Chelsea have players hotly contesting almost every position. Cesar Azpilicueta, Antonio Rudiger and N’Golo Kante have to defend their place in the XI.
Lack of competition for starting positions had been a burgeoning issue at Stamford Bridge for the better part of a decade. Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte cited transfer shortcomings as the reason for the lack of depth, while Maurizio Sarri seemed more than content to start the same XI for 60 matches in a season. Frank Lampard is taking the third road, as he has two players seriously contesting every position in a transfer-banned season, with his merit policy being the primary factor.
1. Right back: Cesar Azpilicueta vs. Reece James
Cesar Azpilicueta has been the golden standard for consistency at Chelsea and the rest of Europe for the better part of almost six years. He is the perfect example of a complete defender, excelling as a left back, centre back, right back and right wing back. His reliability has made him a favourite amongst his teammates, managers, pundits and fans alike, going onto become the captain this season.
He seems to have finally shown signs of aging, though, while playing in the position he was initially signed for: right back. His lack of pace, physicality and attacking shortcomings have been visible on multiple occasions. In any other season these deficiencies would have been overlooked given his record and status, but in this season of Lampard’s youthful integration, he has a problem in Reece James.
Reece James wasn’t always in the spotlight at Chelsea’s academy, with Mason Mount, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Dujon Sterling so often catching everyone’s eye. James was strong, good in the air, terrific at defending and wicked at crossing, and often demonstrated great leadership qualities.
He unsurprisingly demonstrated all these attributes during his loan spell at Wigan Athletic. He captained the side in his last game for the club and won Wigan’s Player of the Season award.
James poses a grave danger to Azpilicueta’s status as a starter, as he excels in every department the skipper lacks. David Beckham would be proud of James’s crossing abilities.
Lampard has brilliantly integrated him, too, with James first becoming the youngest Chelsea scorer in the Champions League and then starting ahead of Azpilicueta to pocket Wilfried Zaha, one of the most dangerous wingers in England.
Writing off Azpilicueta, though, would be foolish. He has time and again beat world class players in positions he did not specialise in (e.g., Felipe Luis) and is one of the best one-on-one defenders in the world.