Antonio Conte’s start as Chelsea manager has gotten off to the perfect start, with three wins in his first three games. This kind of an instant impact can be seen as the result of Conte’s smart summer signings along with his managerial prowess.
In terms of transfers, Chelsea have brought in Michy Batshuayi, Marcos Alonso, David Luiz, N’Golo Kante and Eduardo – players who will form the spine of the team and provide adequate cover for first-team players.
However, now that the transfer window is shut, it’ll be interesting to see how Chelsea lines up for the rest of the season.
Tactically, one can expect Chelsea to line up using a 4-2-3-1 formation, thereby allowing Conte to play two holding midfielders in front of the defence, giving freedom to the attacking players.
Goalkeeper
#1 Thibaut Courtois
The Belgian will definitely be Chelsea’s first-choice goalkeeper this season, given his shot stopping ability and quick reflexes. The young Belgian is one of the best goalkeepers in the world and will be a crucial member of Chelsea’s defence and the team.
Chelsea have signed Eduardo from Dinamo Zagreb as back-up and also have Asmir Begovic, but both of them are expected to play second fiddle to Courtois, especially in the Premier League.
Defence
#2 Left-back: Marcos Alonso
Marcos Alonso, the summer signing from Fiorentina, can either play as a wing-back or as a holding midfielder. The former Real Madrid and Bolton player signed with Chelsea for a fee reported to be in the range of £23 million.
The Spanish player will most likely fill the troublesome left-back spot for the London team.
Alonso shouldn’t take long to adjust to the Premier League given his past experience with Bolton Wanderers and a loan spell with Sunderland. He possesses a brilliant left foot and strikes free kicks sweetly, and also has pace to burn.
#3 Centre-back: John Terry
There was a lot of speculation about Terry’s future at the end of last season, however, the Chelsea management laid all that to rest by handing the English defender a one-year contract extension. New manager Conte also declared that Terry will always be his first choice captain, and rightly so.
Despite being in the twilight of his career, Terry still remains one of Conte’s most pivotal players. Expect Terry to continue being Chelsea’s captain and leader, and lead the backline with his no-nonsense defensive methods.
#4 Centre-back: David Luiz
Although Chelsea is no stranger to re-signing a player, the Brazilian’s return to Stamford Bridge has been nothing short of sensational. However, a lot has changed for Luiz, since he last played for Chelsea.
During his time in France, Luiz cemented his place as one of PSG’s first-choice centre-backs but had fallen out of favour with new manager Unai Emery. His signing provides much-needed cover in the heart of the Chelsea defence.
#5 Right-back: Cesar Azpillicueta
The Spaniard is adept at playing on either side of the defensive flanks, given his tenacity and work rate. Azpillicueta has grown tremendously since he joined Chelsea and will most likely be the only player in the Chelsea line-up guaranteed to hold a place in the starting XI
Despite his invaluable contributions to Chelsea, he still remains one of the most underrated players in the Premier League.
Defensive Midfield
#6 Defensive midfielder: N’Golo Kante
A Premier League winner with Leicester City last season, the diminutive French international has already settled in well in the Chelsea line up. The Blues knew what they were getting when they signed Kante; a tenacious player with loads of energy, who has drawn comparisons with a former Chelsea legend, Claude Makelele.
One of the most industrious players in the Premier League, Kante is known for his work rate on the pitch, whilst protecting his defence.
#7 Defensive midfielder: Nemanja Matic
Another player re-signed by Chelsea in 2014, the Serbian is known to be a workhorse and a strong presence in midfield.
Matic has been one of the most important players for Chelsea, since rejoining them in 2014 and was instrumental when Chelsea last won the title under Mourinho two years back.
Conte will hope that Matic can be just as effective this season.
Attacking Midfielder
#8 Left wing: Eden Hazard
The Belgian has seemingly carried on where he left off for his country at the Euros and Conte could not have asked for more. Despite being a shadow of himself for the majority of last season, Hazard has started this season in ominous fashion.
If his performances so far are anything to go by, Chelsea fans will have a lot to smile about for the remainder of the campaign.
#9 Central attacking midfielder: Oscar
The Brazilian, who had a promising start to his life at Chelsea, has gone under the radar in the past two seasons and was heavily linked with a move away in the summer.
His impressive performances at the start of this season will ensure that he regularly features under Conte.
Oscar has the ability to make a defense-splitting pass and is also good at closing down opponents.
#10 Right wing: Willian
Willian was the lone silver lining, in an otherwise dark and gloomy campaign for Chelsea last season.
More importantly, he has started this campaign in a similar vein. The Brazilian’s attacking prowess, combined with his willingness to get back and help his team out defensively, is what makes him an asset to any team.
The Brazilian also has a strong right foot, can hit from distance and is brilliant at free-kicks. He will continue to be one of Chelsea’s most valuable players.
Striker: Diego Costa
The fact that Costa is still a Chelsea player may come as a surprise to some, given that he too was linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge. Moreover, Cosa himself had confessed his desire to go back to Atletico Madrid.
However, he has been a regular starter under Conte and iss back to his goal scoring ways. On his day, the Spanish striker can be an imposing presence and unstoppable.
Formation
The Blues might have been expected to play with Conte’s tested 3-5-2 formation but a 4-2-3-1 seems to be the way forward. Matic and Kante should provide enough defensive protection from the midfield to allow the likes of Hazard, Willian, and Oscar to create havoc for other teams.
If they do switch to a three-back formation, they have suitable players like Gary Cahill, Branislav Ivanovi and Kurt Zouma to play at the back
