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Chelsea vs Aston Villa predicted XI: 3-4-2-1, rotation in EFL Cup

By Akshat Mehrish

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 11: Saul Niguez of Chelsea FC and Jacob Ramsey of Aston Villa battle for the ball during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on September 11, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Chloe Knott - Danehouse/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 11: Saul Niguez of Chelsea FC and Jacob Ramsey of Aston Villa battle for the ball during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on September 11, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Chloe Knott - Danehouse/Getty Images) /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 11: Hakim Ziyech of Chelsea FC in action during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on September 11, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Chloe Knott – Danehouse/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 11: Hakim Ziyech of Chelsea FC in action during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on September 11, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Chloe Knott – Danehouse/Getty Images) /

Hakim Ziyech (No. 22) Right winger, Morocco

A disappointing start to the campaign has thrown fresh doubts over Hakim Ziyech’s long-term future at Chelsea. The Moroccan had fleeting moments of joy last season, which, in his defense, was punctuated by injuries and factors out of his control. However, the attacking midfielder has started the season poorly and, barring a goal in the Super Cup against Villarreal, has made no significant contribution to the team. The game against Villa on Wednesday presents him with an opportunity to find his feet after a few distressing weeks. Whether he takes it is another question altogether.

Timo Werner (No. 11) Striker, Germany

No player has been affected more by Romelu Lukaku’s arrival at Chelsea so far than Timo Werner. The German, who led the line for the Blues last season—albeit ineffectively—has been reduced to an impact sub. He has not started a single match for Chelsea since the arrival of the Belgian but has appeared off the bench on three separate occasions. One would expect Tuchel to rest Lukaku for the big game against Manchester City at the weekend, providing Werner—the only other striker in the squad—a chance to lead the line again.

Callum Hudson-Odoi (No. 20) Left winger, England

Callum Hudson-Odoi’s Chelsea career has stagnated, much to the chagrin of the fans. The winger burst onto the scene under Antonio Conte and had a magnificent spell for the first team under Maurizio Sarri. However, just when he seemed to have become a regular, the youngster ruptured his Achilles. The youngster hasn’t been the same since, despite making a full recovery.

Tuchel sees the youngster’s best position as a wingback presently, but the tactician did deploy him as an attacker for a short period against Aston Villa two weeks ago. Having appeared just twice this season, one would expect Hudson-Odoi to start the cup tie. Whether he plays as a wingback or an attacker, we will have to wait to find out.

Next. Chelsea and Thomas Tuchel have too many cooks in the kitchen. dark

Who do you think makes Tuchel’s starting XI? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!

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