Chelsea will host Southampton at the Bridge on the weekend. After the Saints managed to defeat the west London club in the reverse fixture back in August, they’ve only managed to win two of the 17 games played. Southampton’s struggles saw them sack Ralph Hasenhuttl who lead the team for nearly four years. And then it only took three months for them to sack his replacement – Nathan Jones too. All of this finds the Saints sat at the bottom of the table without a Head Coach.
CFC have been delaying their comeback for a while now and could have not asked for a better opportunity to do so. Southampton look destined for relegation and under such circumstances the Blues must secure three points without any excuses. In order to regain the supporters’ trust, Graham Potter has to make sure that his side don’t put a foot wrong and get the job done.
Chelsea’s predicted lineup vs Southampton (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Kepa Arrizabalaga
The Spaniard will continue in goal and deservedly so. Irrespective of Edouard Mendy’s absence due to a fractured finger, Kepa has been very impressive and at this point it can be said that he has been an upgrade over the Senegal International.
Right Back: Reece James
Potter used James with a very cautious approach to avoid a recurrence of his injury. And now after playing the entire 90 for two consecutive games, the Englishman has gained match sharpness and is ready to compete. We did see glimpses of what he’s capable of in the second half at the Signal Iduna Park.
Centre back: Kalidou Koulibaly
The veteran- Thiago Silva has been starting almost every game. And considering the UCL fixture midweek in Germany and how vulnerable the opposition is at the moment, providing Silva the rest he deserves does make sense. Also, Koulibaly who has struggled over the last few months, for a change was very impressive against the Borussia Dortmund. Giving him an extended run of games, will help his confidence and perhaps give us a glimpse of the player we signed from Napoli.
Centre Back: Benoit Badiashile
The young Frenchman will return to the squad after missing out on the Champions League fixture. He’s been pretty impressive so far. The 38 year old veteran has helped in bringing out the best of Badiashile. And this could be a good opportunity to experiment with the centre back combination and see how the former AS Monaco defender fares.
Left Back: Marc Cucurella
After apparently being kicked in the ankle against Dortmund in the second half, Ben Chilwell might not be risked against Southampton. The English International did make his comeback to the starting XI and did look very inspiring. However his setback will allow Cucurella to get back into the squad and rectify his mistakes.
Central Midfield: Ruben Loftus-cheek
Loftus-cheek was named in the Playing XI last week against West Ham over Conor Gallagher. And he did repay the trust that Potter placed in him. Loftus-cheek played with great composure and complimented Enzo Fernandez brilliantly. That performance saw the duo start together again versus Dortmund. This match could also see Mateo Kovacic and Denis Zakaria making their return from injury. The duo will expect to come on later in the second half of the game.
Central midfield: Enzo Fernandez
Chelsea’s marquee signing Enzo Fernandez has been a massive success so far, filling in the void that Jorginho’s departure created. Infact he has offered a lot more in terms of moving the ball towards the final third. The midfielder has also been very brave with his shooting which almost secured the equaliser for CFC against Dortmund in the last few moves.
Right wing: Noni Madueke
The Moroccan wizard- Hakim Ziyech was one of Chelsea’s better players in 2023. But ever since his move to PSG collapsed, he has struggled to make an impact on the games he has played. On the other hand, the English wonderkid has been magnificent. His quick feet and the ability to take on multiple players will help him get the nod over Ziyech for this fixture.
Central Attacking midfield: Joao Felix
The Atletico Madrid loanee has been one of the best signings of the window alongside Enzo Fernandez. Potter has handed him the free role which helps to get the best out of him. Felix has got almost everything right so far, with only his finishing being subpar. But the Chels‘ faithful are confident that the Potuguese star man has got what it takes to stay at the club. And a few goals under such severe circumstances will only help in turning that dream into reality.
Left wing: Mykhailo Mudryk
In spite of struggling a bit and suffering in the final third, Mudryk has already shown glimpses of a top player. This game would be a perfect occasion for him to gain confidence and play with freedom. The Ukraine International will have to make his mark before Sterling and Pulisic return to the squad, which will increase competition for gametime.
Striker: David Datro Fofana
The former record signing Kai Havertz signed almost three seasons ago and has still not managed to settle in and play to his full potential. The home team have got most of it right but the lack of a traditional No.9 has always been evident and this is a suitable time for Potter to drop Havertz and give the Ivorian a place in the starting XI. David Datro Fofona’s stirring cameo against Fulham should be enough for the gaffer to back him and use this game to evaluate if D. D. Fofana can be a fix to our problems and be an upgrade over the German International.