Chelsea predicted XI: Olivier Giroud leads with a two percent chance

Chelsea will play to win against Newcastle. But an eye will be kept elsewhere as well as Chelsea look to exploit a two percent chance.

Chelsea have a two percent chance of making the Champions League. That will require a win by Chelsea either way, something they will be eager to go for after midweek. Antonio Conte will rotate his best XI back in, as he always intended to, but after the backups failed. This is the last audition for the FA Cup and the last chance for every player to earn some respect at the season’s end.

Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois, 13, Belgium

Courtois avoided the Huddersfield match with a back injury, but is expected back in time for Newcastle. Willy Caballero had been a good servant all season but he was unable to stop Huddersfield. Courtois might do better against Newcastle but it also might be the last league game Courtois plays for the Blues.

Centerback: Cesar Azpilicueta, 28, Spain

Captain Azpilicueta has a terrible, terrible record this season. It likely is not his fault, but the results are the same. The team seems to suffer when Azpilicueta leads. That will not be the case again for the rest of the season. And if Azpilicueta ever becomes captain full time, he will need to figure out how to turn results around under his lead.

Centerback: Gary Cahill, 24, England

Andreas Christensen is a fine player that Chelsea should build around. But he is not part of the best XI anymore. Since the first Barcelona match, mistakes have been rampant in his game. The goal against Huddersfield came when Christensen was so far out of position that he may as well have not been there. Cahill will take his spot back and keep the Dane on the bench for the rest of the season.

Centerback: Antonio Rudiger, 2, Germany

Rudiger has gone from overly aggressive new signing to most secure center back. Going into next season, no defender will be safer than Rudiger. Regardless of formation, tactics, or anything else, Rudiger will be a starter. He will do the same at the World Cup as he continues to explode on to the game. Next season will be his break out season on the world stage and Chelsea are lucky to have him.

Wingback: Victor Moses, 15, Nigeria

Zappacosta did a whole lot of nothing against Huddersfield. If any player has to be called “flop of the season”, it has to be Zappacosta (because Danny Drinkwater and Ross Barkley did not even play enough for the honor). Zappacosta’s best game was his first and he has been decidedly average since. Moses will return and look to pick up on the good form he left on.

Centermid: Cesc Fabregas, 4, Spain

Perhaps to many in the squad were too easy on themselves all season. To prone to say they were merely unlucky and that they would fight on. Fabregas is not having it. He is a realest and though he is not saying it, he seems frustrated by the team around him. He is not the only one but it is a good trait to build on. Fabregas should stay since he is the closest Chelsea have to a grumpy veteran kicking people in the rear to perform.

Centermid: N’Golo Kante, 7, France

Kante won the player of the year award from Chelsea which was greatly deserved. Kante is Chelsea and the Blues should only get a manager or keep a manager if they are 100 percent behind using Kante in their XI. Without Kante, Chelsea’s drop from champions to fifth would have been a much larger drop. He is the difference maker and the clubs best and biggest player.

Centermid: Tiemoue Bakayoko, 14, France

Months ago, no one would have believed that anyone would be angry about Bakayoko being dropped. But after Huddersfield, there was a solid section that was angry about Bakayoko coming out of the XI. He has been good and has been turning a corner after his winter slump. Next season he can break out but there are still two games left to prove his talent in this season.

Wingback: Marcos Alonso, 3, Spain

Emerson Palmieri is a good player, who deserves to at least be rotated in. But for whatever reason, Antonio Conte is not keen on him. That is not to say that Marcos Alonso is bad (he is great in fact), but there is no reason to play Alonso three games in one week when Palmieri is as capable as he is. Conte could opt to rest Alonso but the lineup that plays Newcastle will likely be the FA Cup line up. So Alonso takes his spot in the XI.

Striker: Eden Hazard, 10, Belgium

Hazard was rested against Huddersfield and it was absolutely the right choice. There is no reason why a club like Chelsea should need Hazard to beat a club like Huddersfield. And even when he came on, he barely got involved in a meaningful way. Hazard is great, but he is not the hero Chelsea need right now. It has been one his best statistical seasons but it has felt like one of the worst.

Striker: Olivier Giroud, 18, France

Morata appears to be at his best when he has a striker to play off of. Too often does he play a pass to where a striker should be, but there is no one there because Morata is the striker. Giroud will suit up alone with Hazard this time as he looks to put some fight into the Chelsea squad. They need it just to have a slim, two percent chance of Champions League.

Next: Chelsea's draw to Huddersfield raises tally of "stupid" points dropped

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