Chelsea FC Visit Southampton: Confirmed Line-Ups And Analysis
Moments away from kick-off, check out the confirmed starting elevens for Chelsea FC and Southampton in this Premier League clash.
Guus Hiddink and Ronald Koeman have confirmed their respective line-ups as Chelsea prepare to square off with Southampton in a Premier League contest. Check them out!
| Southampton | Chelsea FC |
|---|---|
| Fraser Forster | Thibaut Courtois |
| Cedric Soares | Cesar Azpilicueta |
| Virgil Van Dijk | Gary Cahill |
| Jose Fonte (C) | Branislav Ivanovic (C) |
| Ryan Bertrand | Baba Rahman |
| Steven Davis | John Obi Mikel |
| Jordy Clasie | Cesc Fabregas |
| Oriol Romeu | Pedro |
| Matt Targett | Willian |
| Shane Long | Eden Hazard |
| Charlie Austin | Diego Costa |
| Subs | Subs |
| Maarten Stekelenburg | Asmir Begovic |
| Maya Yoshida | Nemanja Matic |
| Dusan Tadic | Ruben Loftus-Cheek |
| James Ward-Prowse | Oscar |
| Sadio Mane | Kenedy |
| Cuco Martina | Bertrand Traore |
| Graziano Pelle | Loic Remy |
Guus Hiddink names an unchanged starting eleven for the Blues as they continue to negotiate some defensive struggles. John Terry remains sidelined with injury meaning that Branislav Ivanovic will wear the armband once again. The Serb has been visibly more confident in the centre-back role, with his lack of pace less likely to be exposed.
Gary Cahill will partner Ivanovic in the middle as the Englishman also appears to be welcoming this opportunity of regular playing time with open arms.
An evident favourite of the interim boss, John Obi Mikel continues in the midfield as the anchor. The Nigerian has experienced somewhat of a resurgence since Hiddink took the helm and has proven just why he has spent a decade at Stamford Bridge.
Cesc Fabregas will sit alongside him in the deeper role. The Spaniard has shown to be more effective when afforded the time and space that comes with the position and it is encouraging to see Hiddink refrain from employing a more defenisve combination. This, of course, means that Nemanja Matic remains on the bench but there will not be too many fans complaining about that.
After an impressive showing against an admittedly weakened Manchester City outfit, Eden Hazard (and the Blues in general) will be hoping that he finally kicks on. It has been a stop-start season for the Belgian but as Chelsea push for an improbable Champions League triumph, they need him more than ever. A good display against Southampton will do wonders for his confidence.
Willian will likely take up the role just behind Diego Costa. The one-man counter machine has been far and away Chelsea’s best player this season and he is not letting up. Pedro will flank him on the other side as the Spaniard seems to be coming into his own. Expect the trio to interchange frequently.
On the Southampton side of affairs, Ronald Koeman makes two changes to his team from last weekend. Cedric Soares comes in for James Ward-Prowse while Charlie Austin is afforded his first start since making a winter switch. With the likes of Graziano Pelle and Sadio Mane on the bench, the Saints certainly have firepower available late on.
Next: Chelsea FC Face Southampton: Predictions!
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