Chelsea team news: The Blues and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are back in town

It has been a long wait for a return to play, but Chelsea and Ruben Loftus-Cheek both make a triumphant return after too long away.

It has been over three months since Chelsea last took the field. The Blues had just found some momentum but still faced many injuries throughout the squad. The time off, overall, should have helped the Blues heal up while still maintaining the momentum they had against Everton.

The lineup does have some unexpected curve balls after the delay as well as some expected ones. Many would have expected N’Golo Kante to return, albeit maybe not immediately given his concerns over Covid. Kepa Arrizabalga, Antonio Rudiger, Marcos Alonso, Cesar Azpilicueta, Mateo Kovacic, and Mason Mount starting are all pretty much expected given injuries and Frank Lampard’s preferences.

The big story line is the return of Ruben Loftus-Cheek after over a year off. The midfielder/maybe winger against Aston Villa has not played since last May and if he returns at his previous levels, he will be a fantastic addition as Chelsea sees out the season.

Andreas Christensen is the biggest surprise at the back, though not necessarily a completely unexpected one. Ever since Fikayo Tomori mysteriously fell out of Lampard’s good graces (in part due to an illness), Christensen has been getting a look. A good performance against Aston Villa may finally tip the scales back into his favor for the first time since that Barcelona match so long ago.

Olivier Giroud over Tammy Abraham is surely the biggest surprise overall. Abraham had been injured before the break and Giroud had finally been given a chance, but it still seems odd for Lampard to not revert back to a fit Abraham given the choice.

Willian is the last surprise of the starting XI, primarily because his contract runs out in just over a week. He will obviously play for Chelsea with the same passion he always has, but it would be an awkward event if he were to get injured playing for a club he could very well leave in short order.

The bench largely picks itself thanks to the injuries but it should be noted that the expansion to nine substitutes on the bench gives extra space for players that otherwise would not have been there. The Blues have every single position covered by at least one player waiting their turn.

Speaking of which, do not forget that Premier League clubs can make five substitutes for the remainder of the season. Unlike the Bundesliga, most Premier League clubs have been very willing to use all five and so long as the match is going well, Lampard will likely do the same. Loftus-Cheek and Kante may not see out the full match, giving chances to Billy Gilmour and perhaps Christan Pulisic. Abraham is sure to make a cameo as well at some point.

But most of all, it is simply good to have the Blues back. It has been far too long and now it is time to be carefree in a troubled world, if only for a little bit.