran in the ranks, the occasional outing in this new role may actually be beneficial. Last year's groin problems wrecked Lampard's campaign, an experience he has not endured often in his lengthy career. Having the option to sit deeper and dictate play rather than mustering his trademark charges into enemy territory would, possibly, see him retain his freshness.

"But, you know, if I didn't feel I was getting there [into the penalty area] often enough, I wouldn't want to hang around too long," Lampard said. "I love getting into the area, up and down the pitch, and it's something I hope to be able to do for a few more years yet. With the injuries, it is much harder when you aren't used to being out and, to be honest, I was not at my best when I did actually come back. So I do have to look after myself: you look at Ryan Giggs, people like that who hang around in their 30s, and they have to be disciplined about what they do.

"As for my position, I can play that deeper role – I've played there for England fairly regularly – but it isn't a job that will stop me getting into the box. As long as I am never told not to stray beyond the halfway line, I'll be happy. I have never been that kind of [defensive] player anyway."

The manager described the 33-year-old as a midfielder who "has the flexibility to play as a No10, No8 or in a holding position". The defensive duties involved would be more onerous in the Premier League but, against Kitchee, Lampard was offered the freedom to maraud through dithering opponents while maintaining the discipline required to set the team's passing rhythm. Benayoun was the team's roaming creator, playing in a position where Luka Modric or João Moutinho might hope to flourish and subtly pulling his markers out of their comfort zones. Chelsea have enjoyed the Israeli's restoration to the fold after his own injury problems last season.

Drogba, back to his bullying best, simply could not be contained. The 4-0 victory was the Ivorian's first start in pre-season, an occasion he marked with a goal for himself and bruises for the hapless centre-halves he traumatised, and a reminder that the brutish brilliance he can deliver arguably remains this team's most potent weapon. "We know what Chelsea are," Lampard said. "We have never been a long-ball team. We have always played to our strengths, our power, and we have done well with that over the years. If we continue to play to that strength, we will get the best from our team."

There are still issues to be addressed, with Fernando Torres denied the goal he so craves when his skimmed attempt in stoppage time came back off a post, but Saturday's Barclays Asia Trophy final against Aston Villa will offer another opportunity to test capabilities. "We might change to another formation again, with two strikers perhaps," Villas-Boas said. That would conjure up the intriguing possibility of Drogba and Torres leading the line together, a partnership that felt awkward under Carlo Ancelotti and has yet to be tried under the Portuguese. For now the period of experimentation goes on.

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