Chelsea vs Malmo: Three things to look for in Champions League clash
3. Personnel
When Tuchel takes to the podium to preview this one a few hours after this piece goes live, he’ll key supporters in as to who is and isn’t fit for this European bout. The Blues’ injury list was lengthy against Brentford with Christian Pulisic, Antonio Rudiger, Thiago Silva and Hakim Ziyech missing out for different reasons. Nevertheless, their “replacements” (only Rudiger is a surefire regular starter when fit) all performed well in the win over the Bees. Injury isn’t the only factor that leads to uncertainty in the starting XI though—form and fixture lists must also be considered.
Malang Sarr stepped into the side and performed excellently at the Brentford Community Stadium. There were a lot of questions regarding his status in the team; they were answered after his Premier League debut. Sarr held down the left centerback role in Rudiger’s absence. He showed that he was more than capable of rotating into the position regularly. Normally a game against Malmo would present that opportunity for the Frenchman, but the weak schedule in the coming weeks means this is one of the more important upcoming fixtures. Rudiger was pictured back at training on Monday and that’s a positive sign ahead of the Champions League contest.
The left wingback spot is also one to watch as Ben Chilwell has been on fire recently. He didn’t play much to begin the campaign with Marcos Alonso enjoying a fine run. Regardless, when the Englishman got his chance, he seized the moment and never looked back. There isn’t much separating the two in games where the Blues will undoubtedly control possession though, so trying to predict a starter is a crapshoot. Elsewhere at the back, it’ll be intriguing to see if Kepa Arrizabalaga gets a game between the sticks given his form in Edouard Mendy’s absence.
Other key areas to keep an eye on are the attacking midfield and attack. If Tuchel opts to play in a 3-5-2, will Mason Mount return to the starting XI? The reigning Chelsea Player of the Year has struggled to start the season—struggled being a relative term for the Ballon d’Or nominee—and a run out here could boost his confidence as a No. 10. If the Blues elect to play a 3-4-3 though, Callum Hudson-Odoi presents a viable option on the left wing after his season’s best outing before the break.
One thing is certain this year and that’s the fact Tuchel doesn’t have any shortage of options up and down the pitch. Chelsea is at least two-men deep at every position and that leads to a lot of interesting personnel decisions. Expect the German gaffer to experiment with different formations and starting XIs during this run of relative ease.
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What are three things you’ll be looking for in the contest? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!