Chelsea will face Manchester United to open their Premier League season on August 11. How Frank Lampard will line up his squad is still a very open question.
Frank Lampard has taken charge of Chelsea in four preseason games. The Blues’ legend will cherish two more opportunities to examine his side before the Premier League season commences. Lampard will use the friendlies against RB Salzburg and Borussia Monchengladbach to find his best XI from the available players before making the trip to Old Trafford.
The performance of the squad so far has been mixed. There have been equally few high and low points. Ross Barkley and Mason Mount have been the standout players of the lot, while Kenedy and Tammy Abraham enjoyed their moments as well.
Even though Barkley and Mount haven’t played together frequently in the pre-season, Lampard was confident about playing them together against Reading.
"Top players playing at their best. It’s a nice problem [selection] to have, but it doesn’t mean they can’t [also] play in the same team. – TalkSport"
Injuries to players like Ruben Loftus-Cheek, N’Golo Kante, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Willian, Antonio Rudiger, and Reece James have not eased Lampard’s dilemma. Lampard and his staff have a general idea of where these players will fit in upon their return, but that will not help him if they are not match-ready on August 11.
The significant task for Chelsea is getting rid of unwanted players. The board will have to do wonders to recoup the money invested on players like Tiemoue Bakayoko and Danny Drinkwater. Even after a year out on loan, Bakayoko nevertheless looks like the same player who frustrated everyone related to Chelsea two years ago. A year without action courtesy of Maurizio Sarri had an effect on Drinkwater, as well. With many so players ahead of him, it would be sensible for him to move on.
David Luiz, Andres Christensen, and Kurt Zouma will all be confident about starting as the chosen ones in the two center back roles. Emerson and Cesar Azpilicueta will be confident about retaining their full-back roles when the season starts. Davide Zappacosta, on the other hand, could be on his way out if Reece James can recover soon.
In the midfield at the moment, the pair of Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic has the most chance while Kante is still recovering. If Ross Barkley and Mason Mount start together, either Christian Pulisic or Pedro will be left out. And if Lampard decides to go with two strikers, both Pulisic and Pedro could be watching from the bench. Among the strikers, Olivier Giroud and Tammy Abraham are the top contenders.
Experiencing such a headache is something any manager would welcome. But at a club like Chelsea, a manager cannot squander too much time on deciding his players after the season starts. As a result, the preseason finales will be vital for Lampard.