Chelsea take on Fulham at Stamford Bridge as they get their Premier League campaign back underway following a dramatic transfer window that saw Enzo Fernandez arrive on deadline day
Head Coach Graham Potter of Chelsea during a training session at Chelsea Training Ground (Image: Darren Walsh)
With transfer deadline day out of the way, Chelsea can finally return to the cut and thrust of Premier League football. The Blues welcome Fulham to Stamford Bridge on Friday night and Graham Potter will have a lot to consider.
Things did not go too well as west London side fell to a 2-1 defeat and Joao Felix got sent off at Craven Cottage in January but like on that occasion, the Chelsea head coach will have some new options in his squad. Since drawing with Liverpool in their last Premier League outing, the division’s most lavish spenders in January have made some further additions.
A deal to bring Noni Madueke to the club was confirmed on the eve of that match with Fulham providing the first game in which he is eligible, while Enzo Fernandez arrived at Chelsea in dramatic fashion in the depths of transfer deadline day. Furthermore, Potter will not be able to call upon Jorginho after his move to Arsenal
With that said football.london takes a look at the changes Potter could make to his Chelsea side to take on their London rivals.
Enzo Fernandez debut? – Thursday is likely to be the first opportunity for the £106.7million signing to train with his new teammates having flown to London on Wednesday afternoon. However, Potter has shown little hesitation in introducing new players when afford the opportunity. Felix started after spending minimal time with the squad, while Mudryk made an exciting impact from the bench against Liverpool.
The 47-year-old Chelsea chief has options in the form of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Conor Gallagher, Lewis Hall and Mateo Kovacic if fit, but given recent injury issues, Fernandez may have a greater claim to being match-fit than those he is competing with. They have had plenty of time to recover with almost two weeks since Chelsea’s last fixtures however, and will have had time to embed Potter’s plans for the match, but a debut for Fernandez is far from unthinkable, particularly following Jorginho’s departure.
Noni Madueke chance and Mykhailo Mudryk start?? – There is no shortage of competition in the forward positions for Chelsea after their January additions. Hakim Ziyech’s failed loan move to PSG has only exacerbated the problem. The Morocco international may not be in the best frame of mind so it may be best for him to skip Friday’s match leaving a spot in Chelsea’s starting XI.
Madueke, Mudryk and Raheem Sterling may be the natural candidates to compete for it while Potter has been willing to use Mason Mount and Carney Chukwuemeka in advanced roles too. The new signing from PSV may have to wait for his first start but an introduction to Chelsea’s supporters from the bench may be the perfect work for him to familiarise himself.
Mudryk may be favoured for the role following his instant impact against Liverpool. He showed all the signs of being able to offer something in attack that Chelsea have lacked this season and beyond, and providing he has shown the same application in training, he will head straight into the lineup.
Reece James return? – As exciting as any new signing is the return to fitness of Reece James. It’s little coincidence that Chelsea’s form tailed off following his absence and he provides more from the right than any of his deputies. It will be extremely tempting to utilise James from the start, though the Blues were served a warning when he was injured on his last return against Bournemouth. He must be managed, particularly with Champions League fixtures awaiting.
source: www.football.london
