Chelsea vs Brentford predicted XI : Lukaku dropped again in 3-4-3?

Mason Mount (No. 19) Right winger, England

Mason Mount leads Chelsea in goals, assists, chances and big chances created this season. He also has the highest expected assists per 90 amongst forwards at the club. It’s easy to see Mount hitting more than 20 league goals plus assists this time around.

Kai Havertz (No. 29) Center forward, Germany

Kai Havertz continued his scoring form for his country during the international break. He has been very good lately, though many prefer to pretend he has been this good all season. He’s gotten on the end of the most big chances of any player on the Chelsea squad, though even that is not a lot. The Blues struggled to beat Brentford the last time the two sides squared off, and their only goal came from a player that is now injured.

Havertz’s movement will be needed to break the stubborn Bees down. Many fans talk about Havertz’s consistent inability to pin centerbacks, inadvertently admitting that he’s not a center forward, as pinning centerbacks is an essential part of a center forward’s job. Nevertheless, as long as he continues to find the back of the net, it hardly matters.

Hakim Ziyech (No. 22) Left winger, Morocco

Hakim Ziyech had a very interesting interview for the Chelsea website where he revealed many things. Some of the things he said showed that he is well aware of how his Chelsea journey has been going and that he is not delusional. He mentioned his struggles to cope with the three-centerback formation Tuchel deployed.

Ziyech has shown a willingness to take responsibility for his own performances, doing his best when he has been selected and working hard when he hasn’t been. His performances have gotten him into the starting line-up once again recently, and he seems here to stay this time.

Ziyech leads Chelsea by far in clear-cut chances created per 90 (0.56). The Moroccan’s numbers suggest that all he needs now is to be put on the pitch. He ranks second for all attackers in total xGBuildup this season (4.42), despite having not played up to 1,000 minutes yet. He has created six big chances—two less than Mount—despite having not played a single minute against some very open teams Chelsea has played against this season. The Blues fans are loving Ziyech at the moment and he deserves all the adulation.

Who makes your starting XI? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on Twitter!