The Premier League is back. Chelsea visit Aston Villa later today and the fans are excited to see their club kick the ball after nearly three months away from the action.
A lot is being said about Chelsea’s team for the next season. Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech have already signed for the club. However, notable stars like Pedro and Willian are expected to depart. Also, there have been a lot of rumours about incoming and outgoing talents from Cobham.
Amidst this exciting times for the Blues, today we try to analyse what could be the best Chelsea midfield for the next season.
What Could be the Ideal Chelsea Midfield Next Season?
Unlikely Changes to the Formation
When Frank Lampard took up the job at Stamford Bridge, the club was seemingly in turmoil. Their best player had left for Real Madrid, the previous manager had left despite winning the Europa League and, most importantly, the club was serving an indefinite transfer ban.
Despite these issues, Lampard has seemingly done an amazing job. Having recalled many loanees from various clubs in Europe and putting together his best eleven from a suitable mix of experienced and young starlets, the Englishman has propelled Chelsea to a Champions League spot as of yet.
So, with a formula which is evidently working, there is a high chance that Lampard won’t change is formation anytime soon. This leaves the squad with room for a three-man midfield. One holding player who dictates the tempo of the game and two men in advanced positions – one of them having the job of recovering the ball, while the other with some creative responsibilities.
Headache for Lampard due to Huge Squad
Talking about the two midfielders in the advanced positions, there is going to be a huge competition for the same.
With Ziyech signed already, Mason Mount‘s front-three role is in jeopardy. At Derby County, Mount was regularly used by Lampard in his deeper midfield role. For sure, the youngster will be eyeing a spot in that three-man midfield next season.
There is Mateo Kovacic already in the squad who is almost untouchable. The midfielder has been a revelation for this new age Chelsea side. It is unlikely that Frank Lampard will bench him for any other player.
There have been talks about European giants being interested in signing N’Golo Kante recently. But the gaffer has reiterated Kante’s importance almost repeatedly now. It could be ridiculous if the World Cup winner is not part of the first team next season.
Coming to the Regista position, the position between the defenders and the midfielders. The position which dictates the tempo of how the club operates on-field. There is no doubt Jorginho is the only player who is almost the perfect Regista in the squad. Unfortunately for Chelsea, there is a lot of interest from Italy for the midfielder. Nevertheless, Jorginho has shown a lot of weaknesses in his game despite his technical flawlessness.
The Best Chelsea Midfield
Choosing the best three from a plethora of talents in the squad will surely give Lampard sleepless nights. But, it’s a good position to be in. An ideal midfield for Chelsea, after weighing in on all pros and cons would be surely a trio of Kante, Kovacic and Mount.
Lampard could put Kante in his natural defensive mid position. A position which won two Premier League titles and a World Cup. Kante is certainly the best player in the league at that position so it would bring Chelsea closer to their most perfect squad.
Mateo Kovacic could be given a dual role of a box-to-box midfielder. The Croatian has shown glimpses of what a sensation he can be in that role. With the likes of Werner, Ziyech and Pulisic up-front, Kovacic would be another helping hand in the creativity segment.
Lastly, its a debatable call but Mason Mount deserves to be there in this lineup. The English midfielder is technically gifted and still searching for his best potential which doesn’t seem very far. He promises goals and assists, and at the age of 21, has statistics which could put legends to shame considering their exploits when they were so young.
This trio is quite close to the kind of flair and pace that Chelsea needs, to dominate England and of course, Europe.
Of course, not to forget that Lampard also has Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Ross Barkley and the young and emerging Billy Gilmour.
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