Chelsea: 2021’s best XI is already settled, said, and done

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 22: Frank Lampard manager of Chelsea celebrates his teams victory over Spurs during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on February 22, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 22: Frank Lampard manager of Chelsea celebrates his teams victory over Spurs during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on February 22, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
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Chelsea’s French goalkeeper Edouard Mendy plays during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Chelsea at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on October 24, 2020. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / 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 OLI SCARFF/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Chelsea’s French goalkeeper Edouard Mendy plays during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Chelsea at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on October 24, 2020. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / 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 OLI SCARFF/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Chelsea is quickly rounding into top form and after 17 games unbeaten maybe they are already there but with more to come, here is the top XI for 2021.

Chelsea fans should be fairly thrilled (leave “elated” for a bit later) by the great start in 2020/21 season. More success is likely on the way. The club’s tremendous offseason acquiring several top players like Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, Thiago Silva, Kai Havertz, Ben Chilwell, and Edouard Mendy has helped transform the team. Yet, that’s not all that’s occurring with the boys in Blue. Current players are also stepping up and rounding into better form. The convergence of those two factors, among others, could very well catapult Chelsea into the top echelon of both the Premier League and the Champions League. So far, so good.

So at this point in the season, it may be helpful to take a look at what Chelsea’s top XI could look like as the club enters 2021. The assumptions here include the following: fitness, acclimatization process essentially completed, and the continued development of some younger players. With those qualifiers in mind, here’s what the top Chelsea team could look like in 2021.

Keeper: Edouard Mendy

No questions here. Mendy has brought new excellence to the keeper position at Chelsea. He’s been immense and it’s perfectly appropriate to dub him “Clean Sheet” Mendy. He’s been just the addition hoped for when Petr Cech advised the club evidently to sign up this unsung keeper from Rennes. He immediately went into the first team and has not looked back. A top keeper is essential to any hope of titles and Chelsea now has one.