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After an emphatic win against Grimsby Town, Chelsea look to return to winning ways in the Premier League as well, taking on a struggling Brighton & Hove Albion. Despite the Seagulls’ poor start to the season, Frank Lampard won’t be taking any risks and a full strength lineup is expected.
THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE
Chelsea may have had a spectacular “Academy Day” in the Carabao Cup, but the vast majority of the WAGNH community went with a much more familiar look for this one.
In defence, injuries restricted options at center and left back. Only Marc Guehi (4%) and Ian Maatsen (4%) were available , though Andreas Christensen could make a surprise return as well, as subsequently revealed by Frank Lampard. It was closer race at right-back, where Reece James (53%) gained quite a bit of ground on César Azpilicueta.
Ross Barkley (7%) got very little love, with Mateo Kovačić clearly preferred in the midfield three. A tough battle erupted for the third spot in attack however, with Willian narrowly beating out Hudson-Odoi (49%) and Christian Pulisic (35%).
Otherwise, the lineup pretty much chose itself. Most notably, Fikayo Tomori received an impressive 99% (!) of the community’s votes thanks to his recent stand-out performances.
4-3-3 (46%)
Arrizabalaga (99%) | Alonso (86%), Tomori (99%), Zouma (89%), Azpilicueta (72%) | Kovačić (56%), Jorginho (83%), Kanté (97%) | Mount (90%), Abraham (96%), Willian (53%)
MY PREFERRED LINEUP
I’ve gone with a very similar starting eleven to that of the community, though with two key differences. As Lampard stated that Christensen is fit again, I’d rather have Chelsea go with a centre-back pairing of Tomori and the Danish international as Zouma continues to have his off-moments. Also, I’d like to see Hudson-Odoi return immediately, if deemed fit enough to play by the medical staff.
4-3-3
Arrizabalaga | Alonso, Tomori, Christensen, Azpilicueta | Kovačić , Jorginho (c), Kanté | Hudson-Odoi, Abraham, Mount
COME ON, YOU BLUES!!!