Chelsea fans’ preferred lineup against AFC Bournemouth: Cole Palmer to start!

Chelsea’s ability to recover under Mauricio Pochettino is set to be tested as they travel to face AFC Bournemouth today. Coming off the back of a two-week break to reset from a soul-crushing 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge, fans are eager to see how the team line up, especially given the evolving tactics Pochettino has showcased.

However, the WAGNH community has their own insights on how the Blues should tackle Bournemouth today.

THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE

Gone are the days where only half of the community was adamant about the 4-2-3-1 formation. Today the support for the formation has seen an uptick to 63.7% from 47% ahead of our Nottingham Forest match. Meanwhile the 4-3-3 or its variant, the 4-1-2-3, trail but have garnered a decent 17.9% backing.

Goalkeeping duties don’t seem to be settled in the eyes of the fans. While Robert Sánchez is the people’s pick, grabbing 76% of the votes, Djordje Petrovic has gained 23.7% of them as the former Brighton shot-stopper doesn’t yet inspire us much confidence.

When it comes to defending, it appears pretty straightforward. Malo Gusto, with his impressive 94.1% backing, is the obvious choice for right-back. Left-back duties should rest on Ben Chilwell’s shoulders, who has impressed 95% of the voters. The center of defense seems set to feature the combination of Levi Colwill and the experienced Thiago Silva, earning 94.8% and 82% of votes respectively, as Axel Disasi’s 43.8% suggests that he’s not as much of a fan favourite in light of Poch’s continued preference for him.

The midfield is expected to be dominated by the pairing of Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo, who have won the trust of 99.1% and 90.4% of fans respectively.

As for the attacking trio, the wings look poised to be taken by Raheem Sterling with a strong 94.6% vote on the left and Cole Palmer on the right, with the former Manchester City prospect securing 67% of the fans’ preference. Spearheading the attack is the almost unanimous choice, Nicolas Jackson, boasting a staggering 97.4% fan backing.

Conor Gallagher, with a 40.8% fan vote for the central attacking midfield role, does seem to be an interesting outlier. Especially following a not so strong showing against Forest, there must be hope the Chelsea academy player can bounce back and return to the level of play displayed against Liverpool in our Premier League debut.

Summing up the fans’ voice:

4-2-3-1 (63.7%):
Sánchez (76%) | Gusto (94.1%), Thiago Silva (82%), Colwill (94.8%), Chilwell (95%) | Enzo Fernández (99.1%), Caicedo (90.4%) | Palmer (67%), Gallagher (40.8%), Sterling (94.6%) | Jackson (97.4%)