Chelsea’s first game of pre-season kicks off on Monday, and it’s fair to say that it could be Blues’ most exciting summer game in a while. The arrival of Maurizio Sarri has really changed things at the club, with Jorginho also moving to Stamford Bridge.
It had been a very slow summer for the club up until that point, but now it’s likely to be action-packed all the way through to the start of the Premier League season and beyond.
First up, though, is a game with Perth Glory, and it will be very interesting to see how Sarri approaches the game. We could learn a lot about the rest of the season through the fixture. Perhaps we’ll see what formation the Italian will look to play, perhaps we’ll see how Jorginho will fit in, and perhaps we’ll even get a look at which players Sarri prefers that Conte perhaps didn’t.
The full list of travelling players can be found on Chelsea’s official website, and using that list, we’ve come up with a team that we think Sarri could line his team up. Expect to see a few youngsters and maybe even a new face.
Click through to the next page to see the entire potential team in FULL…
We’ve gone with a 4-3-3 formation, as that is what Sarri has previously used, particularly at Napoli. This allows a focus on width through the attacking wingers, but also ensures midfield control and defensive stability. Chelsea have, of course, preferred a three-man defence over the last few years, but their form last season does indicate that a change could be needed.
In goal, the Blues are short on options. Both of their primary choices – Thibaut Courtois and Willy Caballero – were at the World Cup and likely won’t be back in time.
In defence, Davide Zappacosta and Marcos Alonso are likely to get opportunities, and both will have something to prove in this new formation. More centrally, Ethan Ampadu is back from injury and could get a chance, though perhaps a loan could be forthcoming for him after pre-season is over. David Luiz didn’t get much of a chance last season, so perhaps Sarri will give him an opportunity to impress.
In midfield, Jorginho wasn’t at the World Cup and could show fans what he can do, whilst Tiemoue Bakayoko may be given another throw of the dice. Cesc Fabregas could be given a chance further up the field. This is a fairly attacking midfield, and so it would be interesting to see how Sarri would set it up.
In the attack, the absence of Willian and Eden Hazard could open the door to Callum Hudson-Odoi, who has a great chance of being involved in the squad next season. Pedro wasn’t at the World Cup, and so he’s likely to play, along with Alvaro Morata, who looks to be fit and firing once again.
It’s a strong team, but during pre-season anything could happen, so it will be an exciting watch for all fans.
Chelsea fans – thoughts?
Let us know below!
