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Chelsea predicted XI for Southampton: 4-2-3-1 has room for Mason Mount

By Vansh Ambashta

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 26: Mason Mount of Chelsea battles for possession with Diogo Jota of Wolverhampton Wanderers during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge on July 26, 2020 in London, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Daniel Leal-Olivas/Pool via Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 26: Mason Mount of Chelsea battles for possession with Diogo Jota of Wolverhampton Wanderers during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge on July 26, 2020 in London, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Daniel Leal-Olivas/Pool via Getty Images) /
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Chelsea’s Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga looks on during the English Premier League football match between Sheffield United and Chelsea at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, northern England on July 11, 2020. (Photo by Rui Vieira / 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 RUI VIEIRA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Chelsea’s Spanish goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga looks on during the English Premier League football match between Sheffield United and Chelsea at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, northern England on July 11, 2020. (Photo by Rui Vieira / 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 RUI VIEIRA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /

Chelsea is entering a buys period of play as the face off against Southampton. The 4-2-3-1 returns and it even has room for Mason Mount.

Chelsea is coming off an international break where many of their players played twice or more. The Blues are also staring down a run of matches roughly every three days that starts with Southampton. Frank Lampard seems committed to the 4-2-3-1 but he may need to rotate some with Sevilla on the horizon.

Kepa Arrizabalaga, Keeper, 1, Spain

This seems written in the stars. After suffering from a long time, Chelsea finally secured the services of a promising keeper in the form of Edouard Mendy. However, the Senegalese keeper suffered a minor knock in the international break. It looks like Mendy will be out for the game against Southampton, and this provides Arrizabalaga with the perfect opportunity to redeem himself and prove himself to the world. Expect a masterclass from Spain’s best goalkeeper.

Reece James, Right back, 24, England

Reece James is coming back to Cobham after a phenomenal performance which ended rather, unfortunately. While fans may choose to focus on the red card incident, we must not forget that James was arguably England’s best player throughout the game despite the fact that it was his first full debut. James possesses the ability to put sharp crosses into the box, and we sincerely pray that someday a forward will be able to do justice to his efforts.

Andreas Christensen, Centerback, 27, Denmark

Frank Lampard confirmed that Thiago Silva won’t be in the squad after his trip, and that is something that we could see frequently as the club must manage Thiago Silva’s workload carefully. With Silva out, Andreas Christensen will finally get a chance to stake his for the centerback position. The Dane has always been appreciated at Stamford Bridge as he was one of the first players to bridge the gap between the academy and the first team. However, last season’s performances were truly mediocre and everyone wrote him off. Despite a rough start to the season, Christensen is coming off a good international spell as he kept two clean sheets. The game against Southampton will truly determine Christensen’s position in the squad. Many have forgotten the Dane, and maybe its time to give them a reminder.

Kurt Zouma, Centerback, 15, France

Kurt Zouma has been an absolute rock for Chelsea in recent times. Despite their shambolic defensive displays last season, Zouma was the sole positive as he continued to bail out the Blues regularly. What is even more impressive is that his efficiency on corners has improved a lot. He is often seen attacking the opposition’s net on corners and usually wins his duels due to his heading prowess. Zouma has been vocal at the back and that is something Chelsea will need him against Southampton.

Ben Chilwell, Left back, 21, England

Ben Chilwell gave a complete and polished performance against Crystal Palace and his goal was the icing on top. The Englishman was comfortable on the ball as he chose to dribble his way through on multiple occasions instead of passing sideways. However, he did get into some trouble due to the birthday party incident and later pulled out of England’s squad for the Nations League due to a “recurring foot problem”.

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