Fans’ choice Chelsea lineup against Lille: Hudson-Odoi and Pulisic to start, Kanté not risked

While Wednesday’s match against Lille is only the second of six group stage games, the home loss against Valencia a fortnight ago has put Chelsea under some pressure already. Lille, sitting fourth in Ligue 1, are no pushovers either, and Frank Lampard will almost certainly resort to a full-strength lineup.

THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE

Formations have become heavily contested territory this season among the WAGNH community, with the 4-3-3 edging out the 4-2-3-1 (42%) by the narrowest of margins.

The weekend’s back four is preferred once more as Kurt Zouma (12%) comes nowhere close to displacing either of Fikayo Tomori or Andreas Christensen, though Reece James (56%) does give César Azpilicueta a run for his money.

A lack of options has also limited the choices in midfield. N’Golo Kanté (37%) might finally be back from injury, but the community agrees to not risky him just yet, while Ross Barkley (8%) is given time to finish clearing up his takeaway.

Michy Batshuayi (12%) and Olivier Giroud (21%) remain second and third choice, respectively, at centre forward, while Willian (44%) and Pedro (13%) are both granted a rest, with the two younger wingers, including the much fretted-about Christian Pulisic, preferred.

4-3-3 (43%)
Arrizabalaga (97%) | Alonso (87%), Tomori (95%), Christensen (91%), Azpilicueta (62%) | Kovačić (76%), Jorginho (92%), Mount (86%) | Hudson-Odoi (74%), Abraham (70%), Pulisic (54%)

MY PREFERRED LINEUP

While I’m on board with the community’s decision to continue starting Alonso — not that we have an alternative — I do believe that James is more than capable of holding his own and should definitely be preferred to Azpilicueta here. Otherwise, I wholeheartedly agree with the community’s picks.

4-3-3
Arrizabalaga | Alonso, Tomori, Christensen, James | Kovačić, Jorginho, Mount | Hudson-Odoi, Abraham, Pulisic

COME ON, YOU BLUES!!!