After suffering a 5-0 hammering against Arsenal at the end of April, Chelsea look set to end the season in excellent fashion.
Mauricio Pochettino seems to have finally discovered his best starting lineup, with players now getting into a rhythm.
The Blues have won all of their last three games, scoring ten goals and conceding three in the process, and they’ll look to make it four in a row against Brighton & Hove Albion tonight.
Chelsea’s most recent 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest did highlight some issues in the side, and therefore, let’s take a look at who could come into the first eleven tonight.
Why Benoit Badiashile should be dropped
Benoit Badiashile has had a rather injury-hit 2023/24 campaign, which has prevented him from showcasing his ability to new boss Pochettino.
The 23-year-old has suffered four separate setbacks this season, which total up to 18 games missed, with a groin problem continuously causing an issue.
However, the French centre-back has slowly started to cement himself in the starting lineup, playing all of Chelsea’s last five matches, which means he’s now started 13 times in the league this season.
That said, Badiashile could drop out of the side for tonight’s match after a relatively uninspiring performance against Forest, which saw him withdrawn just before the hour mark.
Football.london handed the number five a 5/10 rating for his showing, mainly due to the foul he gave away for the Tricky Trees’ equaliser.
The player Pochettino should unleash vs Brighton
The Chelsea faithful will have been waiting for this day: the potential return of Reece James to the starting lineup.
It’s a well-known fact that the England international is extremely injury-prone, and unfortunately, that’s once again been the case this season due to a hamstring injury and subsequent surgery.
This has meant that James has been unavailable for 38 matches this campaign, but he played his first game since December at the weekend, and he instantly reminded the Premier League why he’s a “world-class” star, as dubbed by football scout Jacek Kulig.
The 24-year-old was used as a 79th-minute substitute, and despite only having a short cameo, his impact was undeniable, assisting Nicolas Jackson’s winner, taking 21 touches, and winning three duels.
Games played (starts)
9 (5)
25 (18)
Assists
2
5
Big chances created
7
7
Key passes (per game)
1.4
1.2
Tackles (per game)
1.6
2
Duels won (per game)
3.9 (64%)
4.2 (55%)
Dribbled past (per game)
0.2
0.7
However, as you can see from the table above showcasing his statistics from this season, a performance like that is the norm for James, and it’s clear just how influential he is when in the team.
When compared to Malo Gusto, both players rank similarly from a defensive perspective, as the duo are strong in their individual battles and can comfortably defend 1v1 scenarios, as shown by the duels won, dribbled past, and tackle stats.
Yet, what separates the two is the unbelievable attacking threat that James brings to the table, whether it be from crosses, set pieces, or driving the team forward on the counterattack.
The two fullbacks have created the same big chances this season, seven, despite Gusto playing 16 more matches than the Chelsea captain, which just proves how much more dangerous he truly is.
Overall, it’s clear that James elevates the team, and tonight’s game against Brighton could be the perfect opportunity to finally ease him back into the side.
Chelsea's "sensational" academy teen could be the next Reece James
Chelsea have another explosive homegrown full-back aspiring to rise to first-team stardom like Reece James did.
ByTom GriffinNov 14, 2023