How Chelsea should start vs Juventus with injuries and Loftus-Cheek given the nod – Talk Chelsea

The big matches are coming in thick and fast now and we have another huge game tomorrow night against Juventus in the Champions League, continuing the defence of our title.

After beating Zenit on game day one, it will be great to build on that and continue that winning momentum and bring all three points home from Italy tomorrow night.

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It won’t be easy of course, but Juventus are not in great form in Serie A right now so it certainly isn’t a bad time to play against them. After playing 6 games in this new season, Juventus are sat in 10th position having lost 2, drawn 2, and won 2 in the league.

I’d like to see us stick with the 3-5-2 formation tomorrow, surprisingly, but I’d like to see us play in a more attacking version of it with Ruben Loftus-Cheek being given the free reign to push forward and support the attackers.

Mason Mount is still injured, and N’Golo Kante has unfortunately tested positive for Covid-19 and is unavailable. So this gives us a chance to use a midfield three of Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek. But I want to see Jorginho as the only sitter, and see Loftus-Cheek and Kovacic as two attacking 8s.

We would still have the cover of the back three plus wing backs who can transition to full backs in the defensive third, and we really need to have players closer to the front two, which is my next subject.

I’d have Kai Havertz playing close to Romelu Lukaku but also giving Havertz the freedom to roam and drop in if he wants to get on the ball and make things happen. We need his creativity.

At the back I’d have Andreas Christensen, Thiago Silva, and Antonio Rudiger, and it is at wing backs where I’d like to see some fresh changes.

Reece James is injured, and although I would still rather see Callum Hudson-Odoi play in his preferred attacking left position, I would start him at right wing back tomorrow to give us more width in attack and really see us take the game to Juventus, play on the front foot more.

Then I’d rest Marcos Alonso and start Ben Chilwell, his energy and defensive abilities will be needed I feel.

So to conclude, here would be my preferred starting Xl tomorrow in a 3-5-2.

Mendy, Christensen, Silva, Rudiger. Hudson-Odoi, Jorginho, Kovacic, Loftus-Cheek, Chilwell. Havertz, Lukaku.

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