Penultimate friendly!
Chelsea will be playing their 2nd last friendly in Austria on Wednesday against Red Bull Salzburg. Red Bull won the Austrian Bundesliga last season and have already started this season last weekend as they beat Rapid Wien 0-2. They are on a good run of form only having lost one game over the last month. For Chelsea it is another good test against a side who are already fit and playing their season.
Chelsea go into the game having beaten Reading 3-4 in the last friendly. A good site for Lampard in this game would be to see a solid defensive performance as well as a goal or two from the forwards and not just the midfielders. Michy, Tammy, and Giroud only have 2 goals between them in pre-season so far and while there is plenty of promise in Michy, and Tammy they need to start converting that into goals. The midfield has been the strongest area for Lampard and there is plenty of talent to select from not forgetting that Kante and RLC are still not involved.
Chelsea Team Preview
Lampard has been playing around with the 4-2-3-1 and diamond midfield formations and after recent friendlies his biggest problem seems to be finding a way to accommodate both Mount, and Barkley. The players have been in great form and leaving either out of the starting XI would not be an option. My personal opinion is that Lampard should stick to a 4-2-3-1 with Mount playing at left wing which he has done during pre-season. Barkley can play in the no 10 role and Pulisic on the right. It also allows for interchange among the three players. Kepa should start both of the next friendlies while the defence also needs to be straightened out. Emerson, and Azpi are nailed on to start while the centre back pairing needs to be decided. Luiz, Zouma, and Christensen have all been great and so two of those could start together. Kante should get his first minutes in this friendly but for now it looks like Kovacic and Jorginho will be the midfield pivot. For the strikers as previously mentioned its another chance to get goals and show what they can bring.
Starting XI Prediction
As the season starts in less than 2 weeks it’s time for Lampard to stop making wholesale changes and start playing his potential starting XI. It is a good opportunity for the players to create some chemistry over the next two games. COME ON YOU BLUES!!!
Park The Bus 