Chelsea at Brentford: Three things to look for in Blues’ return

2. Who’s in, who’s out?

Tuchel sprang a few surprises when he named his starting XI for the Southampton tie. Chelsea had lost twice back-to-back for the first time under the German tactician, and in response, he handed starts to several fringe players who had previously looked on the cusp of a first-team breakthrough.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek‘s inclusion from the start was a big talking point, as was Callum Hudson-Odoi’s deployment on the left wing. Both players performed admirably, providing Tuchel with a potential selection headache ahead of the Brentford tie. With the exception of Christian Pulisic, the German has a fully fit squad at his disposal. Some doubts linger over the fitness of Romelu Lukaku, which could be detrimental for the league leaders. On the other hand, N’Golo Kante has provided Chelsea a timely boost ahead of its latest league fixture. When fully fit, the Frenchman is amongst the first names on the team sheet, and one can expect him to take one of the two slots in the starting line-up should the head coach deem him match-fit. Kante’s return is bound to push Loftus-Cheek down the pecking order for the game, but the Englishman will be knocking on Tuchel’s door after a string of superb displays—both from the bench and the start.

What of Ross Barkley? The former Everton man was left in limbo once the transfer window shut. However, he has made strides toward the first team recently and will be looking for a spot on the bench at the very least. Further forward, Hudson-Odoi—unleashed in his favorable position against Southampton—had an enjoyable outing, but Mason Mount’s return to full fitness will likely push him to the bench too. Questions remain over Kai Havertz and Hakim Ziyech, who are suffering from a loss of form, and were left out of the starting line-up in Chelsea’s last league game. Plenty of decisions, then, for Tuchel to make ahead of the short trip across town.