This Should Be Chelsea’s Playing Eleven

 

Goalkeeper

Chelsea have finally sold Thibaut Courtois to Real Madrid. Also, they have found the man to replace him. Chelsea have broken the world record transfer fee for a goalkeeper by signing Kepa Arrizabalaga from Athletic Bilbao for £71.6m on a seven-year deal.

Sarri’s system requires a goalkeeper with good distribution. Kepa is very composed with the ball. He is very calm under pressure and his long-distance passes are fantastic. Sarri will surely utilize that. Last season, he completed 368 long passes, the most in La Liga, as well as making 221 successful short passes from 223 attempts.

Defenders

Chelsea’s back 4 should ideally be: Right back: Cesar Azpilicueta, Centre-backs: David Luiz and Antonio Rudiger, Left-back: Emerson Palmieri.

Sarri’s system demands centre-backs to play very high. David Luiz and Antonio Rudiger are perfectly suited for that style of play. Both of them have the pace and they are very comfortable with the ball.

David Luiz has impressed in the pre-season. He has said that he loves Sarri’s philosophy. On the other side, Sarri has said that he is very happy with Luiz’s attitude and that he could have a crucial role this season. While Luiz is far better on the ball, Rudiger is definitely more reliable as a defender. Rudiger will bring a real stability to this defence. Luiz and Rudiger have different characteristics and because of that, they will form a very good partnership.

On the right side of his backline, Sarri uses a stable defender who can act as a base for building attacks. At Napoli, this player was Elseid Hysaj. Azpilicueta is the type of player just like Hysaj. He is the perfect player to play Hysaj’s role. He is very stable defensively and he doesn’t offer so much in the attack. Sarri uses an attacking fullback on the left side. So, Azplicueta will probably stay in a back 3 when left back goes forward.

Marcos Alonso has been a very good player for Chelsea under Antonio Conte. But, Sarri’s system needs a fast technical player on the left side to link up the play. Obviously, Alonso isn’t that type of player. So definitely, Emerson Palmieri should be preferred by Sarri over Alonso. He gives a whole new dimension of attacking options compared to Alonso.

Emerson came to Chelsea in January 2018 from Roma. His career at Chelsea hasn’t been good so far. Last season, he made only 7 appearances in all competitions. But, there are big indications that he could revive his career under Sarri. Maurizio Sarri could turn him into the best left back in the English Premier League.

Midfielders

Sarri will try to create his own Napoli midfield at Chelsea. Jorginho will be in that same Jorginho position, Kantein that Allan role and Mateo Kovačić should be in the Hamšik role.

Jorginho has followed Sarri from Napoli to Chelsea and he has signed a five-year contract.

Chelsea have been looking for a controlling midfielder for years and they have finally got one. Jorginho is one of the best passing midfielders in Europe. He is always composed under pressure and incisive with his passing. He knows where to go with his first touch every time before the ball arrives. He is the man who controls the tempo of the game and dictates the play.

With Sarri and his midfield maestro Jorginho, this is truly the start of a new era at Chelsea. Jorginho will be the most important link of Sarri’s system. They should now have the personnel to dominate the ball against anyone other than maybe City in the league.

Jorginho’s arrival at Chelsea means a new role for N’Golo Kante. He will now play in a more advanced role. Kante will play the same role that Allan has played in Sarri’s Napoli. Last season, Allan played in all 38 matches for Napoli in Serie A. He was the engine of Sarri’s Napoli.

Kante is a much better player than Allan. The World Cup winner has a great dynamism and excellent ability to intercept the balls. He always runs and he will be crucial for the dirty work. His passing abilities will surely improve under Sarri.

Chelsea have signed Mateo Kovačić from Real Madrid on a season-long loan deal.

He will replicate Hamšik role at Chelsea. Kovačić will be asked to make forward runs, drift past defenders and link up with the attack. He is a very good choice for this role. His signing may take Chelsea to a different level. His agility and dribbling skills are a massive plus in the second phase of build up. Also, Kovačić can help in breaking the first line of opposition’s pressing when his club is building from the back.

Other options for these midfield spots include Ruben Loftus Cheek, Cesc Fabregas, Danny Drinkwater and Ross Barkley.

Forwards

Eden Hazard and Pedro Rodriguez should play on the wing positions.

Hazard’s future was in doubt after the end of the last season. Chelsea only managed to qualify for Europa League this season. However, Maurizio Sarri has convinced Eden Hazard to stay at the club. Also, Hazard is in contention to become Chelsea’s first captain. His staying is Chelsea’s best transfer in this transfer market. At the World Cup in Russia, Hazard was at his best. He was the second best player at the tournament, just after Luka Modrić.

Lorenzo Insigne was playing on the left wing for Sarri’s Napoli. Sarri has turned Insigne into one of the world’s best attackers. Hazard is much better than Insigne in terms of 1vs1 threat, close combinations in tight spaces and inside runs off the ball. It is going to be very interesting to see Eden Hazard playing under Maurizio Sarri. He could turn Hazard into a goal machine. In Sarri’s system, wingers move in the central space. This perfectly suits Hazard because he loves to have freedom in the game.

Pedro Rodriguez signed a new contract with Chelsea this summer. It’s obvious that Sarri counts on this former Barcelona winger. Pedro scored two goals in three preseason matches. His movement is his biggest strength. His runs and understanding of space make him a perfect fit for the Callejón role on the right wing. He could be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the new system. He is going to have a career revival under Sarri because he is excellent in a high press team.

Willian doesn’t have movements of Pedro, so he should wait for his chance from the bench. Also, Callum-Hudson Odoi is another option for the wing positions.

And finally, Alvaro Morata is the man to lead Chelsea’s attack this season. Chelsea failed to sign Gonzalo Higuain this summer so, they must relly on Morata’s services. Morata came to Chelsea last summer as a replacement for Diego Costa. However, his first season at the club wasn’t impressive. He scored 15 goals in 48 appearances in all competitions.

Maurizio Sarri has turned Dries Mertens into a goal machine. This is a reason to believe that Sarri is going to bring the best out of Morata. However, it is going to a massive task for Sarri to revitalize Morata.

 

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