Chelsea predicted lineup vs Blackburn – Carabao Cup
Chelsea’s search for stability drags on as they welcome Championship side Blackburn Rovers to Stamford Bridge in the Carabao Cup fourth round on Wednesday night.
Since March, Chelsea have been able to muster just three wins from 16 games in front of their own fans – two of those victories have arrived in this season’s Carabao Cup. After coming from behind against fourth-tier AFC Wimbledon in the second round, Chelsea managed to defeat their unofficial feeder club Brighton in September.
Here’s the lineup Mauricio Pochettino may deploy to ensure that the Stamford Bridge crowd can continue to look forward to Carabao Cup fixtures – every other competition carries a layer of dread at this point.
GK: Robert Sanchez – While playing for Brighton’s under-21 team, alongside the likes of Ben White, Solly March and Viktor Gyokeres, Sanchez kept two clean sheets in three meetings with Blackburn’s youngsters.
RB: Malo Gusto – In a little over 500 minutes of football, Gusto is Chelsea’s leading assist provider this season (with a grand total of two).
CB: Axel Disasi – Upon his arrival at Chelsea, Disasi boasted: „I like interceptions, and I like to be aggressive with the opposition, to use my physicality.“ Yet, Chelsea’s dainty midfielder Cole Palmer has cut out as many balls as the towering Frenchman (five).
CB: Levi Colwill – The only outfield player to start all 12 Chelsea fixtures this season isn’t expected to be dropped just yet.
LB: Marc Cucurella – Why John Cena posted a picture of Cucurella following Chelsea’s 2-0 defeat to Brentford remains one of life’s unanswered mysteries.
CM: Conor Gallagher – A firm favourite under Pochettino, the indefatigable Gallagher is locked in negotiations with Chelsea over a contract extension.
CM: Lesley Ugochukwu – Initially touted as a player that would be swiftly loaned out to Chelsea’s newly acquired sister club Strasbourg, Ugochukwu has not merely hung around in west London but played every minute of their Carabao Cup campaign thus far.
AM: Ian Maatsen – A Championship winner as Burnley’s left-back last term, Maatsen has been given a glut of substitute appearances all over the pitch for the Blues this season.
RW: Noni Madueke – The headband-wearing winger is conscious of his fashion in everyday life as well. „I think the way I play football reflects how I dress,“ Madueke explained. „I do it with flair – just like how I play on the pitch.“
ST: Deivid Washington – The former Santos forward earned his first Premier League minutes against Brentford on Saturday and could be in line for a full debut if Pochettino opts to rotate this week.
LW: Raheem Sterling – Second-tier opposition is Sterling’s favourite. Every domestic goal Sterling has scored for Chelsea has come against club’s that have either spent the previous season in the Championship or were just about to drop into that division.