3 things to look for in Chelsea at Bournemouth: 3-4-3 or 4-4-2?

3. Stand-out performances

In addition to regaining match fitness following the summer holiday, preseason also gives managers the opportunity to assess all of the options available at the club. The Blues’ first team has only partly been present to start the preseason as a majority of players take time off to recover after Euro 2020. This means Tuchel gets an extended period of time to take a look at options from the loan army, the academy and the fringes of the senior squad.

There have been a few reported stand-out performers thus far in training: Hudson-Odoi, Dujon Sterling and Armando Broja. While it’s important to reward those who have put in the work, impressive performances in practice mean little when it comes time for meaningful games. Therefore, the aforementioned trio—as well as the entirety of the team—will be under the microscope against Bournemouth.

Sterling is the individual with the most to gain as he’s been away from football for quite awhile. The Antonio Conte favorite has made his presence known to Tuchel and is now in the running to make the senior squad at right wingback. If he doesn’t continue this formidable form, Sterling will likely find himself on loan or back in the academy. Meanwhile, Hudson-Odoi is on a mission. He was one of the favorites early on in the German’s tenure, being interesting deployed as a wingback. Hudson-Odoi slowly saw his minutes dwindle and was almost a non-factor in the matchday side by the time the season concluded. He’s out to prove a point now that he’s fully recovered from his unfortunate injuries over the last few years. A statement showing from Broja could also accelerate his journey into the senior team. The young striker is looking to capitalize on Chelsea’s lack of depth up top and could claim his place on the depth chart early on.

This is not to say that trio has the most to gain. There are plenty of outcasts in camp that could steal Tuchel’s attention with a good outing on England’s south coast. The contest will be streaming live on Tuesday from the 5th Stand app and the club’s official website at 7:45 p.m. (UK time).

What are some of the things you’ll be looking for in the contest? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!