Chelsea: 3 questions for Maurizio Sarri ahead of the Community Shield

#2 The Midfield Conundrum

Chelsea FC v Perth Glory

Maurizio Sarri employs a 3-man midfield and it is safe to assume that new arrival, Jorginho, is set to occupy the deep playmaker position and make this Chelsea side tick.

N’Golo Kante will almost surely occupy the other spot to the right of Jorginho, which should really let him thrive by winning possession in the opposition half and providing the perfect link between the defence and the front line.

That leaves one spot and 4 contenders. It is safe to assume Tiemoue Bakayoko will not be starting as he has still not adapted to the English game and looks error prone as well as short on confidence.

That leaves Ross Barkley, Cesc Fabregas and Loftus Cheek to compete for 1 spot. Fabregas can do a good job against the lesser teams but is simply not dynamic enough to start against a pacey front line and midfield. His ability to track back is not great and he usually struggles when transitioning from offence to defence.

It seems as though Sarri prefers Barkley for the role and with good reason, as his strength, pace and shooting ability make him the favourite for the role. Barkley also possesses the ability to play a killer pass and should link up well with Eden Hazard, once the Belgian is available for selection. The question that remains is whether he can do it night after night, consistently.