The Chelsea preseason tour is approaching its final leg. Coming off the disaster that was last season, each one of the Blues first three performances have been refreshing in terms of unveiling the talents of new players and learning more about the exciting tactical approach of new manager Mauricio Pochettino. However, the West Londoners now only have two games left before kicking off their Premier League campaign against Liverpool on the 13th of August. As a result, the final preseason matches take on more importance.
These matchups serve as the final tests to gauge the capabilities of this CFC squad and cast less doubt over the names to feature in the starting XI for the season opener. The next face-off against Fulham marks the Blues’ penultimate challenge before the beginning of the PL season. Fans should expect to see more experienced lineups on the pitch and the best performers from the preseason so far are hoping to stake their claim to remain with the squad come August 13th.
Fulham vs Chelsea: 5 Blues who must start.
-
Nicolas Jackson
So far, Nicolas Jackson can do no wrong in a Chelsea shirt. The Senegalese striker who signed with Chelsea this summer from Villareal has been one of the standouts from this preseason, scoring twice and assisting three times in three matches for the Blues. Jackson brings an element to Chelsea’s front line that the fanbase was yearning for last season. The 22-year old’s ability to drop deep and linkup with other forwards during the buildup has been key in most of Chelsea’s goals during his appearances this preseason. His finishing in one-on-one situations for both of his goals has also been clinical. Jackson’s performances deserve another start against Premier League opposition in Fulham. The more we see of him, the more we can be sure that he is the man to lead Chelsea’s attack this season.