Chelsea predicted XI vs Sheffield United: Trust in the 4-3-3
Central midfielder, N’Golo Kante, No. 7, France
Kante has been a constant in Chelsea’s midfield and it’s easy to see why. He’s just as intelligent as he’s athletic. His role in winning the ball back for Chelsea is evident. He does everything that needs to be done. He gives the blues an advantage in midfield when he plays. He raises the level of those around him.
Central midfielder, Jorginho, No. 5, Italy
If Chelsea is going to play 4-3-3, expect Jorginho to start. This should not be a surprise anymore as he has improved considerably under Frank Lampard as a player and as a midfielder. He puts himself in positions to make clever interceptions and tackles, sometimes having to block shots. His distribution to the flanks, and sometimes over the defensive line has improved too. Lampard had spoken about his leadership often and with a very young squad, leadership is a priceless asset.
Central midfielder, Mason Mount, No. 19, England
For a long time, many Chelsea fans didn’t understand why Mount kept getting into the team. Many still don’t. Mount offers a lot more to a team than creativity and distribution, though he offers that too. His role in ball retention and ball carrying often goes unnoticed, perhaps by fans who are waiting for him to pick out Pirlo-esque passes five or six times a game. He would continue to get starts when he’s fit and rightly so, the earlier these over-critical fans come to terms with this, the earlier they can focus on other, more productive things.