Chelsea three key clashes: Blues look for momentum against Palace

Chelsea's French defender Kurt Zouma (R) tangles with Crystal Palace's Zaire-born Belgian striker Christian Benteke (C) during the English Premier League football match between Crystal Palace and Chelsea at Selhurst Park in south London on July 7, 2020. (Photo by PETER CZIBORRA / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by PETER CZIBORRA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Chelsea's French defender Kurt Zouma (R) tangles with Crystal Palace's Zaire-born Belgian striker Christian Benteke (C) during the English Premier League football match between Crystal Palace and Chelsea at Selhurst Park in south London on July 7, 2020. (Photo by PETER CZIBORRA / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by PETER CZIBORRA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Chelsea’s Moroccan midfielder Hakim Ziyech (C) runs with the ball during the pre-season friendly football match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Chelsea at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, southern England on August 29, 2020. – The game is a ‘pilot’ event where a small number of fans will be present on a socially-distanced basis. The aim is to get fans back into stadiums in the Premier League by October. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)
Chelsea’s Moroccan midfielder Hakim Ziyech (C) runs with the ball during the pre-season friendly football match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Chelsea at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, southern England on August 29, 2020. – The game is a ‘pilot’ event where a small number of fans will be present on a socially-distanced basis. The aim is to get fans back into stadiums in the Premier League by October. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images) /

Chelsea faces off against Crystal Palace after a rough run of matches. What clashes will determine this fixture before the break?

Chelsea has not had the best of starts to the season, thanks in part to the fragmented nature of preseason. Even still, the boo boys are sounding off and even the reasonable fans are beginning to worry. A win against Crystal Palace, especially before a break, can relieve some of the pressure. What clashes will determine how this one goes?

1. Frank Lampard versus international managers (again)

International managers are the worst. Some think their opinions matter more than the club that they play for most of the year. Others simply don’t care about the club’s concerns on a player’s fitness. International management is a job for the vain that couldn’t cut it at club level.

International football already butted its way into Chelsea’s preseason, with much of the squad leaving for (mostly) meaningless matches. Now it is butting in again and fitness concerns don’t matter to international managers. That means Frank Lampard is the one that has to make adjustments since he can’t trust the international managers to care.

This is probably why Hakim Ziyech, who has been injured since the beginning of preseason, is not declared fit for the Crystal Palace match. He’ll surely play for Morocco during the break, despite the fact he really shouldn’t have been called up at all.

Beyond him, it is a near guarantee the French players all play plenty. The English players may be hit or miss but someone like Mason Mount could use a rest. Lampard may be forced to do that if he thinks Gareth Southgate won’t rest him. The Germans Kai Havertz and Timo Werner may also have similar concerns.

This shouldn’t be a calculation that Lampard has to make, but until international managers show they are willing to care about the fitness of the players they see two weeks a time, Lampard will have to adjust for them.