Chelsea’s second game of preseason is already here as Chelsea take on Bayern Munich. This game should prove a better indicator of Chelsea’s preparations for the new campaign than the weekend friendly against Arsenal.
Chelsea’s game on Satuday against the Arsenal was largely very positive, apart from Pedro’s brutal foul on David Ospina. Pedro returned to England with a concussion and possible fractured bones after head-butting Ospina’s fists.
Chelsea looked sharp against the Gunner, as several youngsters particularly impressed. Here are a few things to watch for in the second run-out of the pre-season tour.
Alvaro Morata, Antonio Rudiger in Chelsea debut
Tuesday’s game will be the first opportunity to see the new shiny summer signings in action. Sadly, Tiemoue Bakayoko is still holed up in Cobham recovering from a knee injury, but Antonio Rudiger and Alvaro Morata have met up with the travelling squad in Singapore. Antonio Conte said Morata will not start, but will get game time. Antonio Rudiger should also play in some capacity.
Both Morata and Rudiger missed the first few weeks of pre-season, putting a little more pressure on them to mesh with the team ahead of the new season. How they link up with the regular starters will be a solid indicator of things to come.
Alvaro Morata, especially, will have a spotlight on him all game. Neither Pedro nor Eden Hazard willline up alongside him, so it will not be a completely fair test. But how he links up with Willian and Cesc Fabregas will be a key point. Fabregas and Morata will want to click from day one, as they look to replicate the great understanding Fabregas had with outbound striker Diego Costa.
Tactics and formation
Last season Chelsea stuck exclusively with a 3-4-3 after October. The set-up was incredibly effective and won Chelsea the title. But it started to grow a bit stale towards the end of the season as teams learned how to beat it.
With new signing Tiemoue Bakayoko, Chelsea have the opportunity to shift to a three-man midfield. He provides new flexibility that will rejuvinate the 3-4-3. Preparing for a game against Chelsea last season was relatively easy because everyone knew exactly how the Blues lined up.
If, next season, Chelsea have a 3-4-3, 3-5-2, and maybe even 4-3-3 and 4-2-4 to contend with, the opposition’s task is much harder.
Sadly, with Bakayoko not with the squad, there may not be an opportunity to test a three-man midfield. But the new players in the squad will give a glimpse of Conte’s willingness to try something different.
Willian could drop into attacking midfield and provide the energy to act with N’Golo Kante as a foil to Cesc Fabregas or Lewis Baker. Alvaro Morata and Michy Batshuayi could also get an opportunity to play together at some point during the game.
Player positions
Beyond the shape of the formations, Antonio Conte has plenty of options for how the players line up in those formations. In the last game Lewis Baker, typically a midfielder, played a stint at right wing. Perhaps that is where Conte sees his future, or simply just where Baker was able to slot in amongst all the other youngsters.
Additionally, Antonio Conte could start other players down the path of a Victor Moses-esque transformation into a new position.
Antonio Rudiger’s place in the back line will also say something about who he could be replacing. Gary Cahill or Cesar Azpilicueta are most likely on the chopping block. Andreas Christensen played his part last game in the middle of a back three, but will he play there again? Time will tell, and after Tuesday’s game Chelsea’s tactical plans for 2017/18 should be a little clearer.
Youth players have another vital opportunity
Another run out for the fringe players, another chance to impress. Unlike against Arsenal, Tuesday’s game is part of an international tournament. While it is not hugely competitive, they will still be looking to win.
That should not stop Conte from giving some of the youngsters game time. For players like Lewis Baker, Andreas Christensen and Charly Musonda – three of the players most likely to stay in the squad – this is a great opportunity to prove their mettle.
Baker and Christensen, in particular, are coming off of very successful seasons at Vitesse Arnhem and Borussia Monchengladbach, respectively. This season could prove to be make or break in terms of their Chelsea careers. They are both great talents, and it would be a big shame if they followed in the footsteps of Nathaniel Chalobah. This is one of their limited opportunities to impress before Antonio Conte finalizes the squad and the season starts. They must grab it with both hands.
Can Jeremie Boga do it again?
Boga gets his own section because he stood head and shoulders above all the youngsters (and many regular starters) on Saturday against Arsenal. With Pedro going off less than 30 minutes into the game, Boga stepped up and played the rest of the match at left wing.
Boga looked like he had played with the team for years. He should get the nod to start this match, as Eden Hazard is also unavailable. This will be another great chance to further his stock to either secure a better loan or to contend for a position in the first team.
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Boga has been sent out on loan twice in the last two years, to Staddes Rennes and Granada. He neither disappointed nor wildly impressed, scoring two goals in each season. Now his time has come to see just how much he learned from Ligue 1 and La Liga.
Based on Saturday night’s performance alone, he could be Chelsea’s wild card youngster this season. Confident on the ball and able to beat Arsenal’s top players with apparent ease, Boga impressed with his driving runs into the opposition half. His decision-making, like almost every youngster, leaves a little to be desired. Several times he found himself in situations where a well-placed pass would have sent a teammate through on goal, but he held onto the ball for too long.
This should not discredit him too much. He obviously has the talent, and decision-making comes with experience. Conte may well choose to keep him in west London for this season, and his performance will be of particular interest to the Chelsea faithful.
A few sidenotes of other players to look out for. Charly Musonda Jr. was absent from the lineup and bench against Arsenal with several reports that he sustained a minor injury. He to training this weekend. If he gets a look his absence may just be the result of a slight knock. If not then his future most likely lies elsewhere for this year.
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Renato Sanches’ career at Bayern has become uncertain after Carlo Ancelotti’s pre-game press conference comments. Sanches had a relatively quiet season last year, but would be a quality purchase for Chelsea who, despite adding Tiemoue Bakayoko, is still too light to be competing domestically and in Europe.
Sanches is one of the best young players in world football, but Bayern have an embarrassing wealth of riches in midfield. Having recently added James Rodriguez and Niklas Sule to their squad Ancelotti may no longer have a place for him.
Either he is left out, which fuels transfer speculation, or gets game time, and Conte has a first hand look at an obtainable midfield signing that would represent a serious coup for Chelsea. Sanches will be on a lot of top teams’ radars, but Chelsea may be able to steal a move on any potential rivals for his signature via proximity.
