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Chelsea predicted XI: Rewarding and rotating for Fulham

By Vansh Ambashta

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 08: Billy Gilmour of Chelsea FC gestures during the UEFA Champions League Group E stage match between Chelsea FC and FC Krasnodar at Stamford Bridge on December 08, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Chloe Knott - Danehouse/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 08: Billy Gilmour of Chelsea FC gestures during the UEFA Champions League Group E stage match between Chelsea FC and FC Krasnodar at Stamford Bridge on December 08, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Chloe Knott - Danehouse/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 03: César Azpilicueta of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on October 03, 2020 in London, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Visionhaus)
LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 03: César Azpilicueta of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on October 03, 2020 in London, England. Sporting stadiums around the UK remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Visionhaus) /

Chelsea faces off against Fulham in their return to Premier League action. Who will be rewarded with a start and who will be rotated out?

Chelsea face Fulham after a convincing win against Morecambe. The Blues will look to return to winning ways in the Premier League as well, as they cannot afford to drop any more points. The league is closer than ever this season and Chelsea must look to secure a top four spot. Fulham is coming off a decent draw against Liverpool and would be having confidence. Let’s take a look at the predicted XI for the game!

Edouard Mendy (No. 16) Goalkeeper, Senegal

Edouard Mendy is Chelsea’s undisputable no.1 in between the sticks. The Senegalese started his Chelsea career with a number of clean sheets and looked reassured in front of goal. However, in the past few games, Mendy has been a bit shaky, pretty much like the rest of the team. What defines champions is the fact that they pounce on the half chances and convert them. This is where Mendy has lacked to an extent in recent games. Few of the goals that he has conceded were half chances and could have been saved on another day. Mendy shouldn’t have too many problems against Fulham and the backline should be able to contain the Cottagers.

Cesar Azpilicueta (No. 28), Right back, Spain

The work rate of Cesar Azpilicueta has often been overlooked this season. However, with the absence of Reece James, Azpilicueta has had a consistent run of games and has looked good. While his attacking returns could increase, his defensive side has been reliable, as always. A few players have exposed his lack of pace on occasions, though, and that is certainly something Fulham would like to exploit. However, Azpilicueta should be able to contain them with ease. Expect another solid performance from Chelsea’s captain!

Kurt Zouma (No. 15) Centerback, France

Kurt Zouma is a vital cog of Frank Lampard’s Chelsea. His aerial dominance makes him unbeatable. During Chelsea’s unbeaten run, Zouma was on fire as he was bombing headers in both boxes. Chelsea seemed extremely dangerous on corners as Zouma would end up meeting every ball into the box. However, with Chelsea’s poor run in recent times, Zouma’s impact has also reduced. His positional awareness has been exposed at times, especially in the Arsenal game, and he has been slow to react on a few occasions. Now, his performances have been synergic with everyone else’s at Chelsea. It’s nothing to worry about though, and let’s hope that Zouma is able to assert his authority against Fulham.

Thiago Silva (No. 6) Centerback, Brazil

Thiago Silva was another impactful player in Chelsea’s unbeaten run. He has proved his critics wrong and has adjusted well to the physical Premier League. There has been a question or two regarding his “leadership” and the impact he has when things are going south for the Blues. Well, the fact of the matter is that Silva is still new to the team and he isn’t familiar with the language either. Hence, it is obvious that Silva’s impact on the backline will only increase with time. Silva should be able to dominate Fulham’s forwards along with Zouma and things should be relatively easy for the Brazilian.

Ben Chilwell (No. 21) Left back, England

Ben Chilwell is another player that has silenced his critics with stellar performances consistently. The ability of Pulisic and Callum Hudson-Odoi to draw defenders inwards has allowed Chilwell to move freely into the space vacated. Moreover, Ziyech’s return means that Chilwell will get goal scoring opportunities with those long balls towards the far post. Expect another strong performance from the Englishman against Fulham and an assist or two might be on the cards as well.

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