Chelsea get the season underway once again by hosting Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge and will look to get back to winning ways straight away. The World Cup break may have actually helped us in that respect; a couple key players are fit again and the three losses on the trot seem a distant memory.
THE PEOPLE’S CHOICE
The WAGNH community continue to be torn on the lineup, as the 3-4-3 only narrowly edges out the 4-3-3 (34%), with the 4-2-3-1 (21%) not far behind either. In goal, Kepa Arrizabalaga comes back in for Édouard Mendy (20%) right off the bat.
An experienced back three sees Thiago Silva, Kalidou Koulibaly and Trevoh Chalobah start while Marc Cucurella and a fit-again Reece James do so at wing-back. With Wesley Fofana suffering an injury setback and Ben Chilwell remaining sidelined, César Azpilicueta (21%) is the only senior backup option here.
Denis Zakaria (31%) showed some promising signs just before the break, but he doesn’t get into the team ahead of Jorginho or Conor Gallagher. The game comes too soon for World Cup semifinalist Mateo Kovačić (18%), but Carney Chukwuemeka (18%) is fit again and Lewis Hall (16%) gives Chelsea another great and dynamic option in midfield.
Kai Havertz was one of the few bright sparks for Germany in Qatar, and therefore gets the nod ahead of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (52%). Similarly to Kovačić, Hakim Ziyech (8%) will also miss this one. That means it’s Mason Mount and Raheem Sterling on the flanks, with Christian Pulisic (55%) providing cover. Omari Hutchinson (16%) gives us another option off the bench.
3-4-3 (38%)
Arrizabalaga (80%) | Koulibaly (77%), Silva (86%), Chalobah (71%) | Cucurella (78%), Gallagher (57%), Jorginho (86%), James (88%) | Mount (75%), Havertz (75%), Sterling (70%)